I live within boating or walking distance of several magnificent Inventoried Roadless Areas in the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska. Rescission of the Roadless Area Conservation Rule is a terrible idea.
Within your summary alone are two gaping flaws. Ostensibly, this "will reduce regulatory burden and return decisionmaking for the management of inventoried roadless areas to the land management planning process at the individual national forest level. Rescission of the national-level prohibitions provides responsible officials with flexibility to better guide management of National Forest System lands and respond to changing local resource conditions." The first flaw with this is that, in reality, you have also been cutting professional employees from the forest service who are necessary for decision-making (biologists, geologists, timber and soil specialist and so many more with the experience and knowledge to inform decision making). You are opening the gates to logging, mining,etc.,while purposefully cutting the skilled forest service employees who could help made this work without devastating these biologically significant areas. Also, our National Forests belong to everyone in our country, and so far, the nation has recognized this in helping maintain some protections for Inventoried Roadless Areas in our National Forests.
My nearby roadless areas include the South Revilla Inventoried Roadless Area, which is easily accessible to me by boat (kayak, canoe, skiff, etc.) via Carroll Inlet, George Inlet, etc.) and by short hikes from my home. We have camped, hiked, berry-picked, fished, and generally enjoyed these unlogged areas. Other IRAs our family has been able to spend time in include Revilla, North Revilla, Gravina, Quartz, and several on Prince of Wales Island.
Southern Southeast Alaska has been heavily and unsustainably logged (mostly with our old growth being shipped overseas), with lots of roads going in for that purpose. Currently, the forest service is unable to maintain existing roads nationwide due to funding. This is not a good time to place additional burdens on an already underfunded system.
For the past 46 years, our forest's roadless areas have been a joyful part of my daily life, sometimes within the roadless areas and sometimes enjoying seeing them across the water from my home. They give visual beauty, solitude, wildlife homes galore, native plant diversity, undisturbed creeks, wetlands, and our amazing cedar, spruce, and hemlock old growth.
I also value the roadless areas in the lower 48 states, even if I don't get there often. Quiet, unroaded areas are a gift to future generations. . . a public good held in trust.
Thank you,
Inventoried Roadless