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Dear Special Areas: Roadless Conservation, I strongly OPPOSE the rescinding of the Roadless Rule & I urge you to choose the No Action alternative, which will keep the Roadless Rule in place . Nothing will be accomplished from rescinding this rule, and allowing roads to destroy and taint our beloved national parks & public lands. Only harm can result from this. For more than two decades, the rule has protected roughly 44.7 million acres of ecologically intact national forest lands, including areas near Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Great Smoky Mountains national parks. These wild places help provide many resources that we all depend on such as fresh food & clean water. They also provide various recreational & tourism opportunities & careers to many. Tourism is a major pillar of the US economy, generating up to roughly $2.9 trillion in total economic output. These parks also help keep ecosystems healthy & support many species of wildlife (especially those that are endangered and/or the brink of extinction) and they also help regulate the climate, which is ESSENTIAL due to the threats of climate change we are currently facing. To rescind the Roadless Rule would mean to destroy these many opportunities by having roads cut through national parks & public lands. This will destroy the habitats of many species of plants and animals, cut off many necessary waterways, and create more pollution. Many public lands are already available for timber and energy development. Rescinding this rule will also sabotage a major pillar of our country's economy, which is tourism. It will cause many people in this sector to lose their jobs, and the economy will suffer and decline HEAVILY because of that. Please do NOT proceed with rescinding this law. Keep the Roadless Rule in place to protect the forests, wildlife, clean water, climate, and the national parks. Sincerely, Arjun Mandayam Arjun Mandayam 1105 Tall Grass Cir (Apt 204) Stow, OH 44224

Roadless areas are essential to the health of our valued lands, water and wildlife . People need the peace and various recreational pursuits that these areas offer. There is no benefit to be derived from road building. Construction inevitably threatens water quality through pollutants and debris entering watersheds. Fragmented landscapes can destabilize migration patterns and cause habitat destruction. These remote areas offer invaluable opportunities for hunting, fishing, and backcountry hiking , even wildlife watching. WE need more UN-connected areas, not less. I heartily oppose the the repealing the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Respectfully, Carol Scallan Sincerely, Ms. Carol Scallan 4925 Willow Hills Ln Cincinnati, OH 45243-4221 carolscallan@me.com

Please maintain protections for the 45 million acres of wild and roadless forests and don’t rescind or alter the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. These forests are full of 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. Keep our national forests wild. Sincerely, Lynda Ream 337 Red Oak Dr Fairborn, OH 45324-2783 lream7668@gmail.com

Dear Special Areas: Roadless Area Conservation, se01nsnn se01nsnn , As someone who cares deeply about national parks and the public lands that sustain them, I urge you to choose the No Action alternative and keep the Roadless Rule in place. For more than two decades, the rule has protected roughly 44.7 million acres of ecologically intact national forest lands, including areas near Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Great Smoky Mountains national parks. These wild places safeguard clean water, provide essential wildlife habitat, support outdoor recreation, and help keep park ecosystems connected and healthy. Rescinding the rule would expose these treasured landscapes to new roads and development, fragmenting habitat, degrading waterways, and putting our parks at risk. Many public lands are already available for timber and energy development. Roadless protections apply to only about 30% of National Forest lands, making these remaining intact areas especially important for future generations. Please do not move forward with this unnecessary rollback. Keep the Roadless Rule in place to protect the forests, wildlife, clean water, and the national parks. Michael Spafford 1708 West Wayne Street 1708 West Wayne Street Lima, OH 45805 Sincerely, Mr. Michael Spafford

The Forest Service should keep the Roadless Rule intact as it is, utilizing Alternative 1 in the current DEIS. I am deeply concerned about the proposal to rescind the Roadless Rule. Roadless areas provide important benefits to communities across the country, including clean drinking water, wildlife habitat, opportunities for outdoor recreation, and protection from the impacts of development. These lands are also an important part of the character and identity of many communities and provide places for people to enjoy the outdoors. I am particularly concerned that rescinding the Roadless Rule could increase logging, deforestation, destruction of critical habitats, the increase of irresponsible oil/gas drilling and cause a loss of biodiversity. The Roadless Rule has provided consistent, nationwide protections for these special places for decades. The Forest Service should not weaken those protections or open currently protected roadless lands to these exploitative risks. I urge the Forest Service to pursue Alternative 1 and retain the existing Roadless Rule protections. Sincerely, Micah Bergey 540 Roosevelt Ave Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221-2028 msbergey574@gmail.com

