Your January public lands update: Read the latest and take action.

Congress is attempting to use the Congressional Review Act to remove a national monument management plan, a targeted attack on protected public lands in Utah and across the country.

The Conservation Lands Foundation calls on Congress to reject the nomination of Stevan Pearce for Bureau of Land Management Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JANUARY 6, 2025 Contact: Kris Deutschman, kris@ conservationlands.org Washington, DC - The bipartisan Fiscal Year 2026 Interior appropriations bill Congress will be considering in the coming days rejects the steep cuts the White House requested for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and management of National Conservation Lands, which include nearly 40 million acres of the country’s iconic national monuments, wild and scenic rivers, and other special public lands.  The bill provides marginal reductions in funding for the BLM Lands and Resources account, while ensuring funding for the National Conservation Lands system is maintained at $59.135 million, equal to what was enacted in Fiscal Year 2025. Below is a statement from David Feinman, Vice President of Government Affairs 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. "The Conservation Lands Foundation applauds Congress for delivering clear bipartisan, bicameral support for National Conservation Lands and rejecting the White House's proposed 75% cut to the management of these critical public lands. While the current funding is not enough to make up for decades of underinvestment, maintaining the current funding level for the National Conservation Lands system helps the BLM protect these iconic and irreplaceable natural landscapes and the public’s access to them. “We also applaud the inclusion of language in the bill that requires the BLM maintain staffing levels necessary to fulfill its multiple-use mission, including protecting natural and cultural resources, maintaining safe and appropriate access and recreation, conducting Tribal consultation, and managing the National Conservation Lands. “The truth is, BLM and the National Conservation Lands system have been chronically underfunded by Congress and understaffed for decades, and we remain concerned about the historical underinvestment to the nation’s largest public land manager and the conservation lands it stewards. “The agency needs meaningful funding increases to address decades of deferred maintenance, visitor services and resource protection, as well as to properly staff the agency to do this work. Nevertheless, we urge swift passage of the FY26 Interior funding bill, which at minimum provides stability for the agency to fulfill its mission.” ###

Washington, D.C. — The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee heard five conservation bills, which will enact much-needed new protections for public lands in Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico. 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 the National Conservation Lands: “We thank the champions in the Senate who introduced and continue to move forward these important bills that protect the public’s access to nature and essential wildlife habitats, while supporting Tribal culture and economies. It’s heartening to see the Senate advance meaningful public lands policy with the bipartisan support we know exists with their constituents. These bills include: S. 1005 Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act, sponsored by Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen of Nevada. S.764 Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act, sponsored by Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper of Colorado. S. 1195 Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act, sponsored by Senator Rosen of Nevada. S. 1319 Pecos Watershed Withdrawal and S. 1476 M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act, both sponsored by Senators Heinrich and Luján of New Mexico. “These bills honor our collective commitments to strengthen our bonds with the lands we know and love and we urge the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to ensure they are passed by the full Senate quickly.” ###

