If you do not submit comments during the NEPA process, for example when an EA is published but before the final decision, or when a draft or final EIS is made available for public comment before a final decision, you are not eligible to appeal. Participating in the NEPA process throughout is critical to maintain your ability to appeal once a decision is made. In addition, if you are participating in the process throughout, it is much more likely the final decision will fit with your management goals. The best option in the appeals process is to not be in a position where an appeal is needed in the first place.

The appeals process is complex. Appeals follow different procedures depending on if you are appealing a US Forest Service or BLM decision. Detailed instructions on the appeals process are available in the NEPA for Ranchers Handbook and the Federal Appeals Handbook: Guidance for Appealing Grazing Decisions. Both of these resources are available below, from the Arizona Cooperative Extension website, and at Cooperative Extension offices.