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Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins,Comments for RIN 0596-AD66Our fanily, strongly, opposes the "U.S. Department of Agriculture"’s proposal to repeal, or, weaken, the, landmark, Roadless Area Conservation Rule" that has protected wild, unfragmented, forests for more than a quarter century. The rationale offered for doing so is NOT supported by science, violates the, public, trust, doctrine, and, would unleash, irreparable, harm to our National Forests.Endangered Species: The recovery and long-term survival of many imperiled species are highly dependent upon existing roadless areas. The Forest Service’s own biological assessment determined that rescinding the Roadless Rule is “likely to adversely affect” 327 threatened and endangered species and 71 designated critical habitats. Imperiled animals and plants need adequate secure habitats to survive, thrive, and ultimately recover to sustainable population levels.Biodiversity: Wild nature is under assault both within the U.S. and globally. Both the number of species and the abundance of animals are in sharp decline at a pace not experienced on Earth for approximately 60 million years. A sixth mass extinction of life on Earth is clearly underway, with measured extinction rates of 100-1,000 times normal background levels. Monitored global wildlife populations of land animal populations have declined by about 69 percent over the last 50 years (1970-2020). North American bird populations have declined by about 29 percent (~3 billion birds) since 1970, including many imperiled species. A major cause of the decline is habitat destruction and fragmentation. With more species endangered today and wildlands disappearing at a rapid pace, roadless areas are more important than ever to address ongoing wildlife decline and the extinction crisis. Roads serve as conduits for invasive species, which can out compete native species. Opening existing roadless areas to road building and resource extraction activities like logging and mining will further exacerbate the decline of wildlife habitats and the wildlife they support.Ecological Health and Services: Healthy ecosystems are critical to the long-term survival of both wild nature and human-dominated landscapes. Benefits include ample secure habitats for both imperiled and non-imperiled species. Benefits to humans include sustainable supplies of freshwater to 354 municipalities, compounds used in more than 50 percent of modern medicines, carbon storage and climate moderation, purification of water and air, soil formation, nutrient cycling, treatment of both mental and physical health conditions, and outdoor recreation. Once roads are built, habitat fragmentation and ecosystem impacts can persist for decades. At a time when biodiversity loss and habitat degradation continue to threaten wildlife across the U.S., the Forest Service should be strengthening protections for roadless areas rather than eliminating them.The U.S. Timber Supply: The federal timber program has never been profitable. Over 40 years, logging on national forests has resulted in $227 million in revenue while costing a staggering $1.96 billion to implement — a return of about $1 dollar for every $8 of federal investment. This is an inexcusable loss of U.S. taxpayer dollars and public resources. National forests produce only a small fraction of the total U.S. timber production. The U.S. Forest Service admits that private forests supply more than 90 percent of U.S. forest products, mostly from large timber plantations.Too Many Roads Already:The National Forest System currently has approximately 370,000 miles of roads, which the Forest Service already cannot afford to fully maintain. The agency’s road maintenance and reconstruction backlog is $8.6 billion. Building more roads is not a fiscally responsible idea given the massive backlog of road maintenance needs that currently exists.Fire Risks: Wildfires are much less frequent in protected roadless areas, which comprise about 30 percent of national forest lands, but account for only about three percent of all wildfires that start on Forest Service lands. Wildfire-ignition density is lower in roadless forests (about 1.9 fires per 2,500 acres) compared to areas near roads, where the rate is up to four times higher. Fires in remote areas, which often are sparked by lightning strikes, tend to burn far fewer acres. Approximately 90 percent of all wildland fires ignite within a half mile of an existing road due to human activity like vehicles, campfires, and equipment. Fires started by people are about seven times more common on roaded national forest lands than in the roadless areas. Roads bring people, and people

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins,Comments for RIN 0596-AD66I strongly oppose the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposal to repeal or weaken the landmark Roadless Area Conservation Rule that has protected wild, unfragmented forests for more than a quarter century. The rationale offered for doing so is not supported by science, violates the public trust doctrine, and would unleash irreparable harm to our national forests. It is our responsibility to take care of all life on earth and to conserve areas for biodiversity so nonhumans can also live their lives without constant threat of habitat destruction or auto accidents. It is also in our best interest to protect nature as it is directly tied to our own well being and survival. Thank you,TanyaGeorgia

