My name is Joan Harvey. I live in the mountains above Boulder, Colorado. I grew up near the White River National Forest and spent my childhood hiking in many of the National Forests in Colorado. I know that Colorado is exempt from this repeal. But rescinding the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule can destroy other forests equally worth saving. And it can make wildfires worse by increasing human access and industrial activity which are the leading drivers of forest fire ignitions. Up to 88% of wildfires in the US are caused by human activity. Research indicates that wildfire ignitions is significantly higher within short distances of roads compared to remote, roadless areas. Clearing trees and vegetation for roads opens up the forest canopy allowing sunlight and wind to dry out the soils, making the landscape more susceptible to rapid burning. And opening millions of acres to development stretches the already limited Forest Service budget. While I live in Colorado I often spend time in forests in other states, such as the Manti-LaSal National Forest in Utah where there are already many existing roads, and the last big fire was started at a campsite, not in a roadless area.
Thank you.