Washington — Six organizations sent a letter to the Acting Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), warning that at least 5,033 oil and gas leases — covering nearly 4 million acres — may now be legally invalid. The letter asks the agency to halt all new leasing and permitting until it “ensure[s] compliance with the law and remed[ies] this grave legal uncertainty.” Ultimately, Congress must fix the legal crisis it created. The letter details how Congress' unprecedented use of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn BLM Resource Management Plans (RMPs) has called into question the legal efficacy of every land management plan finalized since 1996. These plans don't just guide management decisions; they enable everything that happens on public lands, from oil and gas drilling to recreation, grazing, and wildlife protection. If land use plans may now be invalid, then thousands of oil and gas leases and drilling permits issued under them may also be invalid Congress Was Warned About CRA Consequences When Republican members of Congress voted in October to use the CRA to overturn three RMPs in Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota, they ignored urgent warnings from conservationists, legal scholars, former BLM officials, and even some energy industry voices about the chaos this would unleash. The agency's own Solicitor’s Office cautioned that treating RMPs as “rules” could call into question the validity of every BLM plan since 1996 — along with the leases, grazing permits, rights-of-way, and other decisions based on those plans. Thirty leading law professors warned that this move could jeopardize “thousands of leases and management decisions across hundreds of millions of acres.” Former BLM leaders said overturning land-use plans under the CRA would “undermine the basis for authorizations” and create widespread legal uncertainty for energy developers, ranchers, and recreation permittees, threatening the integrity of the entire planning system. But Congress ignored these warnings — and is now moving ahead with even more CRA resolutions that will escalate the crisis. "By incorrectly treating land use plans as rules under the Congressional Review Act, Congress hasn't just overturned three plans — they've thrown every plan finalized since 1996, representing 166 million acres, into doubt. That mistake replaces a stable, science-based, community-driven system with needless chaos and uncertainty. It was lazy and irresponsible and is harmful to all land users," said Jocelyn Torres, chief conservation officer at the Conservation Lands Foundation. Along with the at least 5,033 existing leases, the legal uncertainty extends to future leasing. According to the letter, 69.8% of all BLM lands available for oil and gas leasing are managed under RMPs finalized after 1996 that were never submitted to Congress. BLM is currently evaluating 850 parcels totaling 787,927 acres across 14 upcoming lease sales on lands that may lack a valid RMP. This legal chaos affects far more than oil and gas. Land management plans for national forests, national parks, and national wildlife refuges finalized since 1996 may also be invalid, potentially calling into question grazing permits, timber sales, recreation authorizations, and wildfire management projects across hundreds of millions of acres nationwide. "Congress was warned repeatedly that weaponizing the CRA against land management plans would create exactly this kind of chaos. They charged ahead anyway, putting short-term political gain ahead of stable land management. Now they've jeopardized the very oil and gas development they claimed to be protecting. Congress must immediately fix the mess it made." said Alison Flint, senior legal director for The Wilderness Society . “Let’s be crystal clear: The Congressional Review Act is bad public policy. And it’s absolutely terrible public policy when used to overturn comprehensive public land planning decisions that radically reduces predictability for all public land users — in particular, as we have highlighted to the Bureau of Land Management, the oil and gas industry itself,” said Melissa Hornbein, senior attorney at the Western Environmental Law Center. “Congress lit the fuse on a legal time bomb that now calls into question the validity of thousands of oil and gas leases covering millions of acres as well as grazing permits and numerous other authorizations. But equally concerning, use of the CRA unravels decades of community-led land-use planning and throws into disarray the legal foundation for how our public lands are managed,” said Laird Lucas, executive director at Advocates for the West. “Congress’s use of the CRA to disapprove several Bureau of Land Management land use plans that were put in place following years of stakeholder and Tribal Nation input has sown confusion throughout the American West. This is not what Congress intended when it passed the CRA,” said Steve Bloch, legal director for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. “As one of the principal architects of this newest line of attack on public lands, Sen. Daines opened Pandora’s Box. Using the Congressional Review Act to wipe out years of local work on Resource Management Plans is unprecedented, and it puts rural economies at risk, including the oil and gas industry. Inserting Congress into these processes threatens to unravel the foundations of public resource management and dismantle the systems that communities, businesses, and Montanans rely on. Congress is heading down a reckless path, yet another example of the pattern of attacks we’re seeing out of Washington D.C. on one of the most foundational aspects of Montana’s way of life: our public lands and resources,” said Aubrey Bertram, Staff Attorney & Federal Policy Director at Wild Montana.

