Comment from Greta Miller

I am opposed to any revision to NPS:"The National Park Service's Wilderness stewardship policy under Director's Order 41." I am opposed to any rule or policy change that would allow areas that are currently being managed to preserve their wild characteristics to be disturbed by roads, machinery or other developments. Any areas under the jurisdiction of the NPS that currently meet the requirements for Wilderness designated by Congress should be managed in a manner such that Wilderness designation is possible in the future. Undisturbed wild areas are critical for healthy watersheds where recharge of streams and aquifers can occur. Once a road is built in an area or the vegetation is scraped of erosion increases. Water runs off faster and cannot percolate into the ground. Waterways have more sediment in them. Fragmented cleared areas dry out faster through increased evaporation. Roads fragment habitat and traffic into an area increass trash and the introduction of exotic species that may push out native vegetation. There is also the direct harassment and disturbing of wildlife. Climate change is real. Undisturbed wild areas act as a buffer to help moderate temperatures and protect populated areas from extreme weather events. Currently only five percent of the land in the United States is designated as Wilderness. We owe it to ourselves and future generations to protect our remaining wild roadless areas in our country.