1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

Please oppose the USDA's proposal to completely rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. This rule has protected nearly 58.5 million acres of national forest for over two decades, keeping some of the last intact wild lands in the country off-limits to road construction and industrial logging. Gutting it entirely would be a catastrophic step backward. These roadless areas are not just scenery. They are critical watersheds that supply drinking water to millions of people, carbon stores that help offset climate emissions, and irreplaceable habitat for hundreds of wildlife species. A complete rescission opens all of that to exploitation with no meaningful safeguard in its place. The communities, hunters, anglers, and hikers who depend on these lands deserve better than that. This rule has survived legal and political challenges for 20 years because it reflects broad, durable public support. Stand against this proposal and make clear that protecting our national forests is not negotiable.