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. House last night used the Congressional Review Act to consider and pass three resolutions undermining public lands protections in three areas in Alaska and Wyoming. The three resolutions are: S.J. Res. 80 – disapproving of the ‘‘National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska Integrated Activity Plan Record of Decision’’. H.J. Res. 130 – disapproving of the ‘‘Buffalo Field Office Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment’’. H.J. Res. 131 – disapproving of the ‘‘Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program Record of Decision’’. Below is a statement from Jocelyn Torres, Chief Conservation Officer 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 (BLM), including the National Conservation Lands: “Today’s action by the U.S. House is part of a series of coordinated attempts to roll back common sense management of public lands. It’s simple - America’s public lands should be managed for the public good. These resolutions undermine the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s authority to manage public lands for the benefit of all Americans, not just those who seek to buy up and close public lands to public access and benefit. “It is clear from the recent actions of this Congress to remove protections from key areas across the West that supporters of these actions are opponents of public lands. By removing the BLM’s authority to manage lands, these resolutions ensure that privatizing or industrializing them are the only viable remaining options. It’s a classic example of trying to solve a problem that was self-inflicted for the express purpose of achieving an outcome that benefits you. “We remain opposed to these one-sided, destructive attempts to roll back the clock on public lands protection and we’ll continue to work with members of the Friends Grassroots Network to oppose these obvious attempts to use public resources for private gain. We’ll continue to remind members of Congress that the overwhelming majority of Americans support responsible, effective, balanced management of the public lands.” ###

Washington, D.C. — In an unprecedented and alarming move for the country’s public lands, the U.S. Senate voted over the past two days to pass three Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions that overturn finalized, science-based Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land use plans that were developed over years of public engagement and stakeholder input. These plans—crafted with the involvement of local communities, Tribes, landowners, and land management professionals—were designed to ensure responsible, balanced use of public lands. This marks the first time the Congressional Review Act has been used to nullify land management plans, setting a dangerous precedent that threatens to destabilize how millions of acres of public lands are governed across the West. Specifically, the Senate passed resolutions of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (or CRA) to strike down Resource Management Plans covering Central Yukon (AK) , Miles City (MT) , and North Dakota. All three passed in the House of Representatives in September. Below is a statement from David Feinman, Vice President of Government Affairs at 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 (BLM), including the National Conservation Lands: “This move is legally dubious and deeply irresponsible. Land use plans have never been considered ‘rules’ under the Congressional Review Act. To suddenly apply the CRA here—after these plans were developed through extensive public engagement—is a slap in the face to every community member, Tribal government, industry expert, and stakeholder who participated in good faith. “Let’s be clear: these plans weren’t drafted in a back room—they were shaped over years of broad stakeholder collaboration, public comment, and scientific review, and they balance many uses on the land. Overturning them by congressional decree thousands of miles from these landscapes not only disregards the substance of those plans, it also throws the entire land management system into chaos. Virtually every single BLM land use plan is now potentially at risk—and with them, every use authorized by those plans, from grazing and energy development to mining, outdoor recreation, and wildlife conservation. “This action doesn’t just hurt conservation—it hurts local economies and the ability of land users and communities across the West to know how public lands are being managed acre by acre. Everyone who cares about public land access, stewardship, and the multiple uses they provide the American people should be outraged by what’s happening here.” ###

Urge Congress to oppose H.R. 521 and S. 220 the Senate companion to eliminate the Antiquities Act and strip Presidents of their authority to designate monuments that protect ou r natural resources and cultural heritage.

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of celebrating National Public Lands Day with our amazing staff and Friends Network partners in New Mexico, Congressional champions, and public land enthusiasts in the community to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the National Conservation Lands. The contrast between public lands celebrations and today couldn't be starker. Today’s federal government shutdown marks the latest blow to unprotected public lands across the country. The shutdown, combined with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s plan to designate oil and gas permitting as "essential" and the administration’s threat to lay off thousands more federal employees, makes it clear that this administration prioritizes corporations over communities. Here's what they can't shut down: our resolve. Despite an administration historically opposed to public lands and conservation, our collective voice has been able to fight off every attempt to sell off public lands. That's the power of what we've built together—and it's why we can't stop now. In this newsletter, you'll find two urgent threats that need your voice right now, celebrations worth sharing, a tribute to our founding trustee Richard Moe, and ways to deepen your connection to this growing movement. Your action matters—let's get to work.

