I support Alternative 1: Keep the Roadless Rule fully intact. I am an avid hiker, camper, and mountain biker in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest in Virginia and West Virginia. This National Forest, my home National Forest, is part of the 45 million acres that will lose protections if the Roadless Rule is rescinded as described in Alternatives 2 and 3 of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). I seek out public lands like Pisgah National Forest as a destination for the solitude and high quality recreational opportunities. As an Environmental Scientist, I understand the urgent need to protect water resources like headwater streams, watersheds, and ecologically sensitive areas. These areas must remain protected and roadless to protect species like the Eastern Hellbender. We owe it to future generations to keep the Roadless Rule fully intact.
For the reasons outlined above, fully or partially rescinding the Roadless Rule under Alternatives 2 and 3 of the DEIS risks irreversible damage to water resources and ecologically sensitive areas that provide habitat for at-risk species like the Eastern Hellbender. We owe it to future generations to keep the Roadless Rule fully intact. I support Alternative 1 to Keep the Roadless Rule unchanged.