you were part of sending 1 million public comments to the u.s. Department of agriculture!
HERE’S THE LOWDOWN:
On June 23, 2025 Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the USDA was planning rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule.
On Aug 29, 2025 the USDA published a notice of intent, kicking off a 21 -day comment period which ended September 19, 2025. The scoping period set the stage for the rulemaking. This was our opportunity to inform the USDA about which issues are important and therefore, which issues they should address when developing the EIS. They received 625,000 public comments. 99% of the comments opposed rolling back the Roadless Rule.
The proposed rollback of the 2001 Roadless Rule jeopardizes nearly 45 million acres of undeveloped backcountry forestland managed by the U.S. Forest Service, comprising around a third of the territory in our national forest system. These forests have only remained intact because of the Forest Service’s nearly 25-year-old commitment not to build roads in these areas for harmful activities like major logging operations or oil-and-gas drilling.
On August 18, 2026 the USDA proposed TO ELIMINATE one of the greatest protections for AMERICA’S most precious forests: the Roadless Rule. There was a 45 day comment period. The USDA received more than 1 million public comments.
Keeping The Roadless Rule makes sure forests can’t be destroyed by preventing the first step of the heaviest industrial practices: building roads through them.
Getting rid of the Roadless Rule would open these special areas to industry.
You can use this pre-written letter to tell the Forest Service what you think they should do. Your comment is due by Oct 6, 2026
Your letter will be electronically sent to the Forest Service and the Senators and Representatives for your zip code to make sure those who represent you will be more likely to protect forests no matter what.
When adding to the letter, write professionally, be honest, fact-based & pragmatic for the best results; or just send the pre-written letter as-is.