I am writing to submit a public comment on the Notice of Intent to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule. I live near and regularly recreate in the Mt. Hood National Forest, and rely on the adjacent Bull Run Watershed for my drinking water. I strongly oppose rescinding the 2001 Roadless rule. Leaving the rule in place is the most cost effective, simple, and responsible way to maintain the many benefits of roadless areas, including for the Mt. Hood National Forest. My primary concern is protecting clean drinking water for myself and my neighbors, and being able to trust that our local intact forest continues to filter and store our water safely into the future. As someone who hunts, fishes and forages wild foods, I know that roadless areas provide critical habitat and serve as nurseries for countless species, and that my opportunities to hunt, fish, and forage would be diminished by the construction of more roads on our public lands. I grew up hunting and exploring in wild, roadless areas in Montana, and my dad continues to hunt on and near his land there. The No Action Alternative is our best option for ensuring that these opportunities continue to be available for future generations, including my nephews.
I'm also aware of the research making clear that wildfires are more likely to start near roads, and know that work to reduce and mitigate fire risk can and does happen successfully in roadless areas. The existing rule already provides flexibility for a variety of management activities including fuels treatment, with plenty of room for local jurisdictions to make plans and decisions in coordination with their communities that address the specific needs of different forests. Leaving the Roadless Rule as is will continue reducing fire risk, while saving tax dollars and ensuring the Forest Service prioritizes the maintenance of existing resources.
Finally, as someone who works in local economic development supporting small business owners, I want to speak to the importance of roadless areas to my recreation industry clients and their peers. These include whitewater outfitters, outdoor gear manufacturers, and every restaurant, gas station, and lodging establishment in a rural community serving as a gateway to the backcountry. Roadless areas are vital to a thriving economy and the sustainability of small towns through their protection of opportunities for peace and solitude. All of us who camp, hike, mountain bike, climb, or paddle know that roads take us part of the way to where we want to be, but that getting off the beaten path is essential to the experience. On the way to our destinations and on the way back, we spend money that helps keep small businesses alive, creating and sustaining jobs and rural livelihoods for the entrepreneurs who make these communities vibrant places to live and to visit.
For all these reasons - clean water, fiscal responsibility, fire safety, recreation opportunities, and economic development, I strongly oppose rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule. I ask that the USDA take this and all the comments opposing rescinding the rule into consideration, and commit to a thorough analysis of roadless areas. In particular, any changes must guarantee that no watersheds will be negatively affected.
Please protect our remaining roadless areas for all of us and future generations to benefit from.
Jocelyn Furbush