I strongly oppose the proposed rescission of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule and urge the Forest Service to retain 36 CFR Part 294, Subpart B and select the no-action alternative.
I live in South Lake Tahoe and spend a significant amount of my time hiking, backpacking and recreating on National Forest lands. Protecting the undeveloped character of these landscapes is incredibly important to me, both personally and as a member of a community whose quality of life and economy are closely connected to our surrounding public lands.
I understand the need for active forest management and wildfire-risk reduction, especially living in the Sierra Nevada. However, I do not believe that requires eliminating the nationwide protections of the Roadless Rule. The existing rule already contains exceptions that allow necessary management for public safety, forest health and other legitimate purposes.
Repealing the rule would remove an important national safeguard against new permanent roads, habitat fragmentation and development in some of our remaining undeveloped National Forest lands. Once these areas are roaded and fragmented, their roadless character is extremely difficult to restore.