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins,Comments for RIN 0596-AD66I strongly oppose the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposal to repeal or weaken the landmark Roadless Area Conservation Rule that has protected wild, unfragmented forests for more than a quarter century. The rationale offered for doing so is not supported by science, violates the public trust doctrine, and would unleash irreparable harm to our national forests.Humans as well as wildlife need the old growth forests, for habitat, hunting, recreation, natural resources and simply being in nature for mental health.Thank you,Emily MatyasEmilyArizona

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins,Comments for RIN 0596-AD66I strongly oppose the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposal to repeal or weaken the landmark Roadless Area Conservation Rule that has protected wild, unfragmented forests for more than a quarter century. The rationale offered for doing so is not supported by science, violates the public trust doctrine, and would unleash irreparable harm to our national forests with its existing natural Wildlifes.Thank you and signed for and by all the Wildlifes NATURES.ChristianCanton de Vaud

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins,Comments for RIN 0596-AD66I strongly oppose the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposal to repeal or weaken the landmark Roadless Area Conservation Rule that has protected wild, unfragmented forests for more than a quarter century. The rationale offered for doing so is not supported by science, violates the public trust doctrine, and would unleash irreparable harm to our national forests.Roads are bad for the natural world and the nonhuman life there. There is so little roadless land left that we need to keep it so. Roads harm ecosystems and allow the harms of extractive activities to occur. From harms to ecosystems to harms to and deaths of endangered species and loss of biodiversity, there can be no reason to build more roads!Thank you,JeffCalifornia

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins,Comments for RIN 0596-AD66We, strongly, oppose the "U.S. Department of Agriculture" ’s proposal to repeal, or, weaken, the, landmark, Roadless Area Conservation Rule" that has protected wild, unfragmented, forests for more than a quarter century. The rationale offered for doing so is NOT supported by science, violates the, public, trust, doctrine, and, would unleash, irreparable, harm to our National Forests.Endangered Species: the recovery, and, long-term, survival of, many, imperiled, species are, highly, dependent upon, existing, roadless, areas. The Forest Service" ’s, own, biological, assessment determined that rescinding the "Roadless Rule" is “likely to adversely affect” 327 Threatened, and, Endangered, species, and, 71, designated, critical, habitats. Imperiled animals, and, plants, need, adequate, secure, habitats to survive, thrive, and, ultimately, recover to, sustainable, population, levels.Biodiversity: wild, nature is under assault both within the U.S., and, globally. Both the number of species, and, the abundance of animals are in, sharp, decline at a pace NOT experienced, on Earth, for, approximately, 60 million, years. A, sixth, mass, extinction, of life on Earth, is, clearly, underway, with, measured, extinction, rates of 100-1,000 times, normal, background, levels. Monitored, global, wildlife, populations, of, land, animal, populations, have declined by about 69 percent over the, last, 50 years (1970-2020). North American, bird, populations have declined by about 29 percent (~3 billion birds) since 1970, including, many, imperiled, species. A, major, cause of the decline is, habitat, destruction, and, fragmentation. With, more, species endangered, today, and, wildlands disappearing at a, rapid, pace, roadless, areas are, more, important than ever to address, ongoing, wildlife, decline, and, the, extinction, crisis. Roads serve as conduits for, invasive, species, which can out compete, native, species. Opening, existing, roadless, areas to, road, building, and, resource, extraction, activities, like logging, and, mining, will, further, exacerbate the decline of, wildlife, habitats and, the wildlife they support.Ecological Health and Services: healthy, ecosystems are critical to the, long-term, survival of both, wild, nature, and, human-dominated, landscapes. Benefits include, ample, secure, habitats for, both, imperiled, and, non-imperiled, species. Benefits to humans include, sustainable, supplies of freshwater to, 354, municipalities, compounds used in more than 50 percent of, modern, medicines, carbon, storage, and, climate, moderation, purification of water, and, air, soil, formation, nutrient, cycling, treatment of, both, mental, and, physical, health, conditions, and, outdoor, recreation. Once roads are built, habitat, fragmentation, and, ecosystem, impacts can persist for decades. At a time when, biodiversity, loss, and, habitat, degradation continue to threaten wildlife, across the U.S., the "Forest Service" MUST strengthen protections for, roadless, areas, NOT eliminate them!The U.S. Timber Supply: the, federal, timber, program has, never, been profitable. Over 40 years, logging, on National Forests, has resulted in $227 million, in revenue, while costing a, staggering, $1.96 billion to implement — a return of about $1 dollar for, every, $8 of, federal, investment! This is an, inexcusable, loss of, U.S., taxpayer, dollars, and, public, resources! National Forests produce, only, a, small, fraction of the, total, U.S., timber, production! The "U.S. Forest Service" admits that, private, forests supply more than 90 percent of, U.S., forest, products, mostly, from, large, timber, plantations.Too Many Roads Already: the "National Forest System", currently, has, approximately, 370,000 miles of roads, which the "Forest Service", already, cannot afford to, fully, maintain. The Agency’s, road, maintenance, and, reconstruction, backlog is $8.6 billion! Building, more, roads is NOT a, fiscally, responsible, idea given the, massive, backlog of, road, maintenance, needs that, currently, exists!Fire Risks: wildfires are, much, less, frequent in, protected, roadless, areas, which comprise about 30 percent of, National Forest, lands, but, account for, only, about, three, percent of, all, wildfires that start on, "Forest Service", lands. Wildfire-ignition density is lower in roadless forests (about 1.9 fires per 2,500 acres) compared to areas near roads, where the rate is up to, four, times higher. Fires in, remote, areas, which, often, are sparked by, lightning, strikes, tend to burn, far, fewer, acres. Approximately, 90 percent of, all, wildland, fires ignite within a half m

