Read the comments.

As a life-long Pennsylvania resident, former DCNR employee in both forestry and state parks, past director of the Pennsylvania Alliance for Environmental Education, avid hiker, and biker, I find no compelling reason to open protected national forest land to development, nor to rescind or alter the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Allegheny National Forest is a Pennsylvania jewel, providing habitat for wildlife, a source of clean water, as well as a pristine area for recreation. Conservation regulations were enacted to protect our wild areas. Needless development of these areas under the guise of progress, economic improvement, or whatever other excuse to develop might be offered would be a disaster. Industrial activity would destroy the trees and trails we love. Let Mr. Trump's developer friends make their money by improving Pennsylvania's existing infrastructure. Keep hands off the Allegheny National Forest and other areas like it around our country. Please maintain protections for the 45 million acres of wild and roadless forests and don’t rescind or alter the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Sincerely, Dennis P. Bechard 143 S. Broad Street Waynesboro, PA 17268 dpb.wboro@gmail.com]

As a life-long Pennsylvania resident, former DCNR employee in both forestry and state parks, past director of the Pennsylvania Alliance for Environmental Education, avid hiker, and biker, I find no compelling reason to open protected national forest land to development, nor to rescind or alter the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Allegheny National Forest is a Pennsylvania jewel, providing habitat for wildlife, a source of clean water, as well as a pristine area for recreation. Conservation regulations were enacted to protect our wild areas. Needless development of these areas under the guise of progress, economic improvement, or whatever other excuse to develop might be offered would be a disaster. Industrial activity would destroy the trees and trails we love. Let Mr. Trump's developer friends make their money by improving Pennsylvania's existing infrastructure. Keep hands off the Allegheny National Forest and other areas like it around our country. Please maintain protections for the 45 million acres of wild and roadless forests and don’t rescind or alter the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Sincerely, Dennis P. Bechard 143 S Broad St Waynesboro, PA 17268-1660 dpb.wboro@gmail.com

Points/ Comments on the Proposed recission of the Roadless Rule by the US Forest Service. Submitted by Peter M. Dubinsky, 715 Lincoln Ave, Grove City, PA 16127 Foxrun9@Comcast.net. I am submitting the following points and comments which support my view that the Proposed recession of the Roadless Rule should not be pursued by the US Forest Service. The Rule should remain in place as written. It is vital to the protection of the public lands and the National Forest lands. My reasons are: 1.As a citizen of the US, a Taxpayer and a believer in the value of conservation of resources the Roadless Rule adds a critical layer of protection for key sections of National Forests which serve as the last places in the US (and the world for that matter) where many species of animals, plants, trees and wildlife in general can prosper and survive. 2.The proposal to rescind the Roadless Rule does not seem to be based on any supporting data or information indicating a change in the rule is needed to support some national need. Instead, the recission appears based on the whim of the administration to open roadless areas to the forces of commercial development and recreational activities which will do harm to the land. My wife and I own land close to the Allegheny National Forest in Western Pennsylvania. The Allegheny National Forest already allows certain commercial activities such as timber sales and use of use of off-road vehicles. Such allowances already occur in a large number of National Forest areas in a controlled and planned format. Why open the small areas of the forest to recreational and commercial activity when a large portion is already open? It does not seem to make sense. 3.I noted that the rule will expand the use of recreational vehicles. As a landowner of private property in Western PA, I can attest to the fact that owners of off-road vehicles will, given the opportunity, violate the land by tearing up the soil and woodland with their actions. Keeping ATVs and other off-road vehicles out of our private property is a task itself. I can envision the “off roaders” taking advantage of the National Forest lands as well. 4.If some changes in the Roadless Rule do make sense, why not just establish a new the timeline for States to provide their own proposals for modifying the existing roadless designations. That was part of the original rule, and several states did make proposals and those proposals were accepted. This allows the States, which see it as useful to identify modifications to the existing roadless designations, to do so and explain why. That allows them the control which is a key intent of the proposal. Let the states decide.

Please maintain protections for the 45 million acres of wild and roadless forests and don’t rescind or alter the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. In Pennsylvania, the rule protects about 25,000 acres of the Allegheny National Forest—roughly 5% of the more than 500,000-acre forest. The Commonwealth's only national forest is full of mature and old-growth trees that provide important wildlife habitat. They’re home to unique places for low-impact, backcountry outdoor recreation, like hiking, fishing, and camping. And it's known as the "lungs of Pennsylvania" because the large tree canopy helps filter air and produce clean oxygen. Many forests are open to logging, development, and other industrial uses. This portion of the wild should remain held to a higher standard of protection so that trees can mature, rare species can thrive, and more people can enjoy our natural treasures and resources. Industrial activity would destroy the trees and trails we love. Keep our national forests wild. Sincerely, Carolyn Comitta 17 E Gay St West Chester, PA 19380-3144 carolyn.comitta@pasenate.com

Please leave untouched the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. This law protects 45 million acres of wild and roadless forests, including in the Allegheny National Forest. Pristine forests contain mature and old-growth trees that provide important wildlife habitat. They’re our favorite places to hike, fish and camp. Wild forests should remain protected from road-building, commercial logging and mining. Industrial activity would destroy the trees and trails we love. Industrial activity would also impact the millions of local dollars for communities that rely on the tourism and outdoor activity dollars that flow to local, rural communities. Sincerely, Marc Schneier Dresher, PA Sincerely, Marc Schneier 1684 Kenmare Dr Dresher, PA 19025-1249 mschneier@verizon.net

I’m very much in favor of ending the Roadless Rule and opening up more of our national forests to managed logging and additional recreational activities. This is particularly true in the Allegheny National Forest where such activities, including gas and oil development, are important to the local economy, school districts and municipalities. Let’s end the Roadless Rule and get our forest back to producing a reliable timber supply as originally intended. Thank you for the opportunity to comment Sincerely, Bob Kirchner 167 Jackson Rd Saint Marys, PA 15857-3229 whynotbobk@yahoo.com

I'm a Republican Christian in PA, a swing state, asking you to please maintain protections for the 45 million acres of wild and roadless forests and don’t rescind or alter the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Rescinding or altering the rule would affect 25,000 acres in Pennsylvania’s only national forest, the Allegheny National Forest. Ending protections would let billionaire developers log and mine our forests. Protecting God's Creation helps people, not just wildlife (and wildlife is important, too!). Every year we lose undeveloped forests and open space to development. Keeping our forests off-limits to cars and trucks is good for so many reasons, including: -Millions of people’s drinking water starts in national forests – so keeping the land protected keeps water clean -More roads mean more forest fires -Keeping up remote roads and building new ones costs taxpayers money. These forests are full of mature and old-growth trees that provide important wildlife habitat. They’re our favorite places to hike, fish, hunt, and camp. Wild forests should remain protected from road-building, commercial logging and mining. Industrial activity would destroy the land we love in PA and the rest of our great Nation. Keep our national forests wild. Sincerely, Mary Gross 1195 Meco Rd Easton, PA 18040-8086 molly1@rotosource.com