“I am writing to urge you to keep the Roadless Area Conservation Rule in place. For 25 years, the Rule has…”

I am writing to urge you to keep the Roadless Area Conservation Rule in place. For 25 years, the Rule has stood between 45 million acres of forest and the development that would change it forever. Rescission of the Rule would be another blow to imperiled species and ecosystems which are losing protections almost daily. National forests are critical to our nation’s ecological health, and roadless areas serve as migratory game corridors for numerous species. These lands are growing increasingly rare as wild areas across the country are developed. Not only that — rescinding the Rule would threaten access to clean water for millions of Americans. US National Forests are one of the largest sources of municipal water supply in the nation, serving over 60 million people in 3,400 communities in 33 states. Once roads cut through these forests, the fragmentation that follows can’t be undone, and there’s no putting these landscapes back the way they were. Don’t let these forests lose their protection on your watch. I urge you to stand up for our national forests and oppose the rescission of the Roadless Area Conservation Rule — for wildlife, clean water, and so much more.