Washington, DC – Following the mass layoffs of federal employees within the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management earlier this year and ongoing moves to sell off America’s public lands, today’s federal government shutdown is another blow to the country’s remaining unprotected areas of nature.  Below is a statement from Chris Hill, Chief Executive Officer 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 the National Conservation Lands: “We call upon Congress to uphold its responsibilities under the Constitution and pass a budget that keeps our public land management agencies intact and ensures that the administration executes the funding appropriated by Congress for public land management agencies accordingly. Anything less is a betrayal of our Constitution and the nation’s commitment to public lands, public service, and future generations. “What we have seen over the past nine months is a blatant effort to undermine and weaken the very institutions that safeguard our country’s remaining natural and wild places–our precious public lands and water sources that tell the story of America’s culture, help mitigate the climate crisis, prevent wildfires, protect wildlife corridors, and provide for outdoor recreation experiences that are supporting local economies. “Elected leaders behind this effort don’t care about the businesses and local communities that depend on access to these places to pay their bills. They don’t care about the wildlife that will be harmed after oil and gas companies desecrate this land. They don’t care about the families who hunt, fish, camp and recreate on this land, or the Indigenous communities for whom access to their ancestral lands is vital. In short, they’re showing us very clearly that they only care about the corporations who will benefit from privatizing public lands. “Roughly 200 million of the 245 million acres of nature and wildlife beyond and between the national parks and overseen by the Bureau of Land Management are not protected from mining, drilling, or other development, and both the government shutdown, Sec. Burgum’s plan to designate oil permitting as “essential”, and reported reductions in workforce set the stage for the administration to make good on its promise to sell off America’s remaining natural resources. “Congress must ensure that the integrity of the federal budget process is maintained, and that the Executive Branch spends what the Congress appropriates. Any other outcome is a threat to the integrity of our public lands and the agencies that manage them, and a clear effort by elected leaders who are hell bent on privatizing the country’s remaining public lands. ####

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Conservation Lands Foundation today denounced the introduction of two bills by U.S. Representative Paul Gosar that seek to abolish Ironwood Forest and Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni - Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monuments in Arizona. These proposed rollbacks represent a direct assault on America’s public lands, Indigenous heritage, and the will of the American people.  Below is a statement from Chris Hill, CEO of the Conservation Lands Foundation: “Congressman Gosar’s wrongheaded legislation is not just an attack on iconic monuments in Arizona, it tees up potential attacks on cherished monuments in other states as well. These monuments were designated to protect irreplaceable cultural sites, fragile ecosystems, and landscapes that generations of people — including Tribes, local communities, and outdoor enthusiasts — have fought to preserve. This move ignores science, public opinion, and our shared responsibility to protect the places that make America unique. “Ironwood Forest National Monument, designated 25 years ago with overwhelming local support, spans 129,000 acres of the biologically rich Sonoran Desert. It is home to centuries-old ironwood trees and some of the region’s most significant archaeological and cultural sites. Just last week, the Tucson City Council reaffirmed its support for the monument. “Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni - Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, designated in 2023 after decades of advocacy by the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition, protects ancestral lands and the Colorado River watershed from uranium mining and other threats. It honors Indigenous leadership and preserves the region's clean air, water, and sacred sites while allowing for traditional uses like hunting and grazing. “We have to ask, does Congressman Gosar actually talk to his constituents? The public overwhelmingly supports these monuments. According to the 2025 State of the Rockies poll, 89% of Western voters — across political affiliations — support keeping national monument designations in place. In Arizona, 80% of voters support Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni, including large majorities of Republicans, Independents, and Democrats. “The Conservation Lands Foundation calls on Congress to reject these extreme, anti-public lands proposals and stand with the American people, the Tribes and communities who have worked tirelessly to protect these lands for future generations.” About Conservation Lands Foundation The Conservation Lands Foundation 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. ###

Summer is winding down and as we start to dream of fall excursions, we remember that every trail hiked, every sunrise witnessed, every moment of peace we find on public lands depends on our continued vigilance and advocacy. That's why your support of the Conservation Lands Foundation is so crucial. When equipped with the resources we need, we remain the fierce advocates these places deserve. The threats to public lands are mounting, and our collective defense grows stronger every day to meet them. In this newsletter, we cover the upcoming appropriations fight in Congress and our move to defend Chuckwalla National Monument (CA) in court. We also share key moments of celebration and strength with our Friends Grassroots Network.

