I am an avid outdoorsman that likes to hike and camp in Roadless areas of Arkansas. I enjoy the peace and solitude of being away from roads and the noises that accompany them.
Rescinding the Roadless Rule threatens these peaceful environments in Arkansas. There are roadless areas in the Ozark National Forest and the Ouachita National Forest. These areas of little to no pollution offer a natural water filter to clarify the water that comes downstream to towns and cities. They are a quality source for drinking water.
Roadless areas are far less likely to have wildfires. The most common occurrence of wildfire ignitions happens within 5 miles of roads. We do not need more fires threatening property and lives.
The cost of building and maintaining roads in these remote areas is waste of taxpayer money. We already have 370,000 miles of roads that we cannot maintain adequately right now. The existing contracts for logging in these areas of Arkansas already have a lack of bids. The commercial and industrial demand is not adequate to support more taxes to maintain these proposed roads.
In Arkansas, rural roads tend to become dumping grounds for people who do not want to pay a fee to dump large bulky waste. These untouched areas do not need litter to increase. Pollution affects our drinking water and our environmental well-being.
Keep roadless lands in the United States intact! Take NO ACTION