1. United States
2. N.C.
3. Letter

As your constituent, I urge you to add a protective amendment to the Farm Bill currently in committee that would prevent the Department of Agriculture from rescinding the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. I have spent countless hours hiking, camping, and exploring the Pisgah and Uwharrie National Forests here in North Carolina. These protected roadless areas are irreplaceable sanctuaries for recreation, wildlife, and clean water. Beyond our state, I have been privileged to experience the wild beauty of national forests across the country—from the Rockies to the Pacific Northwest. All of these lands face the same threat if this rescission moves forward. North Carolina's 170,000 acres of protected roadless forest represent some of the last genuinely wild places in the Eastern United States. The Roadless Rule has safeguarded these lands for 25 years with broad public support. Secretary Rollins's plan to rescind it would open our forests to logging, mining, and drilling—commodifying lands that should remain in public trust rather than being leased to the highest bidder. The administration's argument that the rule hinders wildfire management is demonstrably false. The rule already contains exceptions for fuel reduction and legitimate forest health projects. What it prevents is corporate exploitation. The Farm Bill provides the perfect legislative vehicle to protect these irreplaceable places. By adding language that explicitly preserves the Roadless Rule and prevents its rescission, Congress can ensure these lands remain wild and free for future generations. Such an amendment would reflect the values of North Carolina's outdoor enthusiasts, sportsmen, and conservation advocates—and of Americans nationwide who cherish our public lands. I urge you to support this amendment or take other measures to defend the Roadless Rule. Our forests are not commodities to be auctioned to the highest bidder—they are public treasures that belong to all Americans.