Washington, DC - Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee released its Fiscal Year 2026 Interior appropriations bill, which rejected the steep cuts the White House requested for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The bill provides marginal reductions in funding for the BLM, while ensuring funding for the National Conservation Lands system is maintained at $59.135 million, equal to what was enacted in Fiscal Year 2025. The bill cleared markup with a bipartisan vote of 26-2. Below is a statement from David Feinman, Vice President of Government Affairs 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 the 38 million acres of National Conservation Lands. "The Conservation Lands Foundation applauds the Senate Appropriations Committee for delivering a clear bipartisan, bicameral rejection of the White House's proposed cuts to critical public lands programs. While we are disappointed by the slight reductions in overall Department of the Interior and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) funding, we applaud the Committee for recognizing the need to protect the National Conservation Lands system from the nearly 75% cut in funding proposed by the White House. “We particularly commend Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada) and Rep Dina Titus (D-Nevada) for their exceptional leadership in championing funding for the BLM and National Conservation Lands. We’d also like to thank the members of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee including Chair Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) and Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico) for understanding the vital need to properly fund the National Conservation Lands system, which protects 38 million acres of irreplaceable public lands across the United States. “While we are pleased that the bill maintains National Conservation Lands funding at $59.135 million, preventing harmful cuts proposed by the White House, we remain concerned about the historical underinvestment to the nation’s largest public land manager and the conservation lands it stewards. “The BLM and National Conservation Lands system have been chronically underfunded for years, and the agency needs meaningful funding increases to address decades of deferred maintenance, visitor services and resource protection. Nevertheless, we urge swift adoption of the Senate's funding levels, which at minimum provide stability for the agency to fulfill its mission. “In addition, we applaud the Committee for including provisions that will ensure the BLM maintains adequate staffing levels and protects vulnerable and valuable landscapes across the West. Prohibiting preleasing and leasing activities within Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument boundaries in Utah, protecting the Chaco Canyon cultural landscape in New Mexico, and directing the BLM to conduct government-to-government consultation with Tribal governments in relation to Caja del Rio in New Mexico demonstrates principled stewardship of irreplaceable cultural and natural treasures. “These provisions are in stark contrast to the several harmful policy riders included in the House FY26 Interior appropriations bill, which would prevent the implementation of widely-popular policies and land management plans shaped by and for the public like the Public Lands Rule and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Resource Management Plan. “The Conservation Lands Foundation calls on Congress to swiftly pass the Senate's responsible approach to public lands funding and reject the harmful policy riders in the House Interior appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2026.” ### Contact: Shevawn Bell, shevawn(at)conservationlands.org

