1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

Oppose the Forest Service's proposal to rescind the Roadless Area Conservation Rule before the comment period closes on October 6. This rule has protected 58.5 million acres of national forest since 2001, and gutting it would open 44.7 million acres to road building, commercial logging, and mining. Sixty million Americans rely on these forests for drinking water. That's not an abstraction — it's taps, wells, and watersheds. The administration claims rescission will reduce wildfires, but the science says the opposite. Wildfires are four times more likely to start in roaded areas, and over 90% ignite within half a mile of a road. On top of that, the Forest Service already carries an $8.5 billion maintenance backlog on its existing road network. Building more roads doesn't fix that — it makes it worse. Please go on record opposing this rescission and make clear that the Roadless Rule must be preserved.