Author: Arran Robertson

New analysis finds over 99% of the comments support the Roadless Rule

Bend, Ore., – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has concluded a public comment period on the Trump administration’s plan to rescind the popular Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Known as the Roadless Rule, this landmark policy protects approximately 44.7 million acres of National Forest lands, including nearly 2 million acres in Oregon. In August, the Trump administration published its proposed rule to fully rescind the rule, along with a draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).

Over one million public comments, from postcards and petitions to multi-page technical comments and personalized letters, were submitted in support of keeping Roadless protections during the 45-day comment window. A just-released analysis by the Center for Western Priorities of the comments currently available on Regulations.gov found that 99.1% of the comments oppose the Trump administration’s plan. Many national environmental organizations submitted comments in bulk in the final days of the comment period, so they weren’t visible on Regulations.gov for the analysis. The final percentage of comments in favor of maintaining the Roadless Rule is likely even higher than 99%.

A coalition of Oregon conservation organizations, including Oregon Wild, Bird Alliance of Oregon, Cascadia Wildlands, Central Oregon LandWatch, Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology (FUSEE), Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, Native Fish Society, Oregon Sierra Club, and Western Environmental Law Center led comment-writing workshops and other events leading up to the comment period, which helped generate thousands of unique public comments from Oregonians. 

The Trump administration’s own analysis warned that removing Roadless Rule protections would cost millions of dollars to be lost from the recreation economy, threaten drinking water, imperil fish and wildlife, undermine Tribal sovereignty, spread invasive species, and increase fire risk.

Thirteen Oregon organizations also sent a letter to the Department of Agriculture and Forest Service requesting an extension of the comment period, noting that when the Roadless Rule was originally adopted in 2001, it followed public comment periods that lasted over 129 days in total. Midway through the comment period, the administration extended it from 30 days to 45 days.

This outpouring of support for the Roadless Rule echoes the Trump administration’s first comment period on the proposal in September 2025. In a remarkably short, 3-week comment period, over 600,000 Americans submitted public comments, with over 99% in support of keeping the Roadless Rule in place. 

“Roadless Areas are vital to ecosystems, public health, and livelihoods in Oregon,” said Erik Fernandez, Wilderness Program Manager at Oregon Wild. “They include some of the state’s most spectacular and irreplaceable landscapes. From the flowery meadows of Iron Mountain in the Willamette National Forest, to the dramatic canyons and cultural homelands of the Nez Perce Tribe in Joseph Canyon, to the headwaters of Tumalo Creek that supply drinking water to more than 100,000 people in Bend, these places embody the best of Oregon’s natural and cultural heritage.”

Other notable Roadless Areas include Lookout Mountain in the Ochocos, Rough and Ready Creek in southwest Oregon, and Larch Mountain near Portland. The Roadless Rule is credited with safeguarding biodiversity, cultural values, drinking watersheds, and recreation opportunities.

“Droves of scientists, wildland firefighters, members of Congress, Tribal Nations, and folks across the country have made it clear the Roadless Rule should remain in place,” said Grace Brahler Newsome, Wildlands Director with Cascadia Wildlands. “This reckless move by the anti-public lands Trump administration is a blatant handout to logging and drilling interests at the expense of clean water, wildlife, and local communities.”

“The Roadless Rule doesn’t just protect trees in the forest; it safeguards our drinking water, maintains wildlife habitat, and limits fire risk,” said Fiona Noonan, Wild Lands & Water Program Manager at Central Oregon LandWatch. “Roadless areas make Central Oregon such an incredible place to be; they’re the backbone of a great ski day on Tumalo Mountain, an epic view from Sparks Lake, or a stunning hike up Lookout Mountain.” 

Over 50 Oregon businesses have voiced their support for keeping the current Roadless Rule. In a letter to the Oregon Congressional Delegation urging protections for special places, the businesses note: “Oregon’s businesses rely heavily on public lands, clean water, healthy watersheds, and intact forests.”

