Comment on FR Doc # 2026-13281
AnonymousOpposeIndividual
Summary: A private citizen is opposing a rule change that would limit public comment on Forest Service Manuals and Handbooks. The commenter argues that because these documents govern land use, timber sales, and mining, the public has a right to be included in the decision-making process to prevent bad outcomes.
I'm writing to oppose this rule change, which would cut the public out of decisions about how the Forest Service manages the land we all rely on.
I personally connect with the Ocala National Forest, where I enjoy camping and hiking with my friends and family. I want to be included on decisions on this land because it is public land, meaning that it belongs to the public, which means we have a right to have a say in what decisions are made about it.
Forest Service Manuals and Handbooks set the rules for grazing allotments, timber sales, mining exploration, and land-use planning on the ground. They shouldn't be treated as advisory texts. Rolling back comment access on directive changes removes one of the only tools the public has to catch bad decisions before they're locked in. Changes to a Forest Service Handbook can shape everything from mining review to trail access and the public deserves a say in that. I'm asking the Forest Service to withdraw this proposal and keep directive changes, Manual and Handbook alike, open to public comment.