Contacts: Shevawn Bell, Communications Director, Conservation Lands Foundation, shevawn@conservationlands.org Washington, DC - Yesterday, more than 65 organizations urged House Leadership to protect Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument from House members who are attempting to use the appropriations process to open the monument to development and destruction. The letter calls on leadership to remove language from the House Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bill that would prohibit funding for the monument, unless it is managed pursuant to an outdated management plan from the first Trump administration. Specifically, Section 137 (pg. 75) of the House 2026 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill would require the Department of the Interior to manage Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument “in compliance with the Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plans…dated February 2020.” If passed, this language effectively implements Trump’s 2017 illegal shrinking of the Monument, and sets a dangerous precedent for not only Grand Staircase-Escalante, but all of our nation's National Monuments. Quotes and additional information can be found below. “The agency cuts and harmful policy riders included in the House 2026 Interior Appropriations bill is another backdoor attempt to attack America’s cherished public lands and national monuments,” said Chris Hill, Chief Executive Officer for the Conservation Lands Foundation. “This bill will severely impact the cultural, natural, and historical resources of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument by prohibiting the Bureau of Land Management from implementing the updated monument plan, which was carefully developed through extensive public input and meaningful engagement. This misguided language, along with the deep cuts to land management agencies like the BLM, ignores the voices of local communities, Tribal nations who hold this land sacred, and the rural communities who depend on these monuments as economic drivers.” “Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is one of the most treasured public landscapes in America. But what makes it like nowhere else—remarkable paleontological discoveries and cultural connections, jaw-dropping scenery, and outstanding intact and diverse natural ecosystems—is at risk if the 2026 Appropriations bill passes,” said Travis Hammill, DC Director for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) . “While members of Utah’s House of Representatives and other public land opponents continue their attacks on Grand Staircase-Escalante, SUWA, our members, and our partners will unwaveringly continue to protect and defend the Monument for current and future generations.” As stated in the letter: “... Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah is the first and largest national monument entrusted to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to conserve, restore, and protect. First designated a National Monument in 1996 and reinstated to its full boundaries in 2021, Grand Staircase-Escalante contains unique scientific and historic resources that offer unparalleled research opportunities for earth and climate scientists, paleontologists, geologists, archaeologists, historians, and conservation biologists. In addition, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, with its slot canyons and sweeping vistas, has become a destination place for people around the world in search of a unique wilderness experience… The BLM initiated a resource management planning (RMP) process for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument on July 28, 2022 in accordance with Presidential Proclamation 10286. A final RMP was released on August 29, 2024 and includes the full boundaries of the established monument. As with all National Monuments, the development and implementation of an RMP is essential for providing guidance on management and clarity to the public on management decisions. Sec. 137 would usurp this important public process.” Read the full letter here. About the Monument Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument was designated as a national monument in 1996 to protect the incredible scientific, ecological, and paleontological resources within its 1.9 million acres. This crown jewel of America’s national public lands was the first monument managed by the BLM, and was the first unit in the agency’s now robust and expansive “National Conservation Lands” system. Since its establishment, heightened protections for the Monument’s geology, paleontology, wildlife, plant communities, and ancestral sites have succeeded in preserving these unique values for generations to come, and local communities on the Monument’s doorstep have benefited as well. More than 25 years later, the numerous benefits of protecting Grand Staircase-Escalante are clear: the monument preserves a remarkable ecosystem at the landscape-level and sets the stage for future discovery about human, paleontological, and geologic history on the Colorado Plateau. On December 4, 2017, President Trump ignored millions of public comments and eliminated large swaths of the Monument, slashing it by 47 percent – roughly 900,000 acres. Thankfully, on October 8, 2021, President Biden signed a proclamation restoring Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument to its full, original boundaries. In 2023, BLM began the process of developing a new management plan for the full Monument. During both the scoping phase of the current planning effort and after a draft plan was released, CLF and SUWA members and supporters of public lands conservation across the country submitted comments to the BLM calling for a holistic, conservation-based management plan worthy of this remarkable place. In August 2023 , a Federal District Court Judge in Utah dismissed lawsuits brought by the State of Utah, Blue Ribbon Coalition, and others challenging President Biden’s use of the Antiquities Act to restore the boundaries of Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments. The state and other plaintiffs quickly appealed that decision to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, which held oral argument on September 26, 2024, and will issue a decision in the coming months. SUWA, CLF and eight other conservation organizations have intervened on behalf of the United States to defend President Biden’s restoration of the Monuments, as have four Tribal nations. ### Conservation Lands Foundation (CLF) leads the national movement of community-based advocates to protect, restore and expand National Conservation Lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. CLF is headquartered in Durango, Colorado with field offices throughout the West and in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit conservationlands.org. The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) is a nonprofit organization with members and supporters from around the country dedicated to protecting America’s redrock wilderness. From offices in Moab, Salt Lake City, and Washington, DC, our team of professionals defends the redrock, organizes support for America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, and stewards a world-renowned landscape. Learn more at www.suwa.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  CONTACT: Shevawn Bell, shevawn (at) conservationlands.org Washington, DC – The Fiscal Year 2026 Interior appropriations bill introduced in the U.S. House today betrays America’s commitment to public lands and waters by slashing budgets for public land management agencies and blocking the implementation of land management plans shaped by the public. Below is a statement from David Feinman, Vice President of Government Affairs of the Conservation Lands Foundation, on the introduction of this funding package. CLF 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. “This proposed Interior appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2026 introduced in the House betrays this country’s decades-long commitment to managing public lands for the use and enjoyment of all Americans. “The House Interior spending bill proposes significant cuts to the Department of the Interior ($61 million below the Fiscal Year 2025 enacted level) and Bureau of Land Management ($110.4 million below the FY2025 enacted level) as well as draconian policy riders that block implementation of critical land management plans that ensure public lands are managed responsibly for all who use them. “These decisions by the House have real world impacts, including risks to public safety, the erosion of visitor services and irreparable harm to cultural and ecological resources on public lands. A well-funded Bureau of Land Management is essential to preserving access, supporting rural economies and ensuring safe and sustainable recreation. “Public lands stewarded by the BLM are growing rapidly in popularity and visitorship, yet Congressional funding for the agency to manage and protect these lands has not kept pace. Adequately funding the BLM is one of the most efficient and effective ways we can prevent wildfires, ensure public access to outdoor recreation and preserve the ecological and cultural values of National Conservation Lands. “The package also prevents the implementation of widely-popular policies like the Public Lands Rule and land management plans shaped by and for the public like the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Resource Management Plan. “This year, we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the National Conservation Lands. On behalf of the millions of Americans across the country who value public lands and waters, we call on Congress to develop and pass a funding bill that invests in America’s public lands, the civil servants who steward them and the processes that ensure their proper management is an essential national priority.”

