Administration Continues Attacks on Public Lands and Western Arctic Rules
Washington, D.C. — Today, the Trump administration took a significant step toward dismantling key protections for America’s public lands by placing several widely supported conservation rules under regulatory review. Among them are the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule (“Public Lands Rule”) and the Management and Protection of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska Rule (“Western Arctic Rule”). These safeguards are essential to preserving public access and ecological health across the Western Arctic and the broader western United States.
Below is a statement from Chris Hill, CEO of the Conservation Lands Foundation, which represents a national network of community advocates who are solely focused on the public lands overseen by the Bureau of Land Management, including National Conservation Lands and similar protected public lands in the Western Arctic.
“The Public Lands Rule and the Western Arctic Rule reflect what most Americans—across the political spectrum—want: stronger protections for our shared lands, clean water, and wildlife. These rules are grounded in science and robust public involvement.
“The Western Arctic is one of the last intact landscapes in the U.S., vital to Indigenous communities and wildlife. The Public Lands Rule helps ensure conservation and recreation are treated on par with energy development.
“Despite the administration’s claims, there is no energy crisis—the U.S. is already the world’s top oil and gas producer. What Americans are asking for is balance. These rules deliver that balance, and we are fully prepared to defend them—because the future of our public lands, communities, and climate depends on it.”
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Background on the Public Lands Rule:
The Public Lands Rule, which took effect on June 10, 2024, establishes a “framework to ensure healthy landscapes, abundant wildlife habitat, clean water, and balanced decision-making on our nation’s public lands.” BLM’s webpage on the Public Lands Rule.
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Conservation Lands Foundation published this page in Latest News 2025-04-16 11:01:58 -0600
