Public Lands Attack Tracker

Tracking threats to the 250 million acres of public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

Public lands are under attack. The changes aren't always easy to follow — new rules, budget cuts, policy tweaks — but taken together, they add up to less protection, less public input, and more industrial development on land that belongs to all of us.

This Action Tracker connects the dots.

It shows how these actions work together to:

Weaken protections for public lands

Shut communities out of decisions

Cut the staff and funding needed to manage these lands responsibly

Open the door to more drilling, mining, and development

Make it harder to protect these places for future generations

Public Opinion

Most Americans Don't Want This.

Poll after poll shows strong, bipartisan support for keeping public lands public:

70%

70% Oppose Reducing Environmental Reviews
Segment Value Percentage

70% of Western voters across party lines oppose fast-tracking oil, gas and mining projects on national public lands by reducing environmental reviews and local public input.

70%

76% Prioritize Conservation
Segment Value Percentage

76% of Western voters—more Western voters than ever before—want their Congress members to prioritize conservation and recreation on public lands over maximizing energy production.


Citation: 2026 Conservation in the West poll

70%

71% Opposed Sale of Federal Public Lands
Segment Value Percentage

71% of Americans polled oppose the sale of federal public lands that support hunting, fishing, hiking, and other recreational uses.


Citation: 2025 Trust for Public Land Poll 

Explore The Impacts

How Are Public Lands Being Affected?

How Are Public Lands Being Affected?

*One Tribal Engagement relationship is currently identified as potential/unconfirmed.

Impact Explorer Results

How Are Public Lands Being Affected?

Explore the eight recurring impacts these policy actions are having on public lands, and see which threats are contributing to each.

  • 1. Silences the Public

    12 of 12 tracked threats


    Policy actions that reduce or eliminate opportunities for the public to participate in decisions about public lands.


    • Executive Order Reducing Bears Ears and Grand Staircase National Monument
    • Mandatory oil and gas development
    • Undermining the Antiquities Act
    • Repeal of the Public Lands Rule
    • Sale & Disposal of Public Land for Private Industrial Use
    • Weakening the Endangered Species Act
    • Weakening Protections for Wilderness Areas
    • Weakened National Environmental Policy Act
    • Eliminating requirements for OHVs to minimize harm to wildlife, wilderness, cultural resources
    • Mandating oil and gas sales within the Special Areas of the Western Arctic
    • Fast tracking mining permits
    • Forced retirements and purging of Bureau of Land Management staff

  • 2. Results in Lasting Damage

    11 of 12 tracked threats


    Policy actions that can create long-term consequences for public lands that may be difficult or impossible to reverse.


    • Executive Order Reducing Bears Ears and Grand Staircase National Monument
    • Mandatory oil and gas development
    • Undermining the Antiquities Act
    • Repeal of the Public Lands Rule
    • Sale & Disposal of Public Land for Private Industrial Use
    • Weakening the Endangered Species Act
    • Weakened National Environmental Policy Act
    • Eliminating requirements for OHVs to minimize harm to wildlife, wilderness, cultural resources
    • Mandating oil and gas sales within the Special Areas of the Western Arctic
    • Fast tracking mining permits
    • Forced retirements and purging of Bureau of Land Management staff

  • 3. Locks Out Public Access

    10 of 12 tracked threats


    Policy actions connected to reduced public access to lands that belong to everyone.


    • Executive Order Reducing Bears Ears and Grand Staircase National Monument
    • Mandatory oil and gas development
    • Undermining the Antiquities Act
    • Repeal of the Public Lands Rule
    • Sale & Disposal of Public Land for Private Industrial Use
    • Weakening Protections for Wilderness Areas
    • Weakened National Environmental Policy Act
    • Eliminating requirements for OHVs to minimize harm to wildlife, wilderness, cultural resources
    • Mandating oil and gas sales within the Special Areas of the Western Arctic
    • Fast tracking mining permits

  • 4. Eliminates Tribal Engagement

    9 of 12 tracked threats*


    Policy actions connected to reducing or eliminating Tribal engagement in decisions affecting public lands.


