Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. One of 18 submissions in its group; the sender added words of their own. See the letter, its submissions and topics.
In short: The comment establishes that the DEIS fails to adequately assess the reasonably foreseeable national and regional environmental effects of rescinding the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, specifically regarding landscape fragmentation, habitat connectivity, and watershed threats, while noting that the Tongass National Forest analysis relies on an inadequate prior EIS and that tribal consultation remains incomplete.
Scored with own additions — A family member whose own text beyond the shared letter was scored and combined with the letter's score.
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
A2 moderate: Hard to dismiss — it shows cause and effect.
Owed an answer on Analytical gap.
Standard dismissals it defeats
- Misreads the proposal The agency says the comment misunderstands what is proposed. Defeated when the comment engages the proposal or a named place directly.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
- 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
- “intact forests”
- “habitat connectivity”
- “native plants and invasive species”
- “landscape fragmentation”
- Water Quality Quantity
- “clean water”
- “threaten watersheds and drinking-water sources”
- “regional watersheds”
- Tribal Sovereignty
- “Tribal consultation remains incomplete”
- “Tribal concerns about subsistence”
- “cultural resources”
- Governance Policy Process
- “select the No Action Alternative”
- “Deferring NEPA review to future site-specific individual projects”
- “not adequately assessed the reasonably foreseeable national and regional environmental effects”
Attachments
1 file. Counts as 1 — Counts as one: The attachments enclose no one else's submissions; the comment counts as one.
The comment
Shaded passages are the ones the analysis quoted as evidence for a dimension: Analytical gapEvidenceLegal