The U.S. Department of Agriculture is advancing a plan to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule, triggering a fresh round of public subsistence hearings across Alaska. The environmental conservation law currently protects nearly half of the 16.7 million acres within the Tongass National Forest from road construction and timber harvesting. As federal officials review the potential rollback, subsistence users, tribal organizations, and conservation groups are preparing testimonies to address how increased development could alter the region’s ecosystems and traditional food sources.
U.S. Forest Service Schedules Alaska Subsistence Hearings on Proposed Roadless Rule Repeal
Public Hearing Schedule and Participation Details
The Forest Service scheduled multiple in-person and virtual hearings to gather oral testimony for the official rulemaking record and its supporting environmental analysis, according to agency notices from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Agency officials confirmed they will not accept written comments during the live hearings.
- Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026 (5:00 PM – 7:00 PM) – Southeast Alaska Discovery Center, 50 Main Street, Ketchikan, Alaska.
- Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026 (11:00 AM – 1:00 PM) – Virtual session via Microsoft Teams (Call-in: 202-650-0123, Passcode: 844934670#).
- Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026 (5:00 PM – 7:00 PM) – Virtual session via Microsoft Teams (Call-in: 202-650-0123, Passcode: 844934670#).
- Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026 (5:00 PM – 7:00 PM) – The Loussac Library, 3600 Denali Street, Anchorage, Alaska.
- Monday, Oct. 26, 2026 (5:00 PM – 7:00 PM) – The Craig Tribal Association Hall, 505 Front Street, Craig, Alaska.
The Department of Agriculture extended the public comment period by 15 days, setting a final deadline of October 6, 2026, for written submissions regarding the proposed rule and draft environmental impact statement. Local organizations are mobilizing to assist residents with the process; for instance, the Sitka Conservation Society scheduled an event at ANB Hall to help Sitkans draft and submit their comments.
Arguments Over Forest Health, Wildfire Risk, and Access
Federal officials argue that lifting roadless protections and permitting unrestricted road construction will enhance wildfire management and improve overall forest health. However, local resource managers dispute the applicability of these justifications in a temperate rainforest.
Jeff Feldpausch, the resource protection director at Sitka Tribe of Alaska, stated that increased road access will not mitigate wildfires in the Tongass. According to data cited from the National Park Service, roughly 85% of wildland fires are caused by human activity, meaning expanded road networks primarily increase human access to remote forestland rather than solving ecological vulnerabilities. Feldpausch noted that while commercial timber interests may view development favorably, subsistence users face significant long-term negative consequences.
Conversely, some subsistence hunters utilize existing logging infrastructure to access remote game populations. Thomas Smith, a resident who previously hunted out of Kake on Kupreanof Island, described using logging roads to scan for moose. At the same time, Smith pointed out visible signs of environmental degradation alongside those roads, including old-growth stumps and stunted, narrow second-growth timber.
Local Observations on Subsistence and River Systems
Long-term subsistence users and guides report visible changes to local terrain and fish populations following previous timber harvests. Jim Phillips, a hunting guide and long-time subsistence user in Sitka, observed that past timber harvesting altered tree cover and destabilized the banks of the Katlian River on Baranof Island, causing the river to flood across the valley during seasonal high water.
Similarly, Smith emphasized that generations of families have relied on the Tongass for sustenance, but harvesting yields have declined over time. Elders who once harvested large king salmon now witness diminished returns, raising serious concerns regarding the health and stability of local ecosystems as federal agencies weigh the future of the Roadless Rule.
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