    • Executive Order Reducing Bears Ears and Grand Staircase National Monument
    • Mandatory oil and gas development*
    • Undermining the Antiquities Act
    • Repeal of the Public Lands Rule
    • Sale & Disposal of Public Land for Private Industrial Use
    • Weakening Protections for Wilderness Areas
    • Eliminating requirements for OHVs to minimize harm to wildlife, wilderness, cultural resources
    • Mandating oil and gas sales within the Special Areas of the Western Arctic
    • Forced retirements and purging of Bureau of Land Management staff

    *The tracker marks Mandatory oil and gas development as “Yes?” for this impact, so this relationship is potential/unconfirmed.

  • 5. Strips Protections to Allow Destructive Uses

    8 of 12 tracked threats


    Policy actions connected to weakening or removing protections for public lands.


    • Executive Order Reducing Bears Ears and Grand Staircase National Monument
    • Undermining the Antiquities Act
    • Repeal of the Public Lands Rule
    • Weakening the Endangered Species Act
    • Weakening Protections for Wilderness Areas
    • Weakened National Environmental Policy Act
    • Eliminating requirements for OHVs to minimize harm to wildlife, wilderness, cultural resources
    • Forced retirements and purging of Bureau of Land Management staff

  • 6. Defunds Stewardship or Restoration

    7 of 12 tracked threats


    Policy actions connected to reducing the resources needed to manage, protect, or restore public lands.


    • Executive Order Reducing Bears Ears and Grand Staircase National Monument
    • Mandatory oil and gas development
    • Undermining the Antiquities Act
    • Repeal of the Public Lands Rule
    • Sale & Disposal of Public Land for Private Industrial Use
    • Weakening Protections for Wilderness Areas
    • Forced retirements and purging of Bureau of Land Management staff

  • 7. Breaks Laws and Precedents

    6 of 12 tracked threats


    Policy actions connected to undermining established laws, protections, or precedents governing public lands.


    • Executive Order Reducing Bears Ears and Grand Staircase National Monument
    • Undermining the Antiquities Act
    • Repeal of the Public Lands Rule
    • Weakening the Endangered Species Act
    • Mandating oil and gas sales within the Special Areas of the Western Arctic
    • Fast tracking mining permits

  • 8. Privatizes or Leads to Privatizing Public Land

    4 of 12 tracked threats


    Policy actions connected to transferring public lands, resources, or their benefits toward private ownership or control.


    • Mandatory oil and gas development
    • Sale & Disposal of Public Land for Private Industrial Use
    • Mandating oil and gas sales within the Special Areas of the Western Arctic
    • Fast tracking mining permits
Explore The Impacts

Explore the Threats to Public Lands

See how each of the 12 tracked policy actions affects public lands, from limiting public input and access to weakening protections and creating lasting damage.

Impact Explorer Results

What Impact Is Each Policy Action Having?

Explore each of the 12 tracked threats to see how individual policy actions can affect public lands in multiple, overlapping ways.

  • 1. Executive Order Reducing Bears Ears and Grand Staircase National Monument

    7 impacts


    • Eliminates Tribal Engagement
    • Silences the Public
    • Strips Protections to Allow Destructive Uses
    • Locks Out Public Access
    • Defunds Stewardship or Restoration
    • Breaks Laws and Precedents
    • Results in Lasting Damage

  • 2. Mandatory Oil and Gas Development

    5 confirmed impacts + 1 potential impact


    • Silences the Public
    • Privatizes or Leads to Privatizing Public Land
    • Locks Out Public Access
    • Defunds Stewardship or Restoration
    • Results in Lasting Damage
    • Potential/Unconfirmed: Eliminates Tribal Engagement

