Comment on FR Doc # 2026-13281

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. Personally the Frank Church Wilderness holds significant importance to me. This is where I fell in love with not only public land but the river specifically. I am a whitewater enthusiast and use these corridors for river travel of all types of craft. Without this space I would have committed suicide a long time ago. This place saves my life and gives me a reason to live. The Salmon river is a special place that absolutely NEEDS to exist for the health of the ecosystem and health of the people that struggle in modern society. I want my children to have the opportunity to experience this wilderness in the same capacity I have been allowed to. 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.