Campaign — One letter sent by 10 or more people, copied or lightly reworded. One of 16 submissions in its group. See the letter, its submissions and topics.
Carries the letter's score — A copy of a family's letter; it holds the score and answerability level of the letter it sent.
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. This rating is the one its shared letter earned.
Owed an answer on Analytical gap, Evidence.
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
- Forest Management Wildfire
- “96.2% of fires start within 800 meters of a road”
- “more roads mean more fires”
- “Wildfire risk reduction should not be used as a blanket justification for expanding roads”
- “Effective fire management should prioritize strategic, science-based, site-specific treatments”
- Environmental Protection Biodiversity
- “degrading wildlife habitat, connectivity, water, soils, biodiversity”
- “protect the ecological values of these forests as a connected and biodiverse landscape”
- “cumulative loss and fragmentation of roadless landscapes”
- “largest remaining undeveloped landscapes in the National Forest System”
- Tribal Sovereignty
- “impacts to treaty-reserved resources, sacred sites, ancestral trails”
- “ensure meaningful government-to-government collaboration”
- “fully incorporate Tribal knowledge and concerns”
- “New roads can also increase physical access to areas that have previously remained relatively protected”
- Governance Policy Process
- “failure of the local forest planning process to maintain ecological, cultural, and public values”
- “Returning these decisions to wholly local planning processes should not be treated as a substitute”
- “reject the proposed nationwide rescission under Alternative 2”
- “retain the current Roadless Rule under Alternative 1”