Washington, DC – Today, President Trump signed the budget reconciliation bill into law. The final package includes several provisions that represent a sweeping rollback of conservation progress that will irrevocably damage public lands and waters, greatly diminish wildlife habitat and erode one of the few things that connects us all, regardless of race, religion or political party. Here are just a few egregious elements of the bill: Slashes royalty rates for onshore and offshore drilling—giving Big Oil sweetheart deals at taxpayers’ expense. Reinstates noncompetitive leasing and mandates unprecedented quarterly oil and gas lease sales across nine Western states. Opens vast swaths of the Western Arctic to new oil development, reversing critical protections under the Biden administration. Cuts coal royalty rates nearly in half, further subsidizing the fossil fuel industry with public land giveaways. Rescinds $500 million from the Inflation Reduction Act intended for ecosystem restoration and resilience on public lands. Below is a statement from Chris Hill, CEO of the Conservation Lands Foundation. “The leader of the most powerful country in the world believes America’s public lands, wildlife and rural economies are nothing more than an opportunity to fill billionaire's pockets. The passage of the budget reconciliation bill is in direct contradiction to the majority of voters on both sides of the aisle who believe public lands are what makes America great and are worth protecting, conserving and maintaining for the good of all, not just the wealthy few. “While we remain strongly opposed to the actions of this President and the elected officials who enacted this deeply unpopular and anti-American bill through Congress, we are grateful to the bipartisan group of lawmakers who successfully defeated one of the most dangerous proposals in the bill: an attempt by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) to sell-off 1.2 million acres of public lands. In particular, we thank Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Steve Daines (R-MT), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and James Risch (R-ID) for their principled stand against the public land liquidation scheme. “The next battle is in the appropriations process, where we will push for critical funding for the Bureau of Land Management and the National Conservation Lands. America’s public lands belong to all of us—not to oil companies, mining executives or lawmakers who live in fear of presidential retribution.“ ### Contact: Shevawn Bell, shevawn @conservationlands.org 208-890-2778

