Montana Forest Tweaks Timber Sale for Safer Roads and Critters

2026-16965, Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation

The USDA wants to cancel the 2001 Roadless Rule that stopped road building and logging in special forest areas. This change gives local forest managers more freedom to decide how to care for these lands based on local needs. People have until September 21, 2026, to share their thoughts, and this could affect how forests are managed and how money is spent on these lands.

2026-17211, Travel Management; National Forest System Lands

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is initiating an environmental impact statement and rulemaking to revise the Forest Service's travel management regulations, 36 CFR part 212. The proposed action would establish a uniform national policy favoring increased access while simplifying regulatory requirements and preserving local decision-making. The proposed access rule would establish a national policy with a presumption that existing roads, trails, airfields, trailheads, and other access routes and points on National Forest System lands are open to appropriate public use unless closure or restriction is required by applicable law, valid existing rights, or another governing instrument, or supported by specific, documented and justifiable reasons based on science-based resource conditions, public safety, conflicts among uses, or maintenance and administrative capacity. Commonly available public data sets, including aerial imagery, may be used as evidence that a physical route or airfield exists or existed at a time relevant under the definition adopted in the proposed rule, but would not by themselves establish that the feature is part of the forest transportation system, that the Forest Service has jurisdiction or sufficient legal access, or that it is open to a particular public use. The proposed access rule would require annual review of all trails, roads, airfields, trailheads, and other access routes and points that are closed or highly restricted. The proposed access rule would establish processes and conditions for limited off-route motor vehicle use and other motorized equipment for, among other things, downed big-game retrieval, firewood collection and dispersed camping, and for designating areas for over-snow and other motorized recreation. The presumption embodied in the national policy would guide future decisions and would not itself change the legal status of any road, trail, airfield, trailhead, area, or other access route or point. Any change in lawful use resulting from a vehicle- or use-specific exemption would be limited to the scope and conditions expressly provided in the revised regulations. Existing motor vehicle use designations and maps would remain in effect until revised under the amended regulations. The environmental impact statement will evaluate the impacts of the proposed rule revisions and study alternatives for managing public access, including the motorized and other forms of access addressed by the proposed rule, on National Forest System lands in the context of multiple-use resource management. USDA invites written comments on alternatives, effects, and relevant information, studies, or analyses related to the proposal.

2026-15255, Black Hills National Forest; Wyoming; Bear Lodge Rare Earth Project

The USDA Under Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment, through the Forest Service, Black Hills National Forest, intends to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to analyze and disclose effects from the proposed Mine Plan of Operations (MPO), submitted by Rare Element Resources Inc. (proponent), for the development of the Bear Lodge Rare Earth Project. This EIS will evaluate potential impacts of the proposed open-pit mining for rare earth elements from National Forest System (NFS) lands and its associated infrastructure. The proposed action is expected to require a project-specific forest plan amendment to authorize deviation from existing visual standards and guidelines in the Black Hills Forest Plan. The Planning, Administrative Reviews, and Litigation System identification number for the project is #291093.

2026-13838, West Virginia Resource Advisory Committee

The West Virginia Resource Advisory Committee is meeting in early August 2026 to discuss projects and funding for the Monongahela National Forest. Local communities, outdoor lovers, and anyone interested in forest recreation fees can join in by sending comments or speaking at the meetings. These sessions help decide how money is spent and what changes might come to the forest, so don’t miss your chance to weigh in before the July deadlines!

2026-13832, Yavapai Resource Advisory Committee

The Yavapai Resource Advisory Committee is meeting on August 11, 2026, to discuss projects and recreation fees for Prescott National Forest. If you live nearby or care about forest fun and funding, you can join in person or online and share your thoughts by August 9. This meeting helps decide how money is spent to keep the forest awesome and accessible for everyone.

2026-13281, Organization, Functions, and Procedures; Public Notice and Comment for Standards, Criteria, and Guidance Applicable to Forest Service Programs

The Forest Service is updating its rules to give employees more freedom to adapt programs based on local forest conditions and changing community needs. This means they can be more creative and flexible while still following clear standards. If you want to share your thoughts, make sure to send comments by July 31, 2026—no cost involved, just your voice!

Previous: 2025-17662, Receipt of Incidental Take Permit Application and Proposed Habitat Conservation Plan for the Sand Skink and Blue-Tailed Mole-Skink, Polk County, FL; Categorical Exclusion

The City of Davenport wants permission to expand its utility system in Polk County, Florida, even though it might affect two special lizards: the sand skink and blue-tailed mole skink. They’ve proposed a plan to protect these little guys while building, and the Fish and Wildlife Service is asking the public to share their thoughts. This process could speed up the project without extra environmental reviews, so keep an eye out and speak up soon!

Next: 2025-17664, Information Collection Request; In-Person and Online Registration for FSA-Hosted Events and Conferences

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) wants to update and keep collecting info from people who sign up for their events and conferences, whether online or in person. This helps FSA plan better and make sure they’re reaching farmers and ranchers well. If you register, you might share some basic info and possibly make payments, so keep an eye out for the updated process soon!