U.S. Forest Service seeks to slash public input on public lands

WASHINGTON D.C. — Last week, the U.S. Forest Service proposed a rule that would even further cut the amount of transparency and public input around actions the agency takes on national forests. The reckless proposal would leave communities and forest visitors in the dark about the agency’s decisions, including highly consequential projects that could have long-lasting impacts on the public lands they enjoy and rely on.

The rule would dramatically shorten the amount of time members of the public have to comment, in most cases to just ten days after notification is published. To avoid missing the chance to comment, the public will have to watch dozens of webpages on a near-daily basis. Even if members of the public are able to comment, under the new rule there would be no guarantee a Forest Service staff member would even read it. Under the proposed rule, the Forest Service won’t accept comments unless they can be read by machines, suggesting the Forest Service could use an AI program to dispose of public comments.

Concerningly, the rule would also allow the Forest Service to evade all public notice and comment requirements for so-called emergencies, which the agency defines very broadly, contending that even things like fluctuating timber prices could constitute an “emergency.”

“Our national forests belong to all of us—and all of us deserve a say in how they are being managed,” Sam Evans, leader of the Southern Environmental Law Center’s National Forests and Parks Program, said. “But the Forest Service is doing its worst to avoid public input or accountability, and this reckless rule proposal would put the nail in the coffin. This move aims to lock the public out of the Forest Service’s decision-making process in hopes of fast-tracking destructive and unpopular projects that can do irreparable damage to our incredible public lands.”

The proposal would also dramatically limit the public’s ability to informally object to projects they’ve previously commented on. The objection process is an important chance for the public to share concerns and for the agency to fix its mistakes outside of the courtroom, but this proposal would make that process inaccessible and allow the agency to toss out objections it would prefer to ignore. Making matters worse, objections would be reviewed by the same person who made the decision being challenged—a clear conflict of interests.

“These moves, while disheartening, unfortunately aren’t surprising. This is the latest step in a disturbing trend of the Forest Service reducing transparency around our national forests. We will fight back against this misguided effort and any future efforts that look to cut the public out of our shared public lands,” Evans said.

The proposed rule follows on the heels of last July’s decision to exclude public notice and comment for many Forest Service decisions. The new proposal was published in the Federal Register on Friday, and the public has until March 9, 2026, to comment on the proposed rule.