Opposes rescissionA0 noneSubstance 6/24Posted September 15, 2026 On Regulations.gov
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 eliminatedThe agency says it considered and eliminated the alternative the comment proposes, with a reason. Cannot be defeated from the comment text alone.
Already addressedThe 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 decisionThe agency says the point belongs to a later, site-specific decision. Cannot be defeated from the comment text alone.
Misreads the proposalThe agency says the comment misunderstands what is proposed. Defeated when the comment engages the proposal or a named place directly.
Not requiredThe agency says the analysis the comment asks for is not required. Cannot be defeated from the comment text alone.
Preference notedThe 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 shownThe agency says the comment asserts a harm without showing how the action causes it. Defeated when the comment shows the mechanism.
Outside the scopeThe agency says the comment asks about a different action. Defeated when the comment is specific and tied to this proposal.
Certified not substantiveThe agency certifies the comment raises nothing substantive. Defeated when the comment alleges illegality, which is substantive by the definition the certification runs on.
Secretary Rollins:
In Central Oregon, we have almost 200,000 acres of Inventoried Roadless Areas in the Deschutes National Forest, Ochoco National Forest, and Crooked River National Grassland have protected wildlife habitat, boosted local economies, and ensured clean drinking water for 25 years.
From protecting recreational opportunities in Newberry Caldera, to safeguarding sweeping views atop Lookout Mountain in the Ochocos, to maintaining mule deer and elk migration corridors in the Metolius Basin, the Roadless Rule is vital to our local communities.
I STRONGLY OPPOSE THE USDA’S PROPOSAL to eliminate, alter, or weaken the Roadless Rule, which would reduce protections across 44.7 million acres of public lands managed by the US Forest Service nationwide. The agency should select Alternative 1, the No Action alternative, and leave current roadless protections in place.
Rescinding the Roadless Rule is not practical. The USFS already has billions of dollars in deferred maintenance on its existing 370,000+ miles of roads, and this rule rescission will only compound the problem by adding expensive, infrequently used backcountry roads on the taxpayers’ dime. Worse still, in areas like Central Oregon, where the timber industry has been in decline for decades, opening roadless areas to logging will not yield a meaningful economic return. Instead, increasing roads will damage recreation areas, scenic views, and wildlife habitat, and eliminate the core reasons people choose to live, work, and play in Central Oregon.
I am very opposed to the the elimination of the roadless rule, which protects so much important land in our area
Laurel Francis
Bend, Oregon