I oppose the rescission of the Roadless Rule because removing federal protections from these lands will open them to commercial exploitation by so-called local land managers. Rescission will threaten vital backcountry ecosystems, clean drinking water sources, and wildlife habitats (for salmon, elk, grizzly bears and others), as well as thousands of miles of public trails.
The USDA says “The rescission removes national designation of roadless areas but does not mandate timber cutting or road construction. The action removes regulatory burden and sends decisions about roadless areas to the local national forest managers.” National forests require national oversight, not the short-sighted drive for profit at the expense of a livable ecosystem.
“Active forest management to mitigate wildfire risk” the reasoning used by the USDA in favor of the rescission can be undertaken under current policy on more than a quarter of these lands—11.3 million acres— which are already near existing roads. The fact that the rescission aligns with Executive Order 14192, Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation, to alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens, Executive Order 14225, Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production, Executive Order 14154, Unleashing American Energy, and Executive Order 14153, Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential, tells us something important: the current Administration is not interested in wildfire prevention or keeping wild lands protected for all species, including humans. Their intent and desire is for profit only. No rescission of the Roadless Rule!!