In opposition to Rescinding the Roadless Rule

Public lands are currently under threat, and they need our URGENT action! The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has proposed rescinding the Roadless Rule. If you enjoy outdoor recreation (hunting, fishing, hiking, boating, mountain biking, rafting, and more!), the time to act is NOW to defend our public lands!

The Roadless Rule is a bipartisan rule that safeguards nearly 45 MILLION acres of National Forest System lands from road construction and timber harvesting. The proposal to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule would allow for our cherished National Forests and grasslands to be logged and mined for short-term economic gain rather than stewarding them for long-term ecological resilience, outdoor recreation, and cultural significance. 

The USDA has opened up an extremely short period of 21 days requesting public input on this proposal. The public commentary period is open now through September 19, 2025, and they need to hear from YOU on why rescinding the Roadless rule will be terrible for protecting our public lands. The time to act to defend our public lands is NOW. 

Below you will find three important pieces of information: 

• First, a link to review the proposal, which is where you can leave a public comment, 
• Second, a summary of why rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule would be a disaster for our cherished National Forests,
• Lastly, you’ll find the exact letter I (Amiana) sent to Secretary Brook Rollins, the Secretary of Agriculture.

Why rescinding the Roadless Rule is a disaster for public lands

As a biologist and professional water resources engineer, I am strongly opposed to rescinding the Roadless Rule. This proposal will be a disaster for our public lands and National Forests.

Below are a few key reasons why rescinding the Roadless Rule would be a disaster for public lands, and why the logic behind this move falls short: 

• The proposal ignores the critical role of climate change in forest health. This proposal mentions the effects of “climate change” exactly zero times. 
• Logging, especially clear-cutting, harms ecosystems, increases fire risk, and accelerates climate change through carbon release and loss of canopy cover.
• The proposal ignores the fact that the Roadless Rule allows for forest management (e.g. thinning) in order to promote long-term ecosystem benefits.
• The Roadless Rule is essential for preserving long-term biodiversity, carbon storage, and recreational value.
• Forest management should prioritize ecological resilience, Indigenous stewardship practices, and habitat restoration… NOT commercial exploitation.

I strongly feel that rescinding the Roadless Rule is a misguided and shortsighted attempt to rob the American people of our access to public lands. Please join me in submitting a public comment in support of the Roadless Rule. Below is the letter I submitted as my public comment in support of the Roadless Rule.

Draft public comment in opposition to rescinding the Roadless Rule

Below I (Amiana) share my exact letter written to Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture. If you need creative inspiration, you may use all or part of my letter, or use it as a template. However, I encourage you to modify my script. Duplicate comments often get lumped together and ‘count less’ during the review process.

Template public comment in opposition to rescinding the Roadless Rule

I am writing to express my unequivocal opposition to the proposal to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. As a biologist and water resources engineer, I find the rationale behind this proposal deeply flawed and scientifically incomplete.

While the proposal acknowledges several pressing issues facing our forests, such as increased wildfire activity, increased pest pressure, and the need for regionally adaptive management, it fails to address one of the most critical underlying factors: climate change. The complete omission of this term from the proposal is not only scientifically negligent but suggests a politically motivated disregard for the overwhelming body of evidence linking climate change to forest health, fire frequency, and ecosystem resilience.

Moreover, the stated goal of the proposal – to increase logging production – is fundamentally incompatible with the long-term preservation and resilience of our forest ecosystems. Logging, particularly clear-cutting, devastates habitats, increases fire risk, and accelerates climate change through carbon release and loss of canopy cover. I hike over 1,000 miles annually in Washington state and Oregon and have personally witnessed the ecological destruction caused by large-scale logging. These areas become barren, overheated, and devoid of wildlife… far from the thriving ecosystems we should be protecting.

The Roadless Rule has been a cornerstone of forest conservation for nearly 25 years, protecting nearly 45 million acres of public lands from destructive development. These lands are not just wilderness, they are vital habitats, carbon sinks, recreational havens, and cultural landscapes. The proposal’s claim that rescinding the rule will improve forest management ignores the fact that fire suppression, habitat restoration, and selective thinning are already permitted under the current rule.

Instead of dismantling protections, we should be investing in:

• Restoration of old-growth forests
• Selective thinning and fire management guided by ecological science
• Incorporation of Indigenous forest stewardship practices
• Robust climate adaptation strategies

The proposal does not reflect these priorities. It appears to be driven by short-term economic interests rather than long-term ecological sustainability. I urge you to reject this proposal and instead strengthen protections for our roadless areas.

Our forests are not commodities, they are legacies. Please do not strip them away.

In opposition to Rescinding the Roadless Rule: final thoughts

Thank you for taking the time to read about the Roadless Rule. Please take 5 minutes to leave a public comment to help protect this important rule.

You can learn more about the Roadless Rule, and see what lands are at risk, on the Outdoor Alliance’s website.