POLICY UPDATE
The US Forest Service is proposing to amend the Project-Level Predecisional Administrative Review Process regulations. Under the proposal, public comment periods for
Environmental Assessments would drop from 30 days to 10 days, and for Environmental Impact Statements from 45 days to 20 days. The rule also seeks to eliminate extensions, remove the requirement for independent reviewing officers, and shift legal notices away from local newspapers to agency websites. The Forest Service reports they are “amending these regulations to consolidate and streamline processes, increase efficiency, and better align with the Agency's statutory obligations
and recent rescissions and revisions to National Environmental Policy Act regulations”. These changes represent a shift in how the public engages with federal land management and may affect your collaborative group's processes. Collaboratives may have to adjust how they track open project comment periods and develop project recommendations.
As a partnership that relies on transparency and engagement, IFRP believes it is important
to inform our stakeholders of this change and encourage participation via formal comment. Please use the link below to share how the proposed changes might impact your organization’s ability to engage with the Forest Service. You may also propose alternatives for the Forest Service to consider regarding public notification and public involvement in project development.
If you have questions, feel free to contact IFRP Vice-Chair
John Robison at jrobison@idahoconservation.org.
Open Comment Deadline: March 9, 2026
Submit Your Comments to the Forest Service Here
Reference Docket ID: FS-2026-0001