Washington, DC - Today the Senate passed the most dangerous environmental legislation in modern U.S. history, which includes sweeping measures that gut environmental safeguards, fast-track development on cherished wildspaces like the Western Arctic, and give sweetheart deals away to big oil and gas companies.  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 the 38 million acres of National Conservation Lands. "The Senate's budget reconciliation package is a wholesale assault on America's public lands and waters. Voters from all walks of life should know that policymakers who passed this package have only corporate financial interests at heart when it comes to our nation’s cherished public lands and waters. “Among the most destructive elements of this bill include language to mandate quarterly oil and gas lease sales on unprecedented amounts of national public lands; bring back noncompetitive leasing - the bargain basement of oil and gas leasing - on public lands; lower royalty rates paid to U.S. taxpayers for drilling on public lands; and mandate lease sales every two years in the Western Arctic (NPR-A) with a minimum of 4 million acres offered per sale. "Selling out America’s public lands, most notably the Western Arctic, to oil and gas companies would cause devastating harm to largely intact ecosystems that support Indigenous and local communities, outdoor recreation, local economies and wildlife habitats. "We call on the House of Representatives to act on behalf of the majority of the American public by rejecting this destructive bill. America's public lands are integral to the fabric of our nation: protecting them for the benefit of all Americans is in the national interest.” ###

Washington, DC - Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) yesterday withdrew his amendment to the One Big Beautiful Act that would have mandated the sale of up to 1.2 million acres of Bureau of Land Management public lands across 11 Western states, citing his inability to guarantee the lands wouldn't be sold to foreign interests like China. The withdrawal came after sustained bipartisan opposition from elected officials and the American public who understood that America's public lands should remain in public hands. 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 the 38 million acres of National Conservation Lands. "While the Conservation Lands Foundation celebrates this critical victory for public lands, the Senate's budget reconciliation package still contains many harmful provisions that sell out America's public lands and waters, most notably Western Arctic drilling requirements that will decimate critical wildlife habitat in America's largest remaining piece of intact public land. “Senator Lee’s public land sell-off amendment was on the wrong side of history and the American people. Polling consistently shows overwhelming bipartisan support for protecting public lands, and millions of Americans expressed fierce opposition to his sell-off scheme through calls, emails, and public comments. "We thank the senators and representatives from both parties—including Senators Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico), John Hickenlooper (D-Colorado), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada), Tim Sheehy (R-Montana), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), James Risch (R-Idaho), and others who stood on the right side of this issue—for their principled opposition to selling off America's public lands. Their voices, combined with the overwhelming public opposition, forced Senator Lee to abandon his dangerous proposal to sell off 1.2 million acres of public lands and shut out public access to irreplaceable places local communities use and rely on daily—beloved trailheads and access points for hiking, biking, hunting, off-highway vehicle recreation, and fishing. "While we celebrate this important victory for public lands, we remain deeply concerned about the provisions mandating oil and gas lease sales in the Western Arctic. Selling out the Western Arctic to oil and gas companies would cause devastating harm to largely intact ecosystems that support Arctic Indigenous communities and subsistence access, millions of migratory birds, the Western Arctic and Teshekpuk Lake caribou herds, spawning fish and other marine life. "More than 250,000 people commented in support of Western Arctic protections. We call on all U.S. Senators to act on behalf of the majority of the American public by rejecting this shortsighted proposal to decimate one of the largest intact wild landscapes in the U.S. "America's public lands are integral to the fabric of our nation: protecting them for the benefit of all Americans is in the national interest. The American public’s passionate and loud opposition to Lee’s amendment sends an unignorable message to elected officials that Americans care deeply about public lands, but our work is far from over. Public lands must remain in public hands for everyone to enjoy, not just the greedy few."