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins,Comments for RIN 0596-AD66I strongly oppose the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposal to repeal or weaken the landmark Roadless Area Conservation Rule that has protected wild, unfragmented forests for more than a quarter century. The rationale offered for doing so is not supported evidence by research methods, violates the public trust, and would unleash irreparable harm to our national forests that will be permanent and it will take over a hundred years to recover, much like the devastating effects of a wildfire.Thank you,R BockianSTEM EducatorRosaArizona

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins,Comments for RIN 0596-AD66I strongly oppose the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposal to repeal or weaken the landmark Roadless Area Conservation Rule that has protected wild, unfragmented forests for more than a quarter century. The rationale offered for doing so is not supported by science, violates the public trust doctrine, and would unleash irreparable harm to our national forests.Endangered Species: the recovery and long-term survival of many imperiled species are highly dependent upon existing roadless areas. The Forest Service’s own biological assessment determined that rescinding the Roadless Rule is “likely to adversely affect” 327 threatened and endangered species and 71 designated critical habitats. Imperiled animals and plants need adequate secure habitats to survive, thrive, and ultimately recover to sustainable population levels.Biodiversity: wild nature is under assault both within the U.S. and globally. Both the number of species and the abundance of animals are in sharp decline at a pace not experienced on Earth for approximately 60 million years. A sixth mass extinction of life on Earth is clearly underway, with measured extinction rates of 100-1,000 times normal background levels. Monitored global wildlife populations of land animal populations have declined by about 69 percent over the last 50 years (1970-2020). North American bird populations have declined by about 29 percent (~3 billion birds) since 1970, including many imperiled species. A major cause of the decline is habitat destruction and fragmentation. With more species endangered today and wildlands disappearing at a rapid pace, roadless areas are more important than ever to address ongoing wildlife decline and the extinction crisis. Roads serve as conduits for invasive species, which can out compete native species. Opening existing roadless areas to road building and resource extraction activities like logging and mining will further exacerbate the decline of wildlife habitats and the wildlife they support.Ecological Health and Services: healthy ecosystems are critical to the long-term survival of both wild nature and human-dominated landscapes. Benefits include ample secure habitats for both imperiled and non-imperiled species. Benefits to humans include sustainable supplies of freshwater to 354 municipalities, compounds used in more than 50 percent of modern medicines, carbon storage and climate moderation, purification of water and air, soil formation, nutrient cycling, treatment of both mental and physical health conditions, and outdoor recreation. Once roads are built, habitat fragmentation and ecosystem impacts can persist for decades. At a time when biodiversity loss and habitat degradation continue to threaten wildlife across the U.S., the Forest Service should be strengthening protections for roadless areas rather than eliminating them.The U.S. Timber Supply: the federal timber program has never been profitable. Over 40 years, logging on national forests has resulted in $227 million in revenue while costing a staggering $1.96 billion to implement — a return of about $1 dollar for every $8 of federal investment. This is an inexcusable loss of U.S. taxpayer dollars and public resources. National forests produce only a small fraction of the total U.S. timber production. The U.S. Forest Service admits that private forests supply more than 90 percent of U.S. forest products, mostly from large timber