“Roadless forests are some of the last truly wild places we have, and protecting them matters for our environment, our communities, and even our local businesses,” Ryan Still, co-founder of Lazy Days Brewing Co. in Portland, said. “Clean water and healthy ecosystems are essential to brewing, but they’re also part of what makes Oregon feel like home.”

(See additional quotes from business supporters below)

In the Trump administration’s own analysis of the proposal, it discloses that repealing the Roadless Rule would cost millions in lost recreation spending, imperil wildlife, threaten drinking water, and increase fire risk in backcountry forests. An analysis of the DEIS shows how, in the administration’s own words, rescinding the Roadless Rule would harm forests in Oregon and beyond. 

“For salmon, steelhead, trout, and other native fish already pushed to the margins by dams, habitat degradation, and a warming climate, unfragmented roadless areas provide some of the best remaining cold, clean, connected waters that these species depend on,” said Alex Hardison, Conservation Campaign Manager for Native Fish Society

A bipartisan letter signed by 164 members of Congress also condemned the Trump administration’s attacks on the Roadless Rule and lack of meaningful public engagement. The letter demanded that the administration abandon its proposal to rescind the Roadless Rule. Led by Oregon Congresswoman Andrea Salinas, the letter was also signed by six other members of the Oregon Congressional delegation, including Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and Representatives Janelle Bynum, Suzanne Bonamici, Maxine Dexter, and Val Hoyle. 

Most of Oregon’s Congressional delegation have also signed on in support of the Roadless Area Conservation Act (RACA), legislation that would make the Roadless Rule permanent. The only two members who have not yet cosponsored the bill are Representative Val Hoyle and Representative Cliff Bentz.

Business Quotes of Support

“Protecting roadless forests on public lands is vital to preserving valuable habitat for the fish my business relies on.” – Chris Daughters, owner of the Caddis Fly Shop in Eugene.

“I believe conserving Roadless Areas conserves Oregon’s ethos. Roadless Areas are good for everyone, from the flora and fauna, to hunters and hikers, to anyone who desires clean water and clean air. We must fight to keep Oregon’s pristine forests roadless and untouched.” – Megan Kellner-Rode, co-owner of Boundless Farmstead, outside of Bend.

“Wild forests provide us with not only clean water, abundant wildlife, and world-class recreational opportunities, but are a critical part of local cultural heritage. We named Blossom Barn Cidery after Blossom Bar rapid on the Wild and Scenic Rogue River.” – Jeremy Hall, owner of Blossom Barn Cidery near Grants Pass.

“Bend is well-known for being home to many amazing breweries, all of which rely on a clean water source as the most essential ingredient in the beer we make. Protecting Roadless Areas is a priority we take seriously in order to make sure this precious resource is not compromised.” – Bryon Pyka, Terranaut Beer owner and brewer in Bend. 

“Outdoor recreation directly benefits our business by promoting tourism and recreation that is made possible by the roadless lands in the Sisters area. Many of our customers stop to get a coffee or breakfast on their way to do outdoor activities in the area.” – Jesse Durham, co-owner of Sisters Coffee Company. 

“It is vital to protect natural resources for all of our citizens who enjoy the benefits of the natural world that surrounds us. Whether you are a hiker or hunter, bird watcher or angler, we all know the places where we connect to nature are too valuable to lose to corporations for exploitation.” – Jeffrey Perrin, owner of The Fly Fisher’s Place in Sisters. 

“Outside of designated Wilderness, roadless areas are the last truly wild places in our national forests. They deserve to be managed for wildlife, clean water, and recreation — not carved up for short-term profit.” – Sarah Cuddy, owner of Wallowa Llamas in Baker City. 

“For our communities to thrive and be sustainable, we must protect our natural areas to conserve watersheds and ensure clean water. Continuing to protect designated roadless areas promotes sound land management and cleaner water.” – Matt Swihart, Manager and Brewmaster of Double Mountain Brewery and Cidery in Hood River. 

