A focal point in conflict over U.S. national forest management is the writing of regulations and forest plans pursuant to the National Forest Management Act. One of the most contested questions in forest planning is what role standards play and ought to play in the process. Standards are legally enforceable, binding, and mandatory requirements and constraints that are found in planning regulations or individual unit-level national forest plans. Case law and public comments reveal key issues, questions, and concerns related to the use of standards in forest planning and law.