“wildly popular across the country, with over 600,000 people submitting comments”
“American people overwhelmingly called for our national forests to be protected”
The comment
I STRONGLY OPPOSE repealing the Roadless Area Conservation Rule.
This protection was established through national rulemaking, extensive environmental review, and vast public participation because our lands have lasting value.
Remaining undeveloped national forestlands have ecological, recreational, and cultural value PRECISELY because they remain (relatively) wild. Wildfire management and forest health are important but they don't justify removing protections from millions of acres nationwide. Once roads and development fragment these landscapes, their wild character can't simply be restored.
Our history of conservation law exists because some environmental losses are effectively irreversible, and decisions about public lands MUST consider generations who will inherit them. Udall warned that we would not acquire the land wisdom we needed until we recognized nature's laws were paramount. I fear we will not learn that lesson until it's too late.
PLEASE PROTECT THE ROADLESS RULE!
The Forest Service should keep the Roadless Rule intact exactly as it is. Do not weaken or repeal this critical policy.
National forests are the heart of our public lands. The Roadless Area Conservation Rule protects some of the wildest forests we have left, forests that protect critical wildlife habitat and drinking water for millions. Revoking the Roadless Rule puts landscapes, wildlife, and communities at risk.
Not only is the Roadless Rule good policy, it's also wildly popular across the country, with over 600,000 people submitting comments to the US Forest Service last year in support of keeping the rule in place. And more than 20 years ago, the American people overwhelmingly called for our national forests to be protected for future generations. Revoking the Roadless Rule would destroy the natural inheritance we leave for our children.