The Public Record · Docket FS-2025-0001

Read the comments.

Every public comment on the proposed rescission of the Roadless Rule, sorted by what it talks about. Pick a topic, then narrow by position, by how hard the comment is for the agency to set aside, or by how substantive it is. Each comment is shown in full, as filed. How comments are classified and scored is explained in the Comment Analysis.

1 unique comments10 submissions
Position
  • Opposes rescission 100.0%
Answerability
  • A1 strong 0
  • A2 moderate 0
  • A3 weak 0
  • A0 none 1
Substance /24
Median 5middle half 5–5 · 1 scored
Topics raised
Count
Position
Answerability
Substance /24
Order
10 submissions in this letter's group · showing 1–10Clear all filters
  1. Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 5/24Oct 1, 2026FS-2025-0001-530786
    PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW

    Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.This comment stands for all 10 submissions in its group.

    Our public lands should not be turned into tree farms by corporate America. The purpose of this "managed forest" garbage.is to cut all the natural forest over and replant with a mono-culture tree farm so that future generations have no knowledge of what the real eco-system should look like. The earth is not about money alone. The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule conserves over 58 million acres of multiple-use public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service that provide some of the best places to hunt and fish in America. Repealing safeguards afforded by the Roadless Rule will jeopardize intact fish and wildlife habitat and I urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to uphold strong protections for all roadless areas. Across the country, roadless areas provide irreplaceable habitat for native trout and salmon, big game, and other wildlife. The 2001 Roadless Rule generally prohibits new road construction and industrial logging, while at the same time keeping these public lands open to habitat improvement projects, hazardous fuels reduction, hunting, fishing, OHV riding, firewood cutting, grazing, and camping. The 2001 Roadless Rule already allows for balanced forest management, including timber harvest, to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire, as well as to restore habitat for sensitive fish and wildlife species. Importantly, hazardous fuels treatments in roadless areas are commonplace, helping protect at-risk communities and restoring forest health. If rescinded, new road construction and associated industrial-scale logging will fragment fish and wildlife habitat, degrade water quality and quantity, and reduce backcountry hunting and fishing opportunities on public lands. There are 370,000 miles of roads in the National Forest System with a maintenance backlog of $10.8 billion, 55% of which is due to dilapidated roads that cause sedimentation and erosion that reduce water quality, create barriers to fish migration, and create public safety hazards. We need to take care of the roads we already have, not add more roads that we don’t have the funding or personnel to maintain. Roadless areas provide some of the best fish and wildlife habitat and hunting and angling opportunities for Americans of all walks of life. I strongly support maintaining protections for all roadless areas and keeping these public lands a great place to hunt and fish.
    Full analysis of this comment →
  2. Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 5/24Oct 1, 2026FS-2025-0001-531217
    PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW

    Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 10 submissions in its group.

    These great, wild lands and unrivaled biodiversity are one of, if not the most special, unique, and incredible things about America. Every step taken to harm or reduce our public lands takes away the opportunity for any and every American - no matter status, race, creed, or color - to learn about, enjoy, and celebrate our American heritage. Any step taken to endanger our natural resources and inhibit the ability of the average American to take advantage of their collective home will certainly be looked at shamefully through the lenses of future generations. You know what the right thing to do is. It is your duty to honor it. The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule conserves over 58 million acres of multiple-use public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service that provide some of the best places to hunt and fish in America. Repealing safeguards afforded by the Roadless Rule will jeopardize intact fish and wildlife habitat and I urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to uphold strong protections for all roadless areas. Across the country, roadless areas provide irreplaceable habitat for native trout and salmon, big game, and other wildlife. The 2001 Roadless Rule generally prohibits new road construction and industrial logging, while at the same time keeping these public lands open to habitat improvement projects, hazardous fuels reduction, hunting, fishing, OHV riding, firewood cutting, grazing, and camping. The 2001 Roadless Rule already allows for balanced forest management, including timber harvest, to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire, as well as to restore habitat for sensitive fish and wildlife species. Importantly, hazardous fuels treatments in roadless areas are commonplace, helping protect at-risk communities and restoring forest health. If rescinded, new road construction and associated industrial-scale logging will fragment fish and wildlife habitat, degrade water quality and quantity, and reduce backcountry hunting and fishing opportunities on public lands. There are 370,000 miles of roads in the National Forest System with a maintenance backlog of $10.8 billion, 55% of which is due to dilapidated roads that cause sedimentation and erosion that reduce water quality, create barriers to fish migration, and create public safety hazards. We need to take care of the roads we already have, not add more roads that we don’t have the funding or personnel to maintain. Roadless areas provide some of the best fish and wildlife habitat and hunting and angling opportunities for Americans of all walks of life. I strongly support maintaining protections for all roadless areas and keeping these public lands a great place to hunt and fish.
    Full analysis of this comment →
  3. Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 5/24Oct 1, 2026FS-2025-0001-531386
    PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW

    Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 10 submissions in its group.

    I spend some part of everyday in the National Forest. There are parts of my walk where vehicles are allowed and parts where vehicles are not allowed. I purposely spend more time where no vehicles can go. There is more wildlife in those areas, and it is much more relaxing to walk there. People need to put down their keys and learn to walk! The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule conserves over 58 million acres of multiple-use public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service that provide some of the best places to hunt and fish in America. Repealing safeguards afforded by the Roadless Rule will jeopardize intact fish and wildlife habitat and I urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to uphold strong protections for all roadless areas. Across the country, roadless areas provide irreplaceable habitat for native trout and salmon, big game, and other wildlife. The 2001 Roadless Rule generally prohibits new road construction and industrial logging, while at the same time keeping these public lands open to habitat improvement projects, hazardous fuels reduction, hunting, fishing, OHV riding, firewood cutting, grazing, and camping. The 2001 Roadless Rule already allows for balanced forest management, including timber harvest, to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire, as well as to restore habitat for sensitive fish and wildlife species. Importantly, hazardous fuels treatments in roadless areas are commonplace, helping protect at-risk communities and restoring forest health. If rescinded, new road construction and associated industrial-scale logging will fragment fish and wildlife habitat, degrade water quality and quantity, and reduce backcountry hunting and fishing opportunities on public lands. There are 370,000 miles of roads in the National Forest System with a maintenance backlog of $10.8 billion, 55% of which is due to dilapidated roads that cause sedimentation and erosion that reduce water quality, create barriers to fish migration, and create public safety hazards. We need to take care of the roads we already have, not add more roads that we don’t have the funding or personnel to maintain. Roadless areas provide some of the best fish and wildlife habitat and hunting and angling opportunities for Americans of all walks of life. I strongly support maintaining protections for all roadless areas and keeping these public lands a great place to hunt and fish.
    Full analysis of this comment →
  4. Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 5/24Oct 1, 2026FS-2025-0001-531508
    PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW

    Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 10 submissions in its group.

    I was able to enjoy a float trip in one of Alaskas roadless areas on the Kanektok River. A trip of a lifetime. The forest service is years behind maintaining the roads that are open now. Adding more roads in remote areas would only make this problem worse. Human-caused fires are the number 1 cause of fire in the forest. More roads would again make this problem worse. Please keep the roadless areas intact. Terry Turner 405 High Ct Gladstone, Oregon. 97027 The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule conserves over 58 million acres of multiple-use public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service that provide some of the best places to hunt and fish in America. Repealing safeguards afforded by the Roadless Rule will jeopardize intact fish and wildlife habitat and I urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to uphold strong protections for all roadless areas. Across the country, roadless areas provide irreplaceable habitat for native trout and salmon, big game, and other wildlife. The 2001 Roadless Rule generally prohibits new road construction and industrial logging, while at the same time keeping these public lands open to habitat improvement projects, hazardous fuels reduction, hunting, fishing, OHV riding, firewood cutting, grazing, and camping. The 2001 Roadless Rule already allows for balanced forest management, including timber harvest, to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire, as well as to restore habitat for sensitive fish and wildlife species. Importantly, hazardous fuels treatments in roadless areas are commonplace, helping protect at-risk communities and restoring forest health. If rescinded, new road construction and associated industrial-scale logging will fragment fish and wildlife habitat, degrade water quality and quantity, and reduce backcountry hunting and fishing opportunities on public lands. There are 370,000 miles of roads in the National Forest System with a maintenance backlog of $10.8 billion, 55% of which is due to dilapidated roads that cause sedimentation and erosion that reduce water quality, create barriers to fish migration, and create public safety hazards. We need to take care of the roads we already have, not add more roads that we don’t have the funding or personnel to maintain. Roadless areas provide some of the best fish and wildlife habitat and hunting and angling opportunities for Americans of all walks of life. I strongly support maintaining protections for all roadless areas and keeping these public lands a great place to hunt and fish.
    Full analysis of this comment →
  5. Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 5/24Oct 1, 2026FS-2025-0001-531529
    PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW

    Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 10 submissions in its group.

    I encourage the USDA to keep the 2001 Roadless Rule in place and continue protecting the remaining roadless lands that provide some of the most important wild places in Montana and across the country. I was born and raised in Montana, and some of my favorite memories have come from getting away from roads, cell service, and developed areas and simply exploring. I love finding an old dirt road that leads deep into the forest and seeing where it takes me. There is something special about being able to hike, hunt, fish, camp, or simply spend a day outside in a place that still feels wild and secluded. Hunting and fishing are a huge part of my connection to Montana. I have spent countless days exploring Montana’s rivers, streams, forests, and mountains, and I have seen firsthand how valuable healthy, remote watersheds are for native trout and other wildlife. These places aren’t just recreational areas to me—they are part of what makes Montana home. I understand that roads and responsible forest management have an important role to play, but I believe some of our remaining roadless lands should be kept that way. Once roads are built into these remote areas, the character and opportunities they provide can be difficult, if not impossible, to restore. Protecting these areas helps preserve habitat, clean water, native fish populations, wildlife, and the opportunity for future generations to experience the same kind of solitude and wild places that I have grown up enjoying. As someone who was born and raised in Montana and hopes to continue hunting, fishing, and exploring these places for many years to come, I strongly encourage the USDA to maintain the protections provided by the 2001 Roadless Rule and protect these important wild landscapes for future generations. The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule conserves over 58 million acres of multiple-use public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service that provide some of the best places to hunt and fish in America. Repealing safeguards afforded by the Roadless Rule will jeopardize intact fish and wildlife habitat and I urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to uphold strong protections for all roadless areas. Across the country, roadless areas provide irreplaceable habitat for native trout and salmon, big game, and other wildlife. The 2001 Roadless Rule generally prohibits new road construction and industrial logging, while at the same time keeping these public lands open to habitat improvement projects, hazardous fuels reduction, hunting, fishing, OHV riding, firewood cutting, grazing, and camping. The 2001 Roadless Rule already allows for balanced forest management, including timber harvest, to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire, as well as to restore habitat for sensitive fish and wildlife species. Importantly, hazardous fuels treatments in roadless areas are commonplace, helping protect at-risk communities and restoring forest health. If rescinded, new road construction and associated industrial-scale logging will fragment fish and wildlife habitat, degrade water quality and quantity, and reduce backcountry hunting and fishing opportunities on public lands. There are 370,000 miles of roads in the National Forest System with a maintenance backlog of $10.8 billion, 55% of which is due to dilapidated roads that cause sedimentation and erosion that reduce water quality, create barriers to fish migration, and create public safety hazards. We need to take care of the roads we already have, not add more roads that we don’t have the funding or personnel to maintain. Roadless areas provide some of the best fish and wildlife habitat and hunting and angling opportunities for Americans of all walks of life. I strongly support maintaining protections for all roadless areas and keeping these public lands a great place to hunt and fish.
    Full analysis of this comment →
  6. Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 5/24Oct 1, 2026FS-2025-0001-531544
    PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW

    Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 10 submissions in its group.

