Public Comment to Rescinding the Roadless Area Conservation Rule is open until September 17, 2026.

The U.S. Forest Service released a proposed rule and environmental review on August 18, 2026. The public "30 day comment" period ends on September 17, 2026 and it is vital to make your comments known as this proposed rule and review is meant to end the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. But first, a little backstory....

Timeline of the Roadless Rule

EarthJustice has put together a beautiful Timeline of the Roadless Rule that provides details of the 25-year legal fight to defend the Roadless Rule. Here are some highlights:

In February 1999, a temporary roadbuilding moratorium approved by the Forest Service went in effect. Our wildest remaining undeveloped national forestlands that provide wildlife habitat, outdoor exploration opportunities, and other benefits have remained safe from being auctioned off for clearcutting, road building, mining, or oil-and-gas drilling.

In January 2001, President Clinton issues the Roadless Area Conservation Policy directive, ending virtually all logging; roadbuilding; and coal, gas, oil, and other mineral leasing in 58 million acres of the wildest remaining undeveloped national forest lands. The rule is the direct result of tremendous public support. More than 600 public hearings were held around the nation, and the public provided more than 1.6 million comments on the Rule--more comments than any other rule in the nation's history. The Roadless policy rule was published in the Federal Register on January 12, 2001.

Usually a rule will take effect 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register. After it takes effect, it is law and can only be overturned by either an act of Congress or an official new rulemaking process. George Bush is sworn in as President on January 20, 2001 and introduces a "Regulatory Review Plan" and the Roadless Policy is delayed for an additional 60 calendar days. And thus began the political back and forth with legal challenges from the timber/logging industry, one court overturning what the first court decided, lawsuits to exempt some of the national forests while leaving other unprotected, new rules to allow Governors to "seek establishment of managing the requirements of National Forests located within their states", district courts vacating the exemptions, U.S. Supreme Court denying a request by a state to "review the legality of the Roadless Rule", then US Supreme Court declining to hear a last ditch effort by the State of Alaska to exempt a national forest from the Roadless Rule, new preseidential administrations come and go, more push and pull, until the current Trump Administration began the process to repeal the Roadless Rule on August 27, 2025, followed by public outrage and 55 member of Congress call for more time for the public comment, bringing us to this moment for public comment in September 2026.

EarthJustice has an online form that makes the process of providing public comment easier than the route I took. They even provide some suggestions on what one might say in their comment if looking to protect our last national forests. Of course, one is highly encouraged to personalize the comment by sharing expertise or precious experiences one has with national forests. Your voice and comments are needed to defend our National Forests!