I am writing in opposition to rescinding The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA or Department) 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule (2001 Roadless Rule), which established broad prohibitions on road construction, road reconstruction, and timber harvesting within inventoried roadless areas on National Forest System lands.
I have been an annual visitor in the Superior National Forest and Chippewa National Forest for some 45 years. I have enjoyed both the wilderness areas of the BWCA and other national forest land adjacent to the BWCA within the Superior National Forest. These lands are unique to the northern plains, and thankfully to the visionaries before us, have been largely preserved from development, mining and timber extraction all to the benefit of the local ecosystem and economy. There are almost no other places that rival the solitude and pristine nature of these lands. Removing the federal protections will make extraction of resources and destruction of natural landscapes more viable. This would cause irreparable damage to an ever more fragile and threatened wilderness sanctuary. Please do not rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule.
Sincerely,
Joseph Wild Crea