Take action to oppose rubber-stamp logging on our public lands!
The Bureau of Land Management is trying to make it easier to aggressively log our public lands while cutting the public out of the process.
Two new proposals would allow logging up to 5,000 acres at a time to move forward without environmental review and without public input. This is a major shift in how decisions about our forests get made.
Sign the petition to tell BLM to reject these proposals and keep public lands decisions transparent, science-based, and accountable to the public.
| To the Bureau of Land Management,
I’m writing to oppose two proposed categorical exclusions that would allow large-scale logging projects to move forward on public lands without environmental review or public input. These proposals misuse a tool meant for minor actions and instead apply it to projects on the scale of thousands of acres. That’s not appropriate, and it does not reflect the values our communities see in our public forests.
Thinning Categorical Exclusion (DOI-BLM-HQ-2000-2026-0001-OTHER_NEPA) This proposal would allow up to 5,000 acres of logging at a time, with no meaningful analysis of impacts to wildlife, water, or climate. It puts no real limits on how aggressive that logging can be and allows extensive roadbuilding in already fragmented landscapes. It even opens the door to patch cuts across hundreds of acres and more plantation-style replanting. Salvage Logging Categorical Exclusion (DOI-BLM-HQ-2026-0002-OTHER_NEPA) This proposal would fast-track logging in forests recovering from fire, drought, and insects, places that are already stressed and where natural recovery is critical. It would allow the removal of trees that still provide essential habitat, increase roadbuilding, and replace naturally regenerating forests with planted, commercially driven stands.
Both proposals would allow logging across areas as large as a Wilderness area to move forward without public oversight. That’s a major departure from how public lands are supposed to be managed. Post-fire forests, mature stands, and intact landscapes are some of the most important places we have for wildlife, clean water, and climate resilience. They deserve thoughtful management. Categorical exclusions should not be used to bypass environmental laws and public participation for projects of this size and impact. I urge you to reject these proposals and ensure that large-scale logging projects undergo full environmental review and include opportunities for public input. Our public lands should be managed in the public interest, not behind closed doors. Sincerely, |
