I oppose rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule and ask the USDA to keep these protections in place.
Through my work with the Greenfield and Salinas Community Science Workshops, I help connect children and families in Monterey County with science and the outdoors. Places like Arroyo Seco and the Los Padres National Forest are important to this work. They give young people opportunities to explore, ask questions, and learn about the natural world firsthand.
For the communities we serve, protecting these places means protecting opportunities for children and families to experience them. It also means caring for the water, wildlife, and landscapes that are part of our home.
I am particularly concerned about preserving the headwaters of Santa Lucia Creek near Arroyo Seco. Keeping roadless protections in place will help safeguard this area while efforts toward permanent wilderness protection continue.
Please retain the Roadless Rule. Our children deserve the opportunity to know and enjoy these places, and we have a responsibility to care for them.
José S. Sánchez