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Ojai council opposes rescission of roadless rule, backs H.R. 3930
Summary
The City of Ojai adopted a resolution opposing the Department of Agriculture’s recommended rescission of the roadless rule and authorized a letter supporting H.R. 3930 (and acknowledging S.2042). Council cited wildfire risk, watershed protection and recreational and economic benefits of intact national-forest lands.
The City of Ojai City Council on Sept. 16 adopted a resolution opposing the rescission of the Roadless Area Conservation Rule — commonly called the roadless rule — and authorized two letters: one opposing the Department of Agriculture’s proposed rescission and a second letter of support for H.R. 3930, a Congressional bill to codify the roadless rule.
Council members and staff framed the issue as locally significant because Ojai is surrounded by the Los Padres National Forest; councilmembers said changes to management that allow expanded road building or industrial activities could raise wildfire risk, threaten watershed stability (including impacts to Lake Casitas and the Ojai groundwater basin), fragment wildlife habitat and reduce tourism that supports local jobs. Staff noted a public comment period on the federal rulemaking that closes Sept. 19 and directed staff to file comments on the city’s behalf before that deadline.
The resolution also acknowledged a companion Senate bill, S.2042, and asked the city’s congressional delegation to support federal legislation that protects roadless areas. Councilmember Winters offered draft additional “whereas” language emphasizing ecosystem services, carbon sequestration in mature forests and local economic benefits tied to recreation; members accepted edits and corrected a typographical reference to Los Padres National Forest in the draft.
Public comment on the item was not recorded during the meeting. The council approved the two actions by roll call vote; members recorded as voting yes included Council Member Whitman, Mayor Pro Tem Lang, Council Member Meng and Mayor Gilman (the resolution text also references both H.R. 3930 and S.2042). The council instructed staff to send a public-comment letter before the Sept. 19 deadline opposing rescission and to transmit a support letter for H.R. 3930 to the bill’s authors through Representative Carbajal’s office, as identified in the resolution.
Ending: The adoption sends a local government statement into the federal rulemaking record opposing the rescission of the roadless rule and formally signals the city’s support for legislation to protect roadless areas; staff will file the administrative comment before the public-comment deadline and deliver the congressional letter to the representative named in the resolution.
