“The Forest Service should not weaken those protections”
“pursue Alternative 1 and retain the existing Roadless Rule protections”
The comment
The Forest Service should keep the Roadless Rule intact exactly as it is, utilizing Alternative 1 in the current DEIS. I am deeply concerned about the proposal to rescind the Roadless Rule. Once we destroy natural landscapes, we can not get them back. Backpacking, hiking, skiing, etc will be lost for generations.
Roadless areas provide important benefits to communities across the country, including clean drinking water, wildlife habitat, opportunities for outdoor recreation, and protection from the impacts of development. These lands are also an important part of the character and identity of many communities and provide places for people to hike, hunt, fish, camp, ski and otherwise enjoy the outdoors.
I am particularly concerned that rescinding the Roadless Rule could increase development, reduce recreation opportunities, affect wildlife habitat, increase wildfire risk, or harm local economies that depend on outdoor recreation. The wildfire risk is already huge and growing. Let’s leave this rule intact and be good stewards to the land.
The Roadless Rule has provided consistent, nationwide protections for these special places for decades. The Forest Service should not weaken those protections or open currently protected roadless lands to new development. I urge the Forest Service to pursue Alternative 1 and retain the existing Roadless Rule protections. We must protect our public lands. They are meant for all of us.
Sincerely,
Marjorie Allison
608 N Randolph St Macomb, IL 61455-1563
dmbmca@gmail.com