“Roadless Areas are one of our most important wildlife habitat areas on our public lands. They are as important as Wilderness in providing clean drinking water to dozens of Oregon communities, and security for wildlife.” – Karl Findling, owner of Oregon Pack Works in Bend.

15-day extension still far short of previous comment periods

BEND, OR —  Tomorrow, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the U.S. Forest Service, will publish a 15-day extension to the comment period on the Trump administration’s plan to eliminate the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. The public now has until October 6th to submit comments on the proposed rescission.

Last year’s comment period on the administration’s Notice of Intent garnered over 600,000 comments in 21 days. An analysis conducted by the Forest Service of those comments found that 99% (DEIS, page 9) supported continued protections for Roadless Areas and opposed the administration’s efforts to eliminate them.

“Even with this brief extension, the Trump administration’s process falls far short of the robust and meaningful public engagement that established the Roadless Rule 25 years ago,” said Sami Godlove, Central Oregon Field Coordinator for Oregon Wild. “Our public lands and the people who value them deserve better.”

Before the Roadless Rule was originally adopted in 2001, the Forest Service provided a total of 129 days for the public to comment on the Notice of Intent and the Proposed Roadless Rule and held more than 400 public meetings across the country after issuing the proposed rule.  When the Bush administration unlawfully sought to rescind the Rule in 2005, the Forest Service ultimately offered over 120 days for public comment on the proposed rescission.

Congresswoman Andrea Salinas led a letter in Congress, signed by 164 lawmakers and including the entire Oregon delegation except Representative Cliff Bentz, calling on the agency to extend the comment period:

 “Over the past 25 years, the rule has helped protect watersheds, biodiversity, and ecosystem integrity by limiting road construction and large-scale logging in undeveloped areas. Forest Service data show that watersheds within roadless areas are far more likely to be in “properly functioning” condition compared to those outside of them, which are more often classified as “at risk” or “impaired.”

In addition to concerns that drinking water quality would be impacted, analysis from the Forest Service also shows that the elimination of the Roadless Rule would result in millions of dollars of lost outdoor recreation income, imperil wildlife, spread invasive species, and increase fire risk.

Oregonians can submit their comments now through Oregon Wild to be delivered during the official comment period, or through Regulations.gov until October 6, 2026.

Oregon’s Roadless Wildlands

Oregon’s roadless forests are among our state’s most spectacular and irreplaceable landscapes. From the flower-studded meadows of Iron Mountain in the Willamette National Forest, to the dramatic canyons and cultural homelands of the Nez Perce Tribe in Joseph Canyon, to the clean drinking water flowing from Tumalo Mountain into the taps of more than 100,000 people in Bend, these places embody the best of Oregon’s natural and cultural heritage. They also sustain recreation economies and wildlife habitats.

Other iconic areas include Lookout Mountain in the Ochocos, where diverse forests and meadows form the headwaters of critical streams; Rough & Ready Creek, a unique botanical wonderland threatened by mining in southwest Oregon; and Larch Mountain, a lush old-growth haven just minutes from Portland. These and dozens of other roadless areas across Oregon safeguard clean water, biodiversity, cultural values, and recreation opportunities that are impossible to replace once lost.

Learn more about the Roadless Rule and Oregon Roadless Areas here. 

“It’s clear why the Trump administration would try to hide its own analysis from the public.”

BEND, OR —  Last week, US Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the Trump administration’s continued proposal to eliminate the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. This public lands rule currently protects roughly 45 million acres nationally and 2 million acres in Oregon from roadbuilding and development. At the time of the announcement, the administration had not published the Federal Register notice or the draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) that discloses the analysis of the proposed action to the public.

The Federal Register Notice and DEIS were published later, independently of the press announcement, and include analysis on recreation, wildlife, drinking water, and fire risk that undermine the administration’s arguments.

“It’s clear why the Trump administration would try to hide its own analysis from the public,” said Sami Godlove, Central Oregon Field Coordinator for Oregon Wild. “They admit it will cause a loss of millions of dollars to our recreation economy, threaten drinking water and wildlife, and potentially even increase fire risk. They’re trying hard not to let the facts, or the overwhelming public support for protecting Roadless Areas, get in the way of looting public lands.”

