“I strongly oppose any changes to the Roadless Rule that would allow additional roads, development, or…”

I strongly oppose any changes to the Roadless Rule that would allow additional roads, development, or commercial activity in currently protected roadless areas on our national forests. As an environmental conservationist, I believe our remaining undeveloped public lands are among our nation’s most valuable natural resources. Roadless areas provide critical wildlife habitat, protect clean water, preserve biodiversity, store carbon, and offer opportunities for recreation and solitude that cannot be replaced once development occurs. Building roads into these areas creates impacts that extend far beyond the physical footprint of the road itself, including habitat fragmentation, erosion, invasive species, increased human access, and pressure for further development. Once an intact landscape is opened to development, its wilderness character and ecological values are extremely difficult to restore. Our national lands should be managed for the long-term public interest, not short-term opportunities for additional extraction or development. I urge the agency to maintain the existing Roadless Rule and reject proposals that would weaken protections for roadless national forest lands. Please protect these remaining intact landscapes for future generations rather than opening them to additional development.