The resolution, which essentially erases years of local and Tribal input and puts Congress in charge of the national monument in southern Utah, is now subject to a 60-vote threshold for passage should it be considered in the Senate.
Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area, which protects more than 48,000 acres of Southern Nevada’s Mojave Desert, was expanded by nearly 9,300 acres with the signing by President Trump of the Sloan Canyon Conservation and Lateral Pipeline Act (H.R. 972).
Today’s approval by the U.S. Senate of Steve Pearce as Director of the Bureau of Land Management brings alarming indications for the future stability and durability of public land protections.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 11, 2026 Contact: Kris Deutschman kris@conservationlands.org 916-425-7174 WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Trump administration repealed the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule (Public Lands Rule), the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) rule confirming that conservation is on equal footing with extractive uses, like oil and gas drilling and mining. 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 National Conservation Lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. “Public lands are the people’s lands and this move is another strategy to gaslight the public and ultimately give these lands away. They’ve stripped away the tools that ensure conservation is a core mandate on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. “The Bureau of Land Management is required by law to balance multiple uses for the benefit of the public. Instead, this move gives the administration greater leeway to ignore the health of our country’s lands, water sources, wildlife habitats, and ways of life and it locks the public out of their favorite places to hike, fish, and camp with their families. “The Public Lands Rule brought balance to the management of the country’s public lands and waters in the U.S., and is overwhelmingly popular: 92% of public comments submitted during the robust public comment process supported it. And the vast majority of Westerners across the political spectrum want their elected officials to protect more clean water sources and wildlife habitat, and provide more opportunities to visit and recreate. “Simply put, this is just another move towards privatizing the public’s lands. The Conservation Lands Foundation will continue working tirelessly with local communities and lawmakers to ensure existing laws are followed to safeguard the health of public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the public’s access to them.” About the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) The BLM manages nearly 250 million acres of public land–one in every 10 acres of land in the United States and approximately 30 percent of the nation’s minerals. These lands are managed for a variety of uses, including energy development, livestock grazing, recreation, and timber harvesting, while also ensuring the conservation of the country’s remaining natural, historical, and cultural resources. ####
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 8, 2026 Santa Fe, NEW MEXICO - In a move supported by local Tribes, nature protection organizations, local elected officials and outdoor recreation enthusiasts, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez today introduced legislation to protect one of the most ecologically rich and culturally significant landscapes in the Southwest. The Caja del Rio Protection Act: S 4458 and HR 8616 covers about 107,000 acres of a wildlife corridor that runs along the Upper Rio Grande from New Mexico to Colorado and plays a critical role in maintaining wildlife mobility and vital habitats for many endangered and sensitive species of mammals, reptiles and birds. Statement by Charlotte Overby, Santa-Fe based Vice President of Field Programs for the Conservation Lands Foundation who is part of the coalition that has been advocating for the protection of the Caja del Rio Plateau: "The Caja del Rio is important to all people for its natural beauty, culture, economic benefits and contributions to New Mexicans' way of life. To lose it to potential sell-off to private developers would be a travesty, and the New Mexico Congressional delegation recognizes we all have a responsibility to protect it for current uses and for future generations to love and steward. We thank the Pueblo Governors, Senator Heinrich and Representative Leger Fernandez for their leadership in seeing through the development of the Caja del Rio Protect Act and getting it introduced in both houses of Congress." “We invite everyone to take a virtual field trip through the Caja and then add their name in support of protecting it at https://cajadelrio.org/” said Overby. #### About Conservation Lands Foundation Conservation Lands Foundation leads the only national movement of grassroots advocates to protect, restore and expand National Conservation Lands overseen 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 .
Leaders from the affordable housing and public lands communities today unveiled a joint principles framework rejecting the fallacy that selling off America’s public lands is a solution to the housing affordability crisis, while highlighting the need for real, equitable housing solutions.
Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area, which protects more than 48,000 acres of Southern Nevada’s Mojave Desert, was expanded by nearly 9,300 acres with the signing by President Trump of the Sloan Canyon Conservation and Lateral Pipeline Act (H.R. 972).
Public land protectors went to Washington DC Capitol Hill to advocate for saving the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The group was comprised of local business owners from gateway towns near Grand Staircase and represented the bipartisan effort to keep the current 2025 Monument Management Plan in place.
A U.S. District Court granted a motion by conservation organizations to block ground-disturbing activities associated with construction of the Northern Corridor Highway through the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area near St. George, Utah.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 26, 2026 Contact: Kris Deutschman, kris@conservationlands.org, Bertha Gutiérrez, bertha@conservationlands.org Las Vegas, NV - The Conservation Lands Foundation celebrates the passing of the Sloan Canyon Conservation and Lateral Pipeline Act (H.R. 972) led by Representative Dina Titus (D-Nevada) and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada), which expands Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area in Southern Nevada by almost 9,300 acres as mitigation for important water infrastructure needed in Southern Nevada. The bill, which passed unanimously in both the House and Senate, is now headed to the President’s desk for his signature. The bill ensures that a water pipeline project by the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) may be constructed underground through the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area. The authority to grant right-of-way access to SNWA in a permanently protected area had to be granted by Congress. “The Horizon Lateral project is an example of how infrastructure projects on National Conservation Lands can have minimal ground disturbance, mitigate anticipated impacts, and address community needs while ensuring the objects and values for which the area was protected remain protected. This legislation is a positive example of a bill that strikes a balance between conservation and development with input from local advocates. We applaud the leadership and commitment of Senator Cortez Masto and Representative Dina Titus to advance balanced public lands legislation” said Jocelyn Torres, Chief Conservation Officer at the Conservation Lands Foundation.
The resolution, which essentially erases years of local and Tribal input and puts Congress in charge of the national monument in southern Utah, is now subject to a 60-vote threshold