According to the Trump administration’s analysis, eliminating the Roadless Rule would:

Cause a Loss in Recreation and Visitor Spending: The administration estimates that eliminating the Roadless Rule would degrade roadless areas and backcountry access to millions of acres, resulting in a loss of $9 million in annual visitor spending in local communities.

Imperil Wildlife: Eliminating the Roadless Rule would “adversely affect” 327 threatened and endangered species and 71 designated critical habitats for these species. In Oregon, this includes listed species such as Bull trout, Chinook salmon, Chum salmon, Coho salmon, Marbled murrelet, Northern spotted owl, Oregon silverspot butterfly, Oregon spotted frog, Sierra Nevada red fox, and steelhead, among others.

Threaten Water Quality: According to the  DEIS, “… inventoried roadless areas typically have good water quality due to limited disturbance,” and “Road construction and native surface forest roads are the largest source of sediment related to timber harvest operations, and sediment delivered to surface waters is a major source of water quality degradation.” Communities like Bend, Eugene, La Grande, Ashland, and others in Oregon receive drinking water from watersheds fully or partially within IRAs. 

Spread Invasive Species: The DEIS states that increased road construction and timber harvest are likely to “introduce and spread invasive plant species due to ground disturbance.” Invasive plants tend to be more flammable, leading to higher wildfire risk, and can outcompete native plant species. 

Undermines Tribal Interests: During the legally required Tribal consultation process, the administration found that “the majority sentiment among Tribal governments consulted is opposition to the proposed rescission.” Its analysis concedes that timber harvest and road construction in these areas “could have long-term negative effects on Tribal rights and interests.”

Could Increase Fire Risk: The administration admits “Road density is linked to human-caused wildfires, and as the density of roads increases so does the probability, number, and frequency of wildfire ignitions.” Recent studies have found that fires are 4 times more likely to start near a road than in a roadless area. Earlier this year, nearly 120 current and former wildland firefighters sent a letter to Congress defending the Roadless Rule. 

Add to Infrastructure Backlog: According to the DEIS, the Forest Service could build new roads across 18.2 million acres (44.5% of current IRAs) in the short term. This would significantly inflate the deferred maintenance backlog, which is already over $6.9 billion.

Oregonians can submit their comments now through Oregon Wild to be delivered during the official comment period, or through Regulations.gov until September 21, 2026.

Oregon’s Roadless Wildlands

Oregon’s roadless forests are among our state’s most spectacular and irreplaceable landscapes. From the flower-studded meadows of Iron Mountain in the Willamette National Forest, to the dramatic canyons and cultural homelands of the Nez Perce Tribe in Joseph Canyon, to the clean drinking water flowing from Tumalo Mountain into the taps of more than 100,000 people in Bend, these places embody the best of Oregon’s natural and cultural heritage. They also sustain recreation economies and wildlife habitats.

Other iconic areas include Lookout Mountain in the Ochocos, where diverse forests and meadows form the headwaters of critical streams; Rough & Ready Creek, a unique botanical wonderland threatened by mining in southwest Oregon; and Larch Mountain, a lush old-growth haven just minutes from Portland. These and dozens of other roadless areas across Oregon safeguard clean water, biodiversity, cultural values, and recreation opportunities that are impossible to replace once lost.

Learn more about the Roadless Rule and Oregon Roadless Areas here. 

Over 99% of public comments opposed rescinding the Roadless rule

BEND, OR — Today, the Trump administration announced it will proceed with its efforts to dismantle the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which protects 2 million acres in Oregon – and roughly 45 million acres nationally – from road building, logging, and mining. The process that began last year, and resulted in over 99% of the 600,000 comments submitted citing opposition to the plan, will have a second comment period running from August 20th until September 21st. 

In a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Forest Service leadership, Oregon conservation organizations have called for an extension of the timeline, citing the original Roadless Rule’s robust comment period, intense public interest, and the lack of any official public meetings.