plantations.Too Many Roads Already: the national forest system currently has approximately 370,000 miles of roads, which the Forest Service already cannot afford to fully maintain. The agency’s road maintenance and reconstruction backlog is $8.6 billion. Building more roads is not a fiscally responsible idea given the massive backlog of road maintenance needs that currently exists.Fire Risks: wildfires are much less frequent in protected roadless areas, which comprise about 30 percent of national forest lands, but account for only about three percent of all wildfires that start on Forest Service lands. Wildfire-ignition density is lower in roadless forests (about 1.9 fires per 2,500 acres) compared to areas near roads, where the rate is up to four times higher. Fires in remote areas, which often are sparked by lightning strikes, tend to burn far fewer acres. Approximately 90 percent of all wildland fires ignite within a half mile of an existing road due to human activity like vehicles, campfires, and equipment. Fires started by people are about seven times more common on roaded national forest lands than in the roadless areas. Roads bring people, and people start fires. Building roads into currently road

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins,Comments for RIN 0596-AD66I am deeply troubled that a "president" who has likely never hiked in a forest, seen a wild animal in its natural habitat or heard the roar of a mountain stream is unleashing such vitriol on Mother Nature. I strongly oppose the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposal to repeal or weaken the landmark Roadless Area Conservation Rule that has protected wild, unfragmented forests for more than a quarter century. The rationale offered for doing so is not supported by science, violates the public trust doctrine, and would unleash irreparable harm to our national forests.Thank you,MatthewColorado

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins,Comments for RIN 0596-AD66:Our family, strongly, OPPOSES the "U.S. Department of Agriculture" ’s proposal to repeal, or, weaken, the, landmark, "Roadless Area Conservation Rule" that has protected, wild, unfragmented, forests for more than a quarter-century! The rationale, offered for doing so, is NOT supported by science, violates the "Public Trust Doctrine", and, would unleash, irreparable, harm to our National Forests!DianeIllinois

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins,Comments for RIN 0596-AD66I strongly oppose the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposal to repeal or weaken the landmark Roadless Area Conservation Rule that has protected wild, unfragmented forests for more than a quarter-century. The rationale offered for doing so is not supported by science, violates the Public Trust Doctrine, and would unleash irreparable harm to our national forests.Thank you, Melissa Riparetti-Stepien MelissaCalifornia

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins,Comments for RIN 0596-AD66I vehemently oppose the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposal to repeal or weaken the landmark Roadless Area Conservation Rule that has protected wild, unfragmented forests for more than a quarter century. The rationale offered for doing so is not supported by science, violates the public trust doctrine, and would unleash irreparable harm to our national forests. The following fact alone should negate the whole idea of rescinding this rule : The recovery and long-term survival of many imperiled species are highly dependent upon existing roadless areas. The Forest Service’s own biological assessment determined that rescinding the Roadless Rule is “likely to adversely affect” 327 threatened and endangered species and 71 designated critical habitats. Imperiled animals and plants need adequate secure habitats to survive, thrive, and ultimately recover to sustainable population levels.And there are many other reasons too numerous to go through - just leave the Roadless Rule as it is and move on to more productive business, like helping the people in Nepal or Iran or Mexico or Haiti!!!!!Thank youLonnaCalifornia