I was born and raised in Central Oregon where I enjoyed my share of nearly 200,000 acres of inventoried roadless areas in the Central Oregon area in the Deschutes National Forest.
I still enjoy these lands today as an avid hiker and mountain biker. And as such I strongly oppose the USDA’s proposal to eliminate, alter, or weaken the Roadless Rule, which would reduce protections across nearly 45 million acres of public lands managed by the US Forest Service nationwide.
While I do believe in sustainable logging practices as a practical means for forest fire prevention, I simply do not trust this administration to have mine or my fellow Oregonians' best interests in mind in the altercation of this rule. There is no doubt in my mind that any alteration to this rule will directly and monetarily benefit President Trump, his family, one of his business partners, or be used as a quid pro quo bargaining chip for a benefit he has already received or wishes to receive in the future.
I urge you to choose the No Action alternative and maintain full Roadless Rule protections for America's wild forests.
Jordan Baxter
Bend, OR