ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Environmental advocates in Western North Carolina are urging residents to weigh in on a federal proposal that could open some of the nation’s last undeveloped forests to road building and resource extraction.
The U.S. Forest Service is considering rolling back the 25-year-old Roadless Rule, a move critics say would allow logging, mining and new road construction across millions of acres of previously protected public land, including tracts in the Southern Appalachians.
In response, a coalition of 17 conservation and recreation groups — including MountainTrue, Sierra Club and The Wilderness Society — will host a public roundtable in Asheville on April 15 to help residents better understand the proposal and submit public comments.
“These forests belong to all of us,” Josh Kelly, forests director for MountainTrue, said in a news release. “Western North Carolinians deserve a voice in decisions that will shape our forests for generations.”
The event, scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Mule at Devil’s Foot Beverage, will bring together regional organizations including Pisgah SORBA, Trout Unlimited and the North Carolina Wildlife Federation. Organizers say attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the rule changes, share perspectives and receive guidance on submitting comments to federal officials.
David Reid, forests issue chair for the North Carolina chapter of the Sierra Club, said the gathering is intended to highlight the ecological and recreational importance of backcountry areas.
“We hope folks will come out and express what these backcountry gems mean for them and all others who enjoy their beauty and recreational opportunities,” Reid said.
Advocates say concerns about the proposed rollback are compounded by recent changes at the federal level that they argue reduce transparency and limit opportunities for public input.
Separately, state regulators are also seeking public feedback on water quality issues affecting the region.
The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission is holding a series of public hearings on proposed rules addressing PFAS and 1,4-dioxane, both of which have been detected in North Carolina waterways.
One of those hearings is scheduled for April 7 at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, where speakers can register beginning at 5 p.m. before the 6 p.m. session.
State officials said written comments on the proposed rules will be accepted through June 15 at publiccomments@deq.nc.gov with the subject line “PFAS minimization” or “1,4-dioxane minimization” depending on which chemicals you discuss. If you would like to talk about both in your comments, you must send two emails. They can be identical, but one email must have the subject line “PFAS minimization” and one must have the subject line “1,4-dioxane minimization.”