“To Whom It May Concern, I strongly oppose the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposal to rescind the 2001…”

To Whom It May Concern, I strongly oppose the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposal to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Since 2001, Roadless Areas have effectively preserved many of the most important characteristics of our public lands, such as clean water, intact mature and old-growth forests, wildlife, and recreational opportunities that simply don’t exist anywhere else. In the Southern Appalachian Mountains, the values protected by Inventoried Roadless Areas are especially rare. Opening up Roadless Areas to logging and roadbuilding would destroy the most significant vestiges of natural landscape remaining in the Southern Appalachians, in a way that can’t be undone for generations—if ever. As someone who cares deeply about the ecological integrity of the Chattooga River watershed in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, I know that Roadless Area protection is vital to the watershed I love. Roadless Areas buffer the National Wild & Scenic Chattooga River corridor, ensuring access to clean, crystal-clear water for tens of thousands of recreationalists every year, from trout fishermen to whitewater rafters. They provide undisturbed habitats essential for threatened, endangered, and sensitive species; as well as state species of greatest concern, migratory birds, and wildlife valued by hunters and anglers. Those seeking solitude or access to untouched natural landscapes can find these qualities in Roadless Areas in and around the Chattooga River watershed. These values are often not accessible on local public land outside of Roadless Area protection, and they would be irrevocably damaged by roadbuilding and logging if the Roadless Rule were stripped away. Roadless Areas also protect against wildfire ignition risk, at a time when wildfire severity is rising nationwide. In fact, over the past three decades, wildfires were nearly 4X more likely to start within 50m of a road than in Inventoried Roadless Areas. Current Roadless Rule protections not only address the threat of wildfire ignition, but they also already allow flexibility for forest management activities and roadbuilding when necessary to fight fires. The Roadless Rule serves the interests of local communities and visitors who benefit from Inventoried Roadless Area values. This is apparent in the 99.8% of comments which opposed this proposed action at the Notice of Intent stage. Repealing the Roadless Rule would not “provide benefits to the American people” as the Department claims, but would, instead, refute the will of the public, who overwhelmingly support keeping the Roadless Rule in place. There is therefore no need to repeal the popular and effective Roadless Rule. It is working. I urge you to keep the 2001 Roadless Rule intact. Thank you.