Take Action to Protect the Roadless Rule
The USDA is moving to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule, which safeguards nearly 60 million acres of national forests that provide clean water, wildlife habitat, and recreation opportunities. The public comment period is closing this Friday September 19th, and this may be our only chance to speak up. Use the links below to submit your official comment and contact your representatives. With environmental law, a win is temporary — but a loss is permanent. Make your voice heard today. Submission of a comment takes <5 minutes.
You can submit comments on the Roadless Rule by visiting the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov and searching for docket number FS-2025-0001
View full proposal & public docket: FS-2025 Roadless Rule Docket
https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FS-2025-0001
Key Federal Contacts in Tennessee
- Contact Senator Marsha Blackburn (TN) via her email form:
https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/email-me - Find your U.S. Senators (TN or any state): Senate.gov contact page
https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/ - Find your U.S. House Representative by ZIP: Congress.gov “Find Your Member”
https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
*Here is an easy outline for submission
Subject: Keep the Roadless Rule in Place
I am writing to strongly oppose the proposed rescission of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule.
The Roadless Rule is one of the most successful conservation measures in our nation’s history. It protects nearly 60 million acres of national forests that provide clean drinking water, safeguard wildlife habitat, store carbon, and support billions of dollars in recreation and tourism. These lands are the headwaters of many rivers and are essential to the health of our communities.
The Forest Service already maintains over 380,000 miles of roads—eight times the size of the interstate highway system—with a shrinking budget. Expanding this road network would be fiscally irresponsible and would undermine the agency’s ability to maintain the roads we already have. More roads also mean greater wildfire risk, since the vast majority of wildfires are human-caused.
Contrary to claims made in support of rescission, the Roadless Rule already allows for wildfire management, public safety measures, and other necessary activities. What rescinding the rule would actually do is open the door to expanded logging and mining in some of our most ecologically sensitive and beloved landscapes, for the short-term benefit of private industry at the long-term expense of the American public.
This rule was developed in 2001 after an unprecedented democratic process—600 public meetings and 1.6 million comments. It reflects overwhelming public support for protecting our shared natural heritage. It should not be discarded now through a rushed process heavily influenced by special interests.
I urge the USDA and Forest Service to keep the Roadless Rule in place. Protect our forests, our waters, our climate, and the public interest for generations to come.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[City, State]
[email protected]
