We're hosting in-person comment writing events in communities across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
TIPS FOR WRITING A GOOD COMMENT
Start your comment by sharing what action you want the USDA to take – “Please keep the Roadless Rule.”
Share what state you live in.
Include at least one of the following specific talking points to explain why you think the Rule should not be rescinded and why the Roadless Rule is important. Use your own words as much as possible.
Be respectful.
TALKING POINTS
More Roads Means More Wildfires: Rolling back the Roadless Rule will lead to more wildfires. New research shows that from 1992-2024, wildfires were four times as likely to start in areas with roads than in roadless forest tracts. Another study showed that more than 90 percent of all wildfires nationwide occurred within half a mile of a road.
Vital for America’s Drinking Water: Our National Forests are the headwaters of our great rivers and the largest source of municipal water supply in the nation, serving more than 60 million people in 3,400 communities in 33 states. Roads are a major cause of water pollution. Because it protects these headwaters, the 2001 Roadless Rule is vital for maintaining clean drinking water for communities across the country.
Vital Wildlife Habitat: These public lands are large, connected and wild, providing critical habitat for elk, birds, fish, grizzly bears and wolves. Because they are not fragmented by roads, these areas provide much needed habitat for many species that are vital to the health of our ecosystem.
Millions Support the Roadless Rule: The Roadless Rule is a highly popular policy that is often celebrated as one of America’s most successful conservation measures. Prior to its enactment in 2001, more than 600 public hearings were held nationwide, and 1.6 million Americans weighed in to call for protection of these forestlands. More recently, more than 45 members of the House and Senate have signed onto legislation that would codify the Roadless Rule so that in the future, it cannot be rolled back without an act of Congress.
Policy Has Built-In Exceptions: The Roadless Rule is flexible and allows for necessary forest management and the construction of roads as needed to address fires, floods, or other catastrophic events, and other circumstances like the need to connect communities. National forest managers routinely conduct forest stewardship activities within roadless areas such as prescribed burning and wildlife habitat improvement activities.
Subsistence and Cultural Values at Risk: Increased industrial activity in roadless areas would jeopardize culturally important sites and subsistence use areas. These spaces are critical to food security for many Indigenous communities as well as for sustaining cultural practices, including hunting, fishing, and gathering forest plants for food, medicine, and traditional arts. In the proposal to eliminate the Roadless Rule, even the Forest Service acknowledges tribal nations strongly oppose the rollback and provides alternative recommendations from tribes.
Important for Protecting Migration Corridors and Game Habitat: Roads fragment habitat and degrade migration corridors that game species like elk and mule deer rely on. Protected roadless areas help ensure these migratory game corridors remain intact and protected from roads and the industrial development roads enable.
Recreation Economy at Risk: Since 2001, protected roadless areas have offered world-class outdoor recreation opportunities like hunting, fishing, and camping. Every year, millions of Americans access these public lands. In Montana and Wyoming the outdoor recreation economy pumps more than $6.1 billion each year into our local communities.