  • 3. Undermining the Antiquities Act

    7 impacts


    • Eliminates Tribal Engagement
    • Silences the Public
    • Strips Protections to Allow Destructive Uses
    • Locks Out Public Access
    • Defunds Stewardship or Restoration
    • Breaks Laws and Precedents
    • Results in Lasting Damage

  • 4. Repeal of the Public Lands Rule

    7 impacts


    • Eliminates Tribal Engagement
    • Silences the Public
    • Strips Protections to Allow Destructive Uses
    • Locks Out Public Access
    • Defunds Stewardship or Restoration
    • Breaks Laws and Precedents
    • Results in Lasting Damage

  • 5. Sale & Disposal of Public Land for Private Industrial Use

    6 impacts


    • Eliminates Tribal Engagement
    • Silences the Public
    • Privatizes or Leads to Privatizing Public Land
    • Locks Out Public Access
    • Defunds Stewardship or Restoration
    • Results in Lasting Damage

  • 6. Weakening the Endangered Species Act

    4 impacts


    • Silences the Public
    • Strips Protections to Allow Destructive Uses
    • Breaks Laws and Precedents
    • Results in Lasting Damage

  • 7. Weakening Protections for Wilderness Areas

    5 impacts


    • Eliminates Tribal Engagement
    • Silences the Public
    • Strips Protections to Allow Destructive Uses
    • Locks Out Public Access
    • Defunds Stewardship or Restoration

  • 8. Weakened National Environmental Policy Act

    4 impacts


    • Silences the Public
    • Strips Protections to Allow Destructive Uses
    • Locks Out Public Access
    • Results in Lasting Damage

  • 9. Eliminating Requirements for OHVs to Minimize Harm to Wildlife, Wilderness, Cultural Resources

    5 impacts


    • Eliminates Tribal Engagement
    • Silences the Public
    • Strips Protections to Allow Destructive Uses
    • Locks Out Public Access
    • Results in Lasting Damage

  • 10. Mandating Oil and Gas Sales Within the Special Areas of the Western Arctic

    6 impacts


    • Eliminates Tribal Engagement
    • Silences the Public
    • Privatizes or Leads to Privatizing Public Land
    • Locks Out Public Access
    • Breaks Laws and Precedents
    • Results in Lasting Damage

  • 11. Fast Tracking Mining Permits

    5 impacts


    • Silences the Public
    • Privatizes or Leads to Privatizing Public Land
    • Locks Out Public Access
    • Breaks Laws and Precedents
    • Results in Lasting Damage

  • 12. Forced Retirements and Purging of Bureau of Land Management Staff

    5 impacts


    • Eliminates Tribal Engagement
    • Silences the Public
    • Strips Protections to Allow Destructive Uses
    • Defunds Stewardship or Restoration
    • Results in Lasting Damage
Top Public Policy Threats to Public Lands/Topic Executive Order Reducing Bears Ears and Grand Staircase National Monument Massive mandatory oil and gas lease sales Undermining the Antiquities Act Repeal of the Public Lands Rule Sale & Disposal of Public Land for Private Industrial Use Weakening the Endangered Species Act Weakening Protections for Wilderness Areas Weakened National Environmental Policy Act Eliminating requirements for OHVs to minimize harm to wildlife, wilderness, cultural resources Mandating oil and gas sales within the Special Areas of the Western Arctic Fast tracking oil and gas leases and mining permits Forced retirements and purging of Bureau of Land Management staff
Eliminates Tribal Engagement Yes Yes? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Silences the Public Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Strips Protections to Allow Destructive Uses Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Privatizes Public Land Yes Yes Yes Yes
Restricts Public Access Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Defunds Stewardship or Restoration Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Breaks Laws and Precedents Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Results in Lasting Damage Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Call To Action

The public still has a voice and must use it.

Public lands belong to everyone and we have the right and responsibility to hold our elected officials accountable to protecting them. 


Disclaimer: If you see an attack missing from this list, email us at info@conservationlands.org.