Defend the Roadless Rule! Act Now Against Trump’s Reckless Plan to Punch Roads Through and Log Protected Public Lands

Dear Secretary Rollins,

I strongly oppose the USDA’s proposal to eliminate or weaken the Roadless Rule. This reckless action would devastate our public lands, waste taxpayer resources, and undermine the clean drinking water, fish and wildlife habitat, and recreation opportunities upon which millions of Americans depend.

The economics of eliminating the Roadless Rule simply do not add up. Building new logging roads in remote backcountry areas is extraordinarily expensive, leaving taxpayers with billions of dollars in long-term maintenance costs for roads that are rarely, if ever, used. At the same time, logging or mining roadless forests would degrade essential services upon which our economy relies. National forests supply drinking water to millions of people, support a multi-billion-dollar outdoor recreation industry, and provide irreplaceable fish and wildlife habitat and carbon storage. Sacrificing these values for short-term logging profits is not sound policy. Repealing the Roadless Rule is a net loss for communities, economies, and future generations.

More roads in the backcountry also mean more fires: research shows wildfires are four times more likely to ignite near roads. Fighting those fires in remote areas is dangerous, costly, and diverts resources from protecting communities. Roads also spread invasive species, fragment wildlife habitat, and erode the very ecological resilience we need in the face of a warming climate. Once roads and clearcuts fragment these landscapes, the damage is permanent.

Also troubling is the USDA’s decision to pursue this rollback through an abridged and inadequate public comment process. The original Roadless Rule was adopted after the most extensive public engagement process in the history of federal rulemaking, with over 95% of commenters supporting strong protections. Now, the agency is attempting to dismantle these protections through a rushed process that limits input from citizens, scientists, Tribes, and impacted communities. This is undemocratic and deeply irresponsible for a decision with such sweeping consequences.

For more than two decades, the Roadless Rule has been a cornerstone of sound forest management, balancing ecological, economic, and cultural values. Weakening or repealing it would be a grave mistake. I urge the USDA to abandon this misguided effort and instead strengthen its commitment to protecting America’s roadless forests for the clean water, climate resilience, recreation, and biodiversity values they provide.

Sincerely,