Comment on FR Doc # 2026-13281
AnonymousOpposeIndividual
Summary: Lauren Benefield, a recreational land user, opposes the proposed rule change that would limit public comment on Forest Service Manual and Handbook changes. She argues that public input is essential for ensuring that land-use decisions regarding grazing, timber, and mining are transparent and account for the interests of those who use the land.
Hello,
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 have recreated on USFS managed land from the Beaverhead National Forest in Montana to the George Washington National Forest in Virginia to where i currently recreate in the Tahoe National Forest. I use the land for camping, hiking, trail running, split boarding and more. I believe that by including US Forest Service land visitors is beneficial when making decisions because they will be directly impacted by any decisions made.
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.
Best,
Lauren Benefield