The Public Record · Docket FS-2025-0001

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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 comments50 submissions

Position

Opposes rescission 100.0%

Answerability

A1 strong 0
A2 moderate 0
A3 weak 0
A0 none 1

Substance /24

Median 4middle half 4–4 · 1 scored

Topics raised

50 submissions in this letter's group · showing 1–20Clear all filters

Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-552577
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
Greetings, I'm writing to share a quick personal note about why the Roadless Rule has been so important to me in an effort to help influence you to continue to protect public lands. As a 20yr Army veteran who is retired in North Carolina, my greatest joy comes from fly fishing in our public waters. I deployed twice to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan in service to our nation and have two Bronze Stars from that service. Being outside in nature is far better for my mental health than any drug. I fear that repealing the Roadless Rule will put our public lands at incredible risk and hope you will give this further attention. 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-552588
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
America’s national forests and undeveloped federal lands are our most precious, unspoiled lands. They help protect wildlife, trees supplying oxygen, and clean water. They also help reduce heat and pollution in our environment. President Roosevelt was on the right track creating protected lands in our country that future generations could admire and enjoy. All these areas help make our country great. I vote not to allow new road construction or logging. 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-552673
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
To whom it may concern, I am a member of project healing waters which is a disabled veteran group of fly fisherman. We practice catch and release exclusively in order to maintain a healthy fishery for others to enjoy. I also owned a homestead in Montana which abutted Lewis and Clark National Forest which, at the time, was not roadless. There were motorcycle races, fracking, and other activities with forest service approval. Glacier National Park was right across the road. Grizzly Bears, Elk, Moose, and many other species frequented the area. Under the threat of more mineral extraction we formed the Glacier Two Medicine Alliance to advocate that this area return to its roadless designation. We were successful but now all that progress is being threatened again by the proposed dropping of the roadless rule. Off-road vehicle technology has exploded and resulted in increasingly sophisticated vehicles which can take advantage of even rudimentary roads. The roadless areas of the West are spectacular examples of biodiversity, clean water and, heaven forbid, peace and quiet! Political power comes and goes but the damage caused by opening roadless areas will last for generations. Thank you for your time. 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-552839
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
To whom it may concern: I believe the USDA is making a grave mistake in proposing to repeal the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. As a fisherman, I can attest to the value of these protected spaces in providing suitable habitat for the trout and salmon that call our rivers home. To open these spaces up to road-building, and thus more resource extraction, will threaten what’s already a community— and way of life-- on the brink. This is an issue that transcends party lines; most folks in the West, whether Democrat or Republican, agree that public lands are best left public, and that our vital fisheries and hunting grounds should be preserved for future generations. Frankly, this whole push to rescind the Roadless Rule is the same old song and dance that leads us nowhere; let’s think a little beyond tomorrow’s short-term economic gain and consider the world our great-grandchildren will inherit. Speaking for myself, I want my descendants to fish and hunt and camp in landscapes that are more wild and vibrant than the ones I inherited. It’s up to us to ensure that’s possible. Don’t get shortsighted; please act more generously. 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-552854
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
I'm a fly-fishing guide in the North Carolina High Country, and I'm asking you to keep the Roadless Rule in place. The trout I build my business and my clients' days around live in cold, clean headwater streams — the kind of water that survives precisely because the backcountry above it stays intact. Roadless areas are the natural refrigerator and filter for those streams: they hold the shade, the stable banks, and the clean flows that wild and native trout need, and that warmer, developed land can't replace. We've already watched what happens when that protection is lost — after Hurricane Helene, landslides off disturbed slopes widened creeks, stripped shade, and pushed water temperatures to lethal highs for trout. New roads invite exactly that kind of erosion, sedimentation, and warming, year after year. This isn't abstract for me. It's my livelihood, the health of the New River and the Southern Appalachian streams I fish, and the reason people travel here. Rescinding the Roadless Rule trades durable, irreplaceable trout habitat and the rural recreation economy it supports for short-term access that the land pays for permanently. Please keep these headwaters and the fisheries they feed protected. Thank you. 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-553079
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
Our country doesn't exist solely to pad the pockets of developers. The value of being an American includes our birthright to enjoy this land. My Grandfather and my father taught me important lessons regarding our obligation of stewardship of this land for future generations. Those lessons happened in unspoiled American lands. I've taught them to my sons, but the land available to explore, hunt, fish, and teach have shrunk already. Now I question whether my grandchildren will learn those lessons. PLEASE, stop turning our monuments, parks, and unspoiled lands into mining camps and pavement. 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-553130
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
We have enough roads already. The small areas left without roads are more valuable and serve the public interest better without roads. On top of that, we don’t have the means to keep the roads we already have maintained in such a way as to keep them usable and to keep them from harming the productivity of the ecosystems they penetrate. History will view those who stand up for roadless ecosystems favorably. To be clear I’m not opposed to temporary roads needed to manage forests and other ecosystems in common sense ways. 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-553225
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
The Roadless Rule has unbelievably strong public support, as a cost-effective approach to preserving our nation's best habitat, water, and fish and wildlife. The vast, vast, vast majority of people support maintaining Roadless, both Republicans and Democrats.. In a time of increasing biodiversity loss, these habitats are critical for supporting innumerable species including many ESA listed species. The FS has a massive backlog of maintenance needs and needs to focus on addressing that rather than building new roads, which will increase habitat degradation and fragmentation, fire starts and invasive species while reducing water quality. This recission is illogical and illegal, and I am strongly against 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-553373
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
I am deeply concerned about the proposed repeal of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule because I have seen first-hand how the introduction of new roads into pristine habitat can negatively impact efforts to preserve wild trout populations on our public lands. My experience is primarily in the southern Rocky Mountains where native Rio Grande cutthroat trout are at-risk of habitat loss. Roadless areas provide some of the best fish and wildlife habitat and hunting and angling opportunities for Americans of all walks of life, especially us westerners who are great supporters of outdoor sports. I strongly support maintaining protections for all roadless areas and keeping these public lands a great place to hunt and fish. 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-553600
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
A wilderness experience is only a wilderness experience when motor vehicles are not included. I helped build a new route on the CDT to move hikers off a forest service road to provide a more wilderness experience. The forest service road was more often than not occupied by off-road vehicles, often in large numbers. This isn't the experience that says "wilderness." The noise and the exhaust fumes made for a bad hike. In addition to destroying the wilderness experience the roads added dust and dirt runoff to the area. It’s a very bad idea that destroys the habitat. The proposal to open these wilderness areas to roads is a terrible idea that shouldn't be considered. 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-553615
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
I am a 86 year old Arizona native son of an Arizona native. My parents took me hunting and fishing from the time I was 2 years old. I have seen many changes to this great state throughout the years, most not so good. Az. Game and Fish does a remarkable job with the resources that they have but I think their job would become much more difficult with more roads into the backcountry. The way I see it the Federal Government wants access to more land to allow more mining which will only destroy additional hunting and fishing areas along with depleting our water resources even further. Thanks for your consideration, Charles N. Brown 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-553794
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
Most years my family goes on camping and fishing trips, typically in NFS lands, often adjacent to designated wilderness areas. We find these areas to be particularly good for fishing and experiencing Americas truly greatest assets. We will take time to review NFS forest maps, and avoid those areas which are fragmented by logging roads. These areas are decidedly unattractive and less enjoyable to hike and fish. I spend quite a bit of money on transportation, provisions and lodging enroute to our camping destination. This year I spent greater than $5,000 for our group to travel, rent a car, lodge and provision for our trip to NFS camping site. Many of the communities we visit adjacent to these NFS lands appear to be very dependent on our tourist dollars. For these communities, ongoing tourist dollars are a lifeline, and if the NFS lands are protected, these communities can continue to thrive on tourist dollars , rather than itinerant, extractive industry dollars. Many of these communities are tired of the boom and extended bust cycles of logging, driven by short term profits of special interests. We need to place the long term interests of Americans who treasure our National Forests, and in particular roadless areas, in front of the short term gain of special interests. Once these areas are fragmented by roads, it will be generations before they recover to their current state. I live in a forested eastern state, but the forests here are so fragmented and degraded, they simply don't compare to the intact roadless forests in western states. No doubt the local "chambers of Commerce" of eastern states would love to have the larger tracks of roadless , mature forests as in western states. Since the Roadless Rule was enacted, based on fact and science, we have been protecting roadless areas for future generations. This administration should not preempt science and good forest management practice for its own short term gain. 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-553856
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
As an avid fly fisher, hunter, and climber I spend more than a considerable time in our beautiful national forests of NC. The existing road infrastructure is gravely in need of repair and has needed such repair for as long as i can remember. I’m puzzled as to why more roads are required when existing ones lack the funding to remain in viable use. The areas in question are also home to some pristine animal habitats. NC is blessed to have such biodiversity. More roads have very real consequences on the water sheds these animals call home. Our streams become silted up from road runoff in our predictable weather and roads bisect critical breeding routes for native trout. A disregard for the 2001 roadless rule is an affront to the american outdoorsman and a blight on our pristine lands. a rescinding of the 2001 ruling would be an abomination. 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-554397
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
Living out in Big Sur, nature and the preservation of nature is incredibly important to my life and lifestyle. I believe that the removal of protections related to the Department of agriculture will irreparably harm our public lands and will serve to be a detriment to our freedoms as a whole. Let alone that the destruction of wildlife habitat will it inevitably result in reduced biodiversity. By harming the environment, we will thereby harm ourselves, limiting our capabilities in the future. Thus, I believe it is incredibly vital that we endeavor to protect our public lands to the utmost of our capabilities. 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-555285
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
Growing up in a low income household without the resources to travel to vacation destinations with my family, the outdoors was my refuge. As I grew up and was able to travel regionally with my friends, camping, hiking, hunting and fishing shaped the people we became. Being out in the wilderness where you saw few people, were there was now traffic noice or city lights taught you so many things that you weren’t even aware of. Losing our wild places will profoundly change the people and county that we are. 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-555486
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
I am writing to strongly oppose the proposed rescission of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. I grew up learning to hunt elk and fish for trout on public land. My grandfather and my uncle were the ones who taught me what it means to be an outdoorsman. They taught me how to read a mountain, follow an elk trail, find trout in cold clear water, and—just as importantly—how to respect the land that makes those experiences possible. Those lessons were never simply about harvesting an animal or catching a fish. They were about being able to walk away from a road, get into the backcountry, and experience a piece of America that still feels wild. They were about knowing that the same public forests where I learned those lessons would still be there for the next generation. That is why I am deeply concerned about eliminating the Roadless Rule. 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-555543
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
the U.S. Department of Agriculture: My name is Brian Farquhar, and I am an avid fly fisherman from New York who spends a great deal of time on our rivers and public lands. I am writing to strongly urge the USDA to keep the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule in place. As an angler, I have seen firsthand how important clean, cold water and intact forests are to healthy trout populations. Protecting headwaters and undeveloped forest lands isn’t just about preserving scenery. These areas protect water quality, provide habitat for fish and wildlife, and help sustain the hunting and fishing traditions that generations of Americans have enjoyed. I am especially concerned about native trout and salmon habitat. Roads and large-scale development can increase erosion and sediment entering streams, fragment habitat, and put additional pressure on watersheds that are already facing challenges. Once high-quality cold-water habitat is damaged, restoring it can be extremely difficult and expensive. I also believe public lands should remain available for responsible multiple use. The Roadless Rule has allowed hunting, fishing, grazing, recreation, and important forest-management activities while protecting some of our country’s remaining undeveloped national forest lands from unnecessary road construction. As someone who deeply values America’s trout streams, forests, wildlife, and outdoor heritage, I don’t believe we should sacrifice these places for short-term development. They are a legacy that we have a responsibility to pass on to our children and future generations of hunters and anglers. Please keep the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule in place and continue protecting our roadless national forest lands, watersheds, and native fish habitat. Thank you for considering my comments. Brian Farquhar New York 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-555617
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
Roadless areas aren't an abstract policy issue for me. They are places I regularly hike, camp, hunt, fish, and explore in Virginia and across the country, and some of my most memorable experiences outdoors have happened in places that remain largely undeveloped. I caught my first native brook trout in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests here in Virginia. These fish depend on cold, clean headwater streams, and intact surrounding forests help protect those watersheds. The Forest Service's own research has documented the potential impacts of roads on aquatic habitat, including sedimentation, changes in water temperature, habitat fragmentation, and loss of connectivity. Virginia and native brook trout are my personal connection to this issue, but my concern is nationwide. Roadless areas across the country protect watersheds and wildlife habitat while providing incredible opportunities to hunt, fish, hike, camp, and experience our public lands. I'm also planning a camping and brook trout fishing trip with my young nephew. I hope to help him catch his first brook trout, but more importantly, I want to start teaching him about conservation and why protecting these places matters. There would be a sad irony in doing that while we are removing the very protections that have helped keep places like these intact. I was fortunate that someone before me valued these places enough to protect them. I want my nephew, and families across the country, to have those same opportunities. Please maintain nationwide protections for our inventoried 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-555799
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
I have watched my community grow and grow causing habitat destruction and segmentation since I was a kid. The main cause? The construction of a 6 lane road cutting right through not only our town, but the habitat and homes of thousands of migratory birds, deer, elk, moose, fish, and more. I also think it’s important to note that the road cuts directly through an area that used to be roadless. I can’t stand the thought of that happening elsewhere in the world, where there is even more vital habitat than my home. STAY ROADLESS!! 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 →
Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 4/24Oct 5, 2026FS-2025-0001-555944
PLACESTANDDOCGAPEVIDASKALTLAW
Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. See the letter, its submissions and topics.One of 50 submissions in its group.
I am strongly against any repeal or change to the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. My family largely relies on wild game for our meat consumption, and I am extremely concerned that the federal government's proposed actions could have a tangible negative effect on the health of myself, my wife, and our child. As explained below, expansive roadless areas are vital for maintaining healthy game populations, and any potential benefit to resource extraction companies and political donors should absolutely take a back seat to the health of vital ecosystems and the American public. 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 →

Sharing & methodology

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Please cite us. This analysis is the intellectual property of Roadless.org and Nicholas Holshouser. You are welcome to reproduce it — every reproduction must include this citation:

Roadless.org and Nicholas Holshouser, “2001 Roadless Rule Revision — Substantive Analysis,” https://roadless.org.

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.

The full method. Every step, why it is done that way, its known limits and a glossary: Methodologies →

The data. The full canonical dataset — every comment on Docket FS-2025-0001 — is available from Regulations.gov: https://www.regulations.gov/bulkdownload.

Roadless.org — analysis of the public comment docket.
Media inquiries welcome — nicholas@wanderingnature.com.