    This is a decision that can never really be reversed once you open it up. I live in Texas and we love our off-road vehicles but I see the changes they make running around our ranches and it is not a pretty sight. Sure some consider it fun out there “tearing it up” and I agree but this is private property and they made their own decisions to tear it up. The Roadless areas are public lands that very wise people could see that protection of this land was and is very important! Please do not allow these changes! WE CAN NEVER REALLY REVERSE THE DAMAGE ONCE IT IS DONE! The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule conserves over 58 million acres of multiple-use public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service that provide some of the best places to hunt and fish in America. Repealing safeguards afforded by the Roadless Rule will jeopardize intact fish and wildlife habitat and I urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to uphold strong protections for all roadless areas. Across the country, roadless areas provide irreplaceable habitat for native trout and salmon, big game, and other wildlife. The 2001 Roadless Rule generally prohibits new road construction and industrial logging, while at the same time keeping these public lands open to habitat improvement projects, hazardous fuels reduction, hunting, fishing, OHV riding, firewood cutting, grazing, and camping. The 2001 Roadless Rule already allows for balanced forest management, including timber harvest, to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire, as well as to restore habitat for sensitive fish and wildlife species. Importantly, hazardous fuels treatments in roadless areas are commonplace, helping protect at-risk communities and restoring forest health. If rescinded, new road construction and associated industrial-scale logging will fragment fish and wildlife habitat, degrade water quality and quantity, and reduce backcountry hunting and fishing opportunities on public lands. There are 370,000 miles of roads in the National Forest System with a maintenance backlog of $10.8 billion, 55% of which is due to dilapidated roads that cause sedimentation and erosion that reduce water quality, create barriers to fish migration, and create public safety hazards. We need to take care of the roads we already have, not add more roads that we don’t have the funding or personnel to maintain. Roadless areas provide some of the best fish and wildlife habitat and hunting and angling opportunities for Americans of all walks of life. I strongly support maintaining protections for all roadless areas and keeping these public lands a great place to hunt and fish.
    Full analysis of this comment →
  7. Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 5/24Oct 1, 2026FS-2025-0001-531704
    PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW

    Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 10 submissions in its group.

    I grew up fishing and know that there are many places we used to fish that no longer have fish that are safe to eat due to road, agricultural and other runoff. Only an urban or naive person would think protecting streams from increased sediment and pollution is not critical to quality fishing and quality water for human use. So please note the information below. The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule conserves over 58 million acres of multiple-use public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service that provide some of the best places to hunt and fish in America. Repealing safeguards afforded by the Roadless Rule will jeopardize intact fish and wildlife habitat and I urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to uphold strong protections for all roadless areas. Across the country, roadless areas provide irreplaceable habitat for native trout and salmon, big game, and other wildlife. The 2001 Roadless Rule generally prohibits new road construction and industrial logging, while at the same time keeping these public lands open to habitat improvement projects, hazardous fuels reduction, hunting, fishing, OHV riding, firewood cutting, grazing, and camping. The 2001 Roadless Rule already allows for balanced forest management, including timber harvest, to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire, as well as to restore habitat for sensitive fish and wildlife species. Importantly, hazardous fuels treatments in roadless areas are commonplace, helping protect at-risk communities and restoring forest health. If rescinded, new road construction and associated industrial-scale logging will fragment fish and wildlife habitat, degrade water quality and quantity, and reduce backcountry hunting and fishing opportunities on public lands. There are 370,000 miles of roads in the National Forest System with a maintenance backlog of $10.8 billion, 55% of which is due to dilapidated roads that cause sedimentation and erosion that reduce water quality, create barriers to fish migration, and create public safety hazards. We need to take care of the roads we already have, not add more roads that we don’t have the funding or personnel to maintain. Roadless areas provide some of the best fish and wildlife habitat and hunting and angling opportunities for Americans of all walks of life. I strongly support maintaining protections for all roadless areas and keeping these public lands a great place to hunt and fish.
    Full analysis of this comment →
  8. Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 5/24Oct 1, 2026FS-2025-0001-531780
    PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW

    Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 10 submissions in its group.

    I’m an angler, and some of the experiences I value most are the days spent fishing wild trout water in places that still feel largely untouched. Part of what makes those places special isn’t just the fishing—it’s the intact landscape around them: cold, clean water, healthy forests, abundant wildlife, and the opportunity to experience a place that has remained much as it was long before we arrived. I also believe we have an obligation to think beyond our own use of these lands. We have inherited both the benefits of places that earlier generations had the foresight to protect and the consequences of decisions made at times when the long-term effects on rivers, forests, fish, and wildlife were not fully appreciated. Today, enormous effort and expense go into restoring damaged watersheds, removing barriers to fish passage, cleaning up abandoned industrial sites, and repairing other environmental damage that is far more difficult to undo than it would have been to avoid in the first place. Roadless areas give us a rare opportunity not to repeat that pattern. Once a wild landscape is fragmented by roads and development, it is extraordinarily difficult to make it whole again. Protecting these places is therefore about more than the hunting and fishing opportunities we enjoy today. It is about leaving future generations the opportunity to experience healthy, intact public lands for themselves—and allowing them to decide what those places mean to them rather than inheriting the consequences of irreversible decisions we made on their behalf. That is why the Roadless Rule matters to me personally. The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule conserves over 58 million acres of multiple-use public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service that provide some of the best places to hunt and fish in America. Repealing safeguards afforded by the Roadless Rule will jeopardize intact fish and wildlife habitat and I urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to uphold strong protections for all roadless areas. Across the country, roadless areas provide irreplaceable habitat for native trout and salmon, big game, and other wildlife. The 2001 Roadless Rule generally prohibits new road construction and industrial logging, while at the same time keeping these public lands open to habitat improvement projects, hazardous fuels reduction, hunting, fishing, OHV riding, firewood cutting, grazing, and camping. The 2001 Roadless Rule already allows for balanced forest management, including timber harvest, to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire, as well as to restore habitat for sensitive fish and wildlife species. Importantly, hazardous fuels treatments in roadless areas are commonplace, helping protect at-risk communities and restoring forest health. If rescinded, new road construction and associated industrial-scale logging will fragment fish and wildlife habitat, degrade water quality and quantity, and reduce backcountry hunting and fishing opportunities on public lands. There are 370,000 miles of roads in the National Forest System with a maintenance backlog of $10.8 billion, 55% of which is due to dilapidated roads that cause sedimentation and erosion that reduce water quality, create barriers to fish migration, and create public safety hazards. We need to take care of the roads we already have, not add more roads that we don’t have the funding or personnel to maintain. Roadless areas provide some of the best fish and wildlife habitat and hunting and angling opportunities for Americans of all walks of life. I strongly support maintaining protections for all roadless areas and keeping these public lands a great place to hunt and fish.
    Full analysis of this comment →
  9. Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 5/24Oct 1, 2026FS-2025-0001-531899
    PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW

    Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 10 submissions in its group.

    Dear U.S. Forest Service / USDA, I am writing to strongly oppose any efforts to weaken or rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. As someone who loves hiking and fishing, these pristine public lands are deeply personal to me. Intact, roadless backcountry areas provide the cold, clean water necessary for healthy trout and salmon populations, and they offer the quiet, natural trails that hikers like myself seek out for recreation. Allowing commercial logging and road construction into these last wild spaces will degrade critical fish habitats, fragment trails, and permanently alter the backcountry experience. The Forest Service should focus on managing its existing road network rather than opening up our finest remaining wild places. Please maintain full protections for all roadless areas. The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule conserves over 58 million acres of multiple-use public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service that provide some of the best places to hunt and fish in America. Repealing safeguards afforded by the Roadless Rule will jeopardize intact fish and wildlife habitat and I urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to uphold strong protections for all roadless areas. Across the country, roadless areas provide irreplaceable habitat for native trout and salmon, big game, and other wildlife. The 2001 Roadless Rule generally prohibits new road construction and industrial logging, while at the same time keeping these public lands open to habitat improvement projects, hazardous fuels reduction, hunting, fishing, OHV riding, firewood cutting, grazing, and camping. The 2001 Roadless Rule already allows for balanced forest management, including timber harvest, to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire, as well as to restore habitat for sensitive fish and wildlife species. Importantly, hazardous fuels treatments in roadless areas are commonplace, helping protect at-risk communities and restoring forest health. If rescinded, new road construction and associated industrial-scale logging will fragment fish and wildlife habitat, degrade water quality and quantity, and reduce backcountry hunting and fishing opportunities on public lands. There are 370,000 miles of roads in the National Forest System with a maintenance backlog of $10.8 billion, 55% of which is due to dilapidated roads that cause sedimentation and erosion that reduce water quality, create barriers to fish migration, and create public safety hazards. We need to take care of the roads we already have, not add more roads that we don’t have the funding or personnel to maintain. Roadless areas provide some of the best fish and wildlife habitat and hunting and angling opportunities for Americans of all walks of life. I strongly support maintaining protections for all roadless areas and keeping these public lands a great place to hunt and fish.
    Full analysis of this comment →
  10. Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 5/24Oct 1, 2026FS-2025-0001-532022
    PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW

    Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 10 submissions in its group.

    Roadless areas are worth protecting. Wide open tracts of land is what makes America Great! Keep the wild areas wild so we have some wild areas left. There is simply no need for us to build more roads into these areas. The Forest Service faces a multi-billion maintenance backlog on a 370,000-mile road system. It is common sense to stop building more roads when we can’t afford to maintain what we have. The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule conserves over 58 million acres of multiple-use public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service that provide some of the best places to hunt and fish in America. Repealing safeguards afforded by the Roadless Rule will jeopardize intact fish and wildlife habitat and I urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to uphold strong protections for all roadless areas. Across the country, roadless areas provide irreplaceable habitat for native trout and salmon, big game, and other wildlife. The 2001 Roadless Rule generally prohibits new road construction and industrial logging, while at the same time keeping these public lands open to habitat improvement projects, hazardous fuels reduction, hunting, fishing, OHV riding, firewood cutting, grazing, and camping. The 2001 Roadless Rule already allows for balanced forest management, including timber harvest, to reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire, as well as to restore habitat for sensitive fish and wildlife species. Importantly, hazardous fuels treatments in roadless areas are commonplace, helping protect at-risk communities and restoring forest health. If rescinded, new road construction and associated industrial-scale logging will fragment fish and wildlife habitat, degrade water quality and quantity, and reduce backcountry hunting and fishing opportunities on public lands. There are 370,000 miles of roads in the National Forest System with a maintenance backlog of $10.8 billion, 55% of which is due to dilapidated roads that cause sedimentation and erosion that reduce water quality, create barriers to fish migration, and create public safety hazards. We need to take care of the roads we already have, not add more roads that we don’t have the funding or personnel to maintain. Roadless areas provide some of the best fish and wildlife habitat and hunting and angling opportunities for Americans of all walks of life. I strongly support maintaining protections for all roadless areas and keeping these public lands a great place to hunt and fish.
    Full analysis of this comment →

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How it works. A large language model (an open-weight Qwen3.8 model) reads each substantive comment and copies, word for word, the passages that carry its analytical gap, evidence, request, alternative and connection to the place; it returns no scores. Code grades those passages 0–3 on eight dimensions — evidence, legal grounding, engagement with the environmental analysis, analytical gaps, alternatives, specific requests, position, and local knowledge — with legal grounding taken from a citation scan, not the model. For the strongest tenth on each side, the copied passages are checked against the comment and shown as exhibits. A comment counts as “substantive” when it clears a floor filter — it must show at least one substantive signal (a named entity, a specific citation, a stated analytical deficiency, or first-person testimony), which screens out one-line and purely conclusory submissions before any model scoring.

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