Dear Secretary Rollins,
I strongly oppose any effort by the USDA to weaken or eliminate the Roadless Rule.
Our roadless forests protect clean drinking water, wildlife habitat, carbon storage, and some of the best places in America for hiking, fishing, camping, skiing, and simply getting away from it all.
Building roads into these areas fragments habitat, increases erosion and invasive species, and can increase wildfire risk. Once these remote landscapes are cut up by roads and development, the damage is difficult—if not impossible—to undo.
I urge the USDA to reject the proposed rollbacks and keep the Roadless Rule in place. Protecting these lands is an investment in clean water, wildlife, recreation, and the long-term health of our public forests.
Thank you for listening to the concerns of those who want to see these places protected for future generations.
References:
Aplet, G.H., Hartger, P. & Dietz, M.S. Three-decade record of contiguous-U.S. national forest wildfires indicates increased density of ignitions near roads. fire ecol 22, 8 (2026) https://doi.org/10.1186/s42408-026-00450-2
Mildrexler, D.J., Berner, L.T., Law, B.E. & Both, M.S. Roadless rule rescission threatens highest integrity forest ecosystems in the United States. Biological Conservation 321, 111950 (2026) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2026.111950
Sincerely,
Charley Wasson
Fair Oaks Ranch, TX 78015-4553
charleywasson@gmail.com