Repealing the roadless rule would be a disaster for my county, state and region both environmentally and economically. Our roadless areas in Northwest Montana are where the elk, deer and other big game live; these species can only survive and maintain healthy populations with large areas. Not only do these animals deserve to exist because they are God's creatures, they are also an important economic resource, as many people travel to this area to hunt them, and as a food source. My family and I hunt in our local roadless areas (Lolo National Forest, Thompson River) and are able to sustain ourselves, particularly in these increasingly expensive times, on game meat. The national forests surrounding us are already full of roads, which are poorly maintained as is. There is already a huge amount of access by road into our national forests; I do not see why further road development would be beneficial, and I can see many reasons why it would be harmful. Road development would also impact local streams and rivers by clogging them with debris and possibly impacting the routing of streams, which are necessary for the health of our local fisheries, which are again, important for their inherent value, the economic value they confer to our community through outdoor recreation and ecological stability. My husband, children and myself spend at least one day every week out in the forest up Thompson River (Lolo NF) fishing, hunting or hiking. Our forests are the most important source of carbon storage, and if they are allowed to be fractured further by roads, there is a greater likelihood that they will be further degraded, which would significantly negatively impact local rural towns, economies and our ecological health as a nation.