Submit your public comment against repealing the Roadless Rule. You can use this comment:
I strongly oppose the USDA's plan to revoke the 2001 Roadless Rule.
Roadless national forests are among the few remaining untouched public forest landscapes. They safeguard clean drinking water, wildlife habitats, salmon streams, old-growth forests, outdoor recreation, and areas vital to communities, Tribal Nations, and future generations. Once these lands are disrupted by roads, logging, and industrial activities, the harm cannot simply be reversed.
The USDA should not eliminate a national protection that has guarded roadless forests for over 20 years. The current Roadless Rule already allows for necessary measures to reduce wildfire risk, so repealing it is unnecessary for community safety. More roads could lead to increased human ignition risks, habitat disruption, erosion, and higher management costs in the long term.
I'm also worried that rescinding the rule would leave intact forests vulnerable to political pressure and short-term exploitation by shifting protection decisions to local forest planning. Public forests should prioritize clean water, biodiversity, climate resilience, Indigenous stewardship, and public welfare, not increased roadbuilding and logging.
Please withdraw the proposed repeal, maintain the 2001 Roadless Rule, and select the strongest option to protect roadless areas throughout the National Forest System.
Thank you for considering my comment.