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Dear Secretary Rollins, I strongly oppose the USDA’s proposal to eliminate or weaken the Roadless Rule. This reckless action would devastate public lands, waste taxpayer resources, and undermine the water, wildlife habitat, and recreation opportunities on which millions of Americans depend. I have spent countless hours in America's National Forests as a hiker, cyclist, and kayaker. As an outdoor enthusiast, I have thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, kayaked pristine whitewater, and explored creeks with my 5 and 3 year old boys. These activities have brought untold joy to my life, and are all reliant upon public land that is protected against private resource extraction. Public lands are one of the great treasures of this nation, and I'm so thankful for the people who had the foresight to set aside wilderness areas for conservation. These are unique resources, and this is not land that can be easily recovered following development, and I believe it is our duty to care for the land that God has given us so that we can pass it onto future generations unharmed. Rescinding or weakening the roadless rule will steal wilderness, opportunity, and a clean environment from our children. Sincerely, Thomas Williams Auburn, AL 36830-2652 trw0007@gmail.com

Dear Secretary Rollins, I strongly oppose the USDA’s proposal to eliminate or weaken the Roadless Rule. This reckless action would devastate public lands, waste taxpayer resources, and undermine the water, wildlife habitat, and recreation opportunities on which millions of Americans depend. Roadless forests represent some of the most intact, resilient ecosystems left in our country. They filter and store clean drinking water, provide refuge for vulnerable species, and serve as critical carbon sinks critical to mitigating the worsening impacts of climate change. People hike, forage, bike, fish, camp, ski, climb, and find solace in these remote places. Roads spread invasive species, fragment wildlife habitat, and erode the very ecological resilience we need in the face of a warming climate. More roads in the backcountry also mean more fires: research shows wildfires are more likely to ignite near roads. Once roads and clearcuts fragment these landscapes, the damage is permanent. Weakening or repealing the Roadless Rule would be a grave mistake. I do not support any of the proposed action alternatives that roll back the Roadless Rule. I urge the USDA to abandon this misguided effort and instead strengthen its commitment to protecting America’s roadless forests for the clean water, climate resilience, recreation, and biodiversity they provide. Leave the Roadless Rule in place. Sincerely Robert Nowak 3301 Acmar Rd Moody, AL 35004 References: Aplet, G.H., Hartger, P. & Dietz, M.S. Three-decade record of contiguous-U.S. national forest wildfires indicates increased density of ignitions near roads. fire ecol 22, 8 (2026) https://doi.org/10.1186/s42408-026-00450-2 Mildrexler, D.J., Berner, L.T., Law, B.E. & Both, M.S. Roadless rule rescission threatens highest integrity forest ecosystems in the United States. Biological Conservation 321, 111950 (2026) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2026.111950 Sincerely, Robert Nowak Moody, AL 35004-2737 krona65@p.pl