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To the U.S. Forest Service: I am writing to express my strong opposition to any efforts to rescind, weaken, or roll back the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Protecting these unfragmented landscapes is deeply personal to me because I live within 30 minutes of many of them in the Pisgah National Forest. I depend on these watersheds for clean drinking water, and I value the pristine wildlife habitats that rolling back this rule will destroy. These roadless areas: •Provide clean drinking water to 60 million Americans and store 20% of all carbon in U.S. national forests •Provide critical habitat for 1,600+ threatened species, which in my area include the Eastern Hellbender and several species of bat •Contain priceless historical artifacts dating back 1000s of years •Provide a pristine natural environment for hiking, hunting, and fishing •Help generate over $200M tourist dollars and support 1160 jobs in Transylvania County alone New roads and logging will destroy these irreplaceable natural wonders forever and threaten native species while introducing invasive species like the Emerald Ash Borer which now threatens the Canada Hemlock Forest ecosystem within this area. I urge the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to abandon the proposed rescission and instead maintain full protections for all currently designated inventoried roadless areas. Sincerely, James G. Hardy 542 Middle Mount Rd. Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 828-862-6969

To the U.S. Forest Service: I am writing to express my strong opposition to any efforts to rescind, weaken, or roll back the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Protecting these unfragmented landscapes is deeply personal to me because I live within 30 minutes of many of them in the Pisgah National Forest. I depend on these watersheds for clean drinking water, and I value the pristine wildlife habitats that rolling back this rule will destroy. These roadless areas: •Provide clean drinking water to 60 million Americans and store 20% of all carbon in U.S. national forests •Provide critical habitat for 1,600+ threatened species, which in my area include the Eastern Hellbender and several species of bat •Contain priceless historical artifacts dating back 1000s of years •Provide a pristine natural environment for hiking, hunting, and fishing •Help generate over $200M tourist dollars and support 1160 jobs in Transylvania County alone New roads and logging will destroy these irreplaceable natural wonders forever and threaten native species while introducing invasive species like the Emerald Ash Borer which now threatens the Canada Hemlock Forest ecosystem within this area. I urge the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to abandon the proposed rescission and instead maintain full protections for all currently designated inventoried roadless areas. Sincerely, Alice B. Hardy 542 Middle Mount Rd. Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 828-862-6969

To whom it may concern, Please don't dismantle or rollback the 2001 Roadless Rule. I live very close to the Pisgah National Forest and visit many areas in Western NC. We have one of the most biodiverse areas in the world. There are new butterflies, salamander, plants, etc that are always being discovered. It is unbelievable. After visiting Europe this summer and seeing virtually no deep woods and experiencing incredibly hot areas, I so appreciate the cool breeze and having the ability to access the forest. Asheville has some clean water thanks to this watershed and it supports our economy with tourism. We must not cut more roads into these woods. They need to have their own ecosystem in order to survive. Our Earth is getting hotter. We needs these trees to absorb whatever carbon that it can. I urge the US Forest Service and the USDA to maintain full protection of the Roadless Rule. Thank you for your time. -Marcelle Crago Candler, NC 28715

I am opposed to the U.S. Forest Service’s proposal to repeal the 2001 Roadless Rule in North Carolina. As a resident of Western North Carolina, I am intimately familiar with the importance of the truly valuable areas contained in the Pisgah National Forest and the Nantahala National Forest. One important aspect of these areas is watershed protection and climate resilience. Our drinking water is naturally filtered by the intact, unfragmented forest floors, which is also our best natural defense against catastrophic soil erosion and severe downstream flooding, which increasingly threaten our mountain communities as we have seen not only with Hurricane Helene, but many other natural events as well. Western North Carolina’s multi-billion-dollar outdoor recreation economy relies directly on the wild, uninterrupted nature of these public lands. Opening these backcountry areas to industrial use will permanently degrade the world-class hiking, fly-fishing, and climbing experiences that draw visitors from around the globe and support local businesses. The Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests contain unique, ancient ecosystems and unique endangered wildlife species found only in these forests that cannot survive the disruption brought by heavy machinery and road corridors. Relying solely on local, shifting forest management plans does not offer the permanent, ironclad security that the 2001 Roadless Rule provides. I urge the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of Agriculture to reject this rollback and maintain the full, existing federal protections for North Carolina's backcountry. Please consider what is best for not only the current residents of Western North Carolina, but for the many generations to come. Sincerely, Kim Chao Hendersonville, NC 28791