Dear Special Areas: Roadless Area Conservation, I urge the U.S. Forest Service to keep intact the existing Roadless Area Conservation Rule (“Roadless Rule”), which protects nearly 45 million acres of our nation's forests and grasslands. Prior to the rule's implementation in 2001, industrial logging and accompanying roadbuilding disrupted and destroyed 3.2 million acres of fragile habitat annually while also degrading clean water supplies and limiting outdoor recreation opportunities. For a quarter century, the Roadless Rule has protected ecologically sensitive landscapes, wildlife populations and habitat, and communities dependent upon their services. The rule protects countless wild animals, including imperiled species who rely on intact habitats for survival. Additionally, these lands provide clean water and support numerous recreational activities that sustain local jobs and economies. The rule allows for flexibility in resource management, with exceptions for vegetation management and road construction projects in the interest of public health and safety. The American public overwhelmingly supports the Roadless Rule; recent bipartisan polling shows that 77% of voters support conserving roadless lands. Indeed, the rule was created with input from over 1.6 million comments and, in September, over half a million Americans responded to the U.S. Forest Service's notice of intent to repeal the Roadless Rule with comments voicing strong opposition. We have made our opinion clear time and time again–our public lands should remain public, not be degraded for the interests of private industry. I strongly urge the U.S. Forest Service not to repeal the Roadless Rule, as keeping the rule intact will protect our shared forestlands for generations to come. These resources belong to "We The People". And "We The People" have already made our votes in this matter clear. Barbara Gregory 5096 Benham Drive, OH 43232-5958 Sincerely, Ms. Barbara Gregory

In order to Protect our Public Lands AND the Planet the Roadless Rule MUST REMAIN in effect! Protect NOT Pillage! I oppose the proposed repeal of the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. I urge you to maintain the existing Rule as is. The Roadless Rule protects the watersheds of many of our National Wild and Scenic Rivers in California, as well as many rivers and streams deemed eligible for national protection by the Forest Service. The roadless areas through which these wild rivers flow are an important refuge for threatened and endangered fish, wildlife, and plants. They provide outstanding opportunities for outdoor recreation in a primitive setting, such as hiking, backpacking, whitewater boating, mountain biking, and even motorized recreation on existing legal trails. Roadless areas provide clean water for wildlife and recreation and the rivers that flow from the roadless areas into reservoirs are an important source of high-quality water for downstream communities and farms. Many rivers to consider include but are not limited to the North Fork American, Tuolumne, South Fork Kings, Middle Fork Feather, and North Fork Kern. The Roadless Rule does not limit public access. Most roadless areas are legally available for public recreation under the Rule – they are simply closed to new road building, commercial logging, and other development that requires new roads. It is not true that roadless areas increase wildfire threats. Roads – not roadless areas – are a primary source of wildfire starts. I urge that Roadless Rule be retained to protect our wild places for recreation, fish and wildlife habitat, and as important sources of clean water for our communities and farms. Sincerely, Sincerely, Constance Minerovic Northfield, OH 44067

I strongly oppose the proposed repeal of the 2001 Roadless Rule. Our national forests are public lands, our shared birthright, and they should be protected for the benefit of everyone, not opened to greater roadbuilding and commercial logging. In West Virginia, the Roadless Rule safeguards treasured places like Roaring Plains, Seneca Creek, Cheat Mountain, Canaan Mountain and Tea Creek, while protecting important buffers around Dolly Sods, Otter Creek and Cranberry. These wild, unfragmented landscapes provide clean water, wildlife habitat and irreplaceable opportunities for outdoor recreation. Once they are lost, we cannot easily restore them. Please preserve the Roadless Rule and protect our shared public lands for future generations. Sincerely, Ron Slabe 2660 Dawley Rd Ravenna, OH 44266-9425 pyrosonic2300@gmail.com