By Charles Pekow — Building bike trails, giving guided tours, and conducting biking events in National Forests has become easier — but the land and wildlife may pay the cost. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), as part of the Trump Administration’s effort to cut red tape and weaken environmental protections, finalized a rule that suspends environmental reviews of many projects, including building, repairing, or altering bike trails. USDA changed the rule last July on an interim basis and finalized it in April, clarifying some matters.
The National Environmental Protection Act requires an environmental assessment before construction projects and recreational activity permits. USDA says it is responding to changes in the law and complying with court orders.
Note: the new rules do not apply in areas where mountain biking is banned. Details at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-04-03/html/2026-06537.htm.