I am writing today as a resident of Western North Carolina to state my absolute opposition to the proposal to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. I urge the U.S. Forest Service to select the "No Action" alternative and retain this vital policy to keep our remaining wild places intact. While the Department of Agriculture frames this rescission as a Western-state issue, it threatens roughly 150,000 acres of pristine backcountry right here in the Appalachian Mountains, specifically within the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests. These lands are deeply intertwined with our local communities, ecosystems, and mountain economies. I strongly oppose the rollback of the Roadless Rule for the following reasons: Threats to Municipal Drinking Water: WNC's inventoried roadless areas contain the headwaters for pristine streams and rivers that provide clean drinking water to municipal watersheds across the region. For example, the town of Weaverville draws its water directly from the protected Big Ivy section of the Pisgah National Forest. Opening these areas to industrial extraction and road construction will trigger severe soil erosion, increase sediment loads, and cost local taxpayers and municipalities millions of dollars in infrastructure upgrades to maintain water safety. Economic Impact on Outdoor Recreation: Western North Carolina’s economy relies heavily on tourism, outdoor recreation, and forest-based tourism. Iconic areas like Graveyard Fields, South Mills River, Laurel Mountain, and the Craggy Mountains are economic engines fueled by hikers, mountain bikers, fly-fishers, and campers seeking backcountry solitude. Introducing road fragmentation and commercial timber logging will permanently degrade the natural beauty that attracts millions of visitors and supports thousands of regional jobs. Exacerbating Fire and Landslide Risks: Forest Service leadership claims that overturning the rule will decrease wildfire risks, but experts agree that building roads into intact Appalachian forests introduces vehicles and heavy equipment—statistically the primary cause of human-ignited wildfires. Furthermore, constructing steep mountain roads in the fragile soils of the Blue Ridge terrain increases the frequency of devastating landslides, threatening downstream communities. A Fiscally Irresponsible Backlog: The U.S. Forest Service already faces a multi-billion-dollar maintenance backlog for hundreds of thousands of miles of existing forest roads. It is a severe misuse of public funds to open up pristine areas for new road construction when the agency cannot afford to safely maintain the road networks it already manages. The 2001 Roadless Rule already contains flexible provisions that allow for targeted public safety, disease management, and wildfire mitigation work when necessary. Rescinding the rule entirely is an unnecessary overreach that strips our Appalachian forests of protections they desperately need. Please withdraw this proposal and keep the 2001 Roadless Rule fully intact. Personally, I cherish Western North Carolina's national forests because I regularly mountain bike and hike the trails in Pisgah and our family relies on the pristine water that comes from the surrounding mountains. Thank you for considering my perspective. Sincerely, Trevor Sayler Candler, NC 28715

I am writing today as a resident/supporter of Western North Carolina to state my absolute opposition to the proposal to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. I urge the U.S. Forest Service to select the "No Action" alternative and retain this vital policy to keep our remaining wild places intact. While the Department of Agriculture frames this rescission as a Western-state issue, it threatens roughly 150,000 acres of pristine backcountry right here in the Appalachian Mountains, specifically within the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests. These lands are deeply intertwined with our local communities, ecosystems, and mountain economies. I strongly oppose the rollback of the Roadless Rule for the following reasons: Threats to Municipal Drinking Water: WNC's inventoried roadless areas contain the headwaters for pristine streams and rivers that provide clean drinking water to municipal watersheds across the region. For example, the town of Weaverville draws its water directly from the protected Big Ivy section of the Pisgah National Forest. Opening these areas to industrial extraction and road construction will trigger severe soil erosion, increase sediment loads, and cost local taxpayers and municipalities millions of dollars in infrastructure upgrades to maintain water safety. Economic Impact on Outdoor Recreation: Western North Carolina’s economy relies heavily on tourism, outdoor recreation, and forest-based tourism. Iconic areas like Graveyard Fields, South Mills River, Laurel Mountain, and the Craggy Mountains are economic engines fueled by hikers, mountain bikers, fly-fishers, and campers seeking backcountry solitude. Introducing road fragmentation and commercial timber logging will permanently degrade the natural beauty that attracts millions of visitors and supports thousands of regional jobs. Exacerbating Fire and Landslide Risks: Forest Service leadership claims that overturning the rule will decrease wildfire risks, but experts agree that building roads into intact Appalachian forests introduces vehicles and heavy equipment—statistically the primary cause of human-ignited wildfires. Furthermore, constructing steep mountain roads in the fragile soils of the Blue Ridge terrain increases the frequency of devastating landslides, threatening downstream communities. A Fiscally Irresponsible Backlog: The U.S. Forest Service already faces a multi-billion-dollar maintenance backlog for hundreds of thousands of miles of existing forest roads. It is a severe misuse of public funds to open up pristine areas for new road construction when the agency cannot afford to safely maintain the road networks it already manages. The 2001 Roadless Rule already contains flexible provisions that allow for targeted public safety, disease management, and wildfire mitigation work when necessary. Rescinding the rule entirely is an unnecessary overreach that strips our Appalachian forests of protections they desperately need. Please withdraw this proposal and keep the 2001 Roadless Rule fully intact. Personally, I cherish Western North Carolina's national forests because I regularly mountain bike and hike the trails in Pisgah and our family relies on the pristine water that comes from the surrounding mountains. Thank you for considering my perspective. Sincerely, Trevor Sayler Candler, NC 28715

I am writing to strongly oppose the proposed changes to the Roadless Rule. As a North Carolina native who lives near the Pisgah National Forest, I spend a significant amount of my time hunting, fishing, and backpacking on our public lands. I am directly invested in the preservation of the 58.5 million acres of undeveloped National Forest lands currently protected under this rule. Rolling back protections to allow logging and road construction would have a devastating, on-the-ground impact on the local ecosystems and the outdoor recreation economy. From my experience in the backcountry, I know that road construction and clear-cutting fragment critical wildlife habitats, which directly degrades the quality of local hunting. Furthermore, soil erosion and runoff from new logging roads choke local watersheds and trout streams, permanently damaging the pristine fishing conditions I and others rely on. Finally, as a backpacker, the primary value of these lands lies in their unbroken, undeveloped character; introducing heavy machinery and infrastructure would destroy the remote wilderness experience along with the tourism dollars our recovering region desperately needs. The costs of losing these irreplaceable landscapes far outweigh the short-term benefits of industrial development. I urge the agency to reject any rollbacks, exemptions, or changes to the Roadless Rule. Please maintain the rule in its entirety to protect our intact ecosystems, clean watersheds, and our outdoor heritage. Sincerely, Jeff Bollinger Marshall, NC 28753