Travel Managment Rule Update
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
One Voice Coalition Applauds Forest Service Rulemaking to Modernize Travel Management and Expand Responsible Public Access
September 1, 2026
Media Contact:
Marcus Trusty
One Voice Chairman
Buena Vista, CO
The One Voice Coalition applauds the United States Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Forest Service for initiating a formal rulemaking process to modernize travel management regulations on National Forest System lands.
Published in the Federal Register on August 24, 2026, the notice of intent begins the process to prepare an environmental impact statement and revise Forest Service travel management regulations under 36 CFR Parts 212 and 261. The proposed action would establish a uniform national policy favoring increased public access, simplify regulatory requirements, preserve local decision-making, and create a presumption that existing roads, trails, airfields, trailheads, and other access routes and points are open to appropriate public use unless closure or restriction is required by law or supported by specific, documented, and justifiable reasons.
“This is a major step toward restoring common sense to public-land recreation,” said Marcus Trusty of the One Voice Coalition. “Access is not an abstract policy debate. It is the road to the trailhead, the route to a hunting camp, the snow-covered corridor that supports a winter community, and the opportunity for families, veterans, sportsmen, and recreation users to experience the public lands they own.”
The rulemaking follows Executive Order 14408, Removing Unnecessary and Counterproductive Restrictions on Access to Federal Lands, signed May 29, 2026, which rescinded Executive Orders 11644 and 11989 and directed agencies to revise or rescind regulations previously adopted to implement those older orders.
One Voice is especially encouraged that the proposed framework would replace the current national minimization criteria with an access-oriented approach grounded in existing law, documented local conditions, public safety, valid existing rights, maintenance capacity, and responsible multiple-use management.
“This announcement moves the conversation from policy direction into formal regulatory action,” said Jeff Knoll of the One Voice Coalition. “For too long, access decisions have been delayed, narrowed, or complicated by processes that often failed to reflect local conditions or the needs of the people closest to the ground. This rulemaking creates an opportunity to build a better system, one that protects resources while also recognizing that responsible access is part of stewardship.”
The proposed rule would not automatically change the legal status of any road, trail, airfield, trailhead, area, or access point. Existing motor vehicle use maps and designations would remain in effect until revised under the amended regulations. One Voice supports this responsible approach and encourages recreation users to engage constructively throughout the public process.
The notice also invites public comment on alternatives, effects, and relevant information related to the proposal. Comments may be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal under docket number FS-2026-0100 and are due 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.
One Voice urges motorized recreation enthusiasts, clubs, state associations, businesses, land-use advocates, and access partners to participate. This is not a moment to sit on the sidelines. Citizens protect public access by showing up, submitting thoughtful comments, maintaining trails, educating users, building relationships with land managers, and supporting the local organizations doing the work long after the headlines fade.
Spectators will not build the strongest public-land future. Organized, responsible, active recreation communities will build it. One Voice encourages every motorized recreation enthusiast to join and support a local club or state organization, help with stewardship projects, and become part of the solution.
About One Voice
One Voice is a cross-functional 501(c)(3) coalition bringing together recreation organizations, clubs, businesses, industry partners, land-use advocates, and stewardship leaders working to protect public access, promote responsible recreation, support rural economies, and improve collaboration across America’s public lands. By aligning diverse interests around shared goals, One Voice helps connect national policy, local knowledge, volunteer capacity, and practical land-management solutions.