I am writing to urge you to abandon the counterproductive proposed repeal of the Roadless Rule. The USDA’s draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) shows that that repealing the Roadless Rule is likely to cause economic and environmental harm to undeveloped backcountry forests, wildlife, water resources, and communities, while delivering little or no wildfire risk reduction and potentially increasing federal road maintenance costs. In other words, repealing the Roadless Rule is the worst of all outcomes – higher costs and lower benefits.
My family and I live in an urban setting. But we understand that the well-being of our environment depends on preserving intact wild places that can maintain wildlife, preserve intact ecological balance, and provide ecosystem services, including absorbing storm surges and filtering drinking water supplies.
We value being able to recreate in wild places. The Pisgah Forest and Croatan National Forest are important to us as North Carolinians – these wild places are an important part of the cultural contours of the state. We treasure the opportunity to visit these unspoiled places.
Respectfully,
Melissa Malkin-Weber