I strongly oppose the proposed full rescission of the 2001 Roadless Rule.
Utah’s national forests contain roughly 4 million acres of inventoried roadless areas that provide critical habitat for mule deer and elk and support high-quality hunting and dispersed recreation. These landscapes are already under pressure. While hunting in the Uinta Mountains this year, I was close enough to an active logging operation that I could clearly hear the equipment. The noise and activity displaced big game from the area and reduced the quality of the hunt and the overall recreational experience.
Removing the Roadless Rule’s national protections would make it easier to expand roads and timber harvest into more of these areas, further fragmenting habitat, increasing disturbance, and diminishing the remote hunting opportunities I want to share with my children.
I urge the Forest Service to retain the 2001 Roadless Rule so that Utah’s remaining roadless areas continue to support healthy big-game populations and quality outdoor experiences for future generations.
Austin Carney
3479 E Chadbourne Dr Unit B Salt Lake City, UT 84121