“There is nowhere in American public life where you can ask a question and 99% of the people who answer agree. The Roadless Rule is a clear exception,” said Sami Godlove, Central Oregon Field Coordinator for Oregon Wild. “That’s because in Oregon, these are the areas that still feel wild. They’re the source of our drinking water, the most intact fish and wildlife habitat, and the special places where we can go and feel connected to something bigger than ourselves.”

A recent ecological analysis featuring prominent Oregon scientists concluded that Roadless Areas protected by the Roadless Rule are made up of “high-integrity forests” and provide irreplaceable ecological and economic values that are threatened by the proposed rescission of the Roadless Rule. 

View an interactive map of Oregon Roadless Areas

In Oregon, protected Roadless areas include Larch Mountain, Lost Lake, and the Salmon River Trail (Mount Hood National Forest), Iron Mountain and Hardesty Mountain (Willamette National Forest), Oregon Dunes (Siuslaw National Forest), Lookout Mountain (Ochoco National Forest), Joseph Canyon (Wallowa-Whitman National Forest), and Tumalo Mountain (Deschutes National Forest). Roadless areas are some of the last intact landscapes in America, providing clean water, critical wildlife habitat, and world-class recreation opportunities. 

Over 50 Oregon businesses have voiced their support for keeping the current Roadless Rule. In a letter to the Oregon Congressional Delegation urging protections for special places, the businesses note: “Oregon’s businesses rely heavily on public lands, clean water, healthy watersheds, and intact forests.” 

The Forest Service currently maintains an $8.6 billion road maintenance backlog, with only $73 million in the President’s budget proposal for road maintenance across the National Forest System. Many Roadless Areas were never roaded because they are remote and generally feature geography that makes them difficult to access for logging or other commercial purposes. The elimination or weakening of the Roadless Rule to facilitate additional road access into previously unroaded and difficult terrain would be costly and exacerbate existing maintenance issues.

Studies have found that fires are four times more likely to start near roads. Additional roads and vehicle access into roadless areas drastically increase fire risk in the backcountry and further endanger wildland firefighters assigned to fight in difficult terrain. Nearly 120 current and former wildland firefighters sent a letter defending the Roadless Rule.

Adopted in 2001, the Roadless Rule had the most extensive public involvement process in federal rulemaking history. The Forest Service hosted more than 600 public hearings across the country and prompted 1.6 million public comments, 95% of which were in favor of protecting roadless areas. When the Trump administration proposed rescinding the Roadless Rule last fall, the initial comment period lasted only three weeks. The Trump administration’s current comment period is 4 weeks long, with no official public meetings.

Public lands advocates have hosted their own comment events in Portland, Eugene, and Bend, with others being held across the country to highlight the importance of Roadless Areas. Some attendees have remarked that they attended the Forest Service events over two decades ago.

Oregonians can submit their comments now through Oregon Wild to be delivered during the official comment period, or through Regulations.gov once the comment period opens until September 21, 2026.

Oregon’s Roadless Wildlands

Oregon’s roadless forests are among our state’s most spectacular and irreplaceable landscapes. From the flower-studded meadows of Iron Mountain in the Willamette National Forest, to the dramatic canyons and cultural homelands of the Nez Perce Tribe in Joseph Canyon, to the clean drinking water flowing from Tumalo Mountain into the taps of more than 100,000 people in Bend, these places embody the best of Oregon’s natural and cultural heritage. They also sustain recreation economies and wildlife habitats.

Other iconic areas include Lookout Mountain in the Ochocos, where diverse forests and meadows form the headwaters of critical streams; Rough & Ready Creek, a unique botanical wonderland threatened by mining in southwest Oregon; and Larch Mountain, a lush old-growth haven just minutes from Portland. These and dozens of other roadless areas across Oregon safeguard clean water, biodiversity, cultural values, and recreation opportunities that are impossible to replace once lost.

Learn more about the Roadless Rule and Oregon Roadless Areas here.