In short: The comment establishes that the commenter is a fourth-generation native and ranch owner in the Highwood Mountains of Montana who opposes the rescission of the 2001 Roadless Rule, arguing that it protects irreplaceable landscapes from industrialization and supports local economic and cultural values.
Scored directly — The comment's whole text was scored on its own.
Scorecard
Each dimension is scored 0–3; the eight sum to the substance score out of 24.
- Specific placeNames a specific location — from a region down to an exact creek, trail, road, or map reference.
- Local knowledgeDraws on a first-hand connection to the place — visits, sustained activity, occupation, or a professional role.
- EA analysisEngages the agency's environmental analysis directly.
- Analytical gapIdentifies something the analysis fails to address.
- EvidenceBacks claims with specific facts, data, or research.
- RequestMakes a specific, actionable request of the agency.
- AlternativeProposes a different course of action.
- LegalCites statutes, regulations, or legal obligations.
How hard it is to set aside
A0 none: Counted, not answered.
Still open to the agency
- Alternative already eliminated The agency says it considered and eliminated the alternative the comment proposes, with a reason. Cannot be defeated from the comment text alone.
- Already addressed The agency says its analysis already covers the point. Defeated when the comment cites the law itself: there is no analysis to cite against a statutory claim.
- Deferred to a later decision The agency says the point belongs to a later, site-specific decision. Cannot be defeated from the comment text alone.
- Misreads the proposal The agency says the comment misunderstands what is proposed. Defeated when the comment engages the proposal or a named place directly.
- Not required The agency says the analysis the comment asks for is not required. Cannot be defeated from the comment text alone.
- Preference noted The agency notes the comment as a statement of preference and takes no action on it. Cannot be defeated from the comment text alone.
- No cause and effect shown The agency says the comment asserts a harm without showing how the action causes it. Defeated when the comment shows the mechanism.
- Outside the scope The agency says the comment asks about a different action. Defeated when the comment is specific and tied to this proposal.
- Certified not substantive The agency certifies the comment raises nothing substantive. Defeated when the comment alleges illegality, which is substantive by the definition the certification runs on.
Topics
- Environmental Protection Biodiversity
- “open irreplaceable Montana and Western landscapes up to large-scale logging, road construction, and other development”
- “industrialize our national forests”
- “protected irreplaceable roadless values”
- “environmentally sound, multiple-use management tool”
- Water Quality Quantity
- “important the forest land is for the snow pack that ensures strong surface and ground water”
- “most vital wheat producing area in our nation”
- “entirety of Californias Central Valley agriculture depends on the Sierra snowpack”
- Recreation Tourism Public Use
- “critical to the local tourism community, who come to hike and bike the trails”
- “beloved it is for our avid hunting and fishing communities”
- “fundamental to the local economy and the local culture”
- Economic Impact Fiscal
- “fiscally responsible”
- “fuel so much of the local economy”
- “rural communities who depend on those areas for their livelihoods”
The comment
Shaded passages are the ones the analysis quoted as evidence for a dimension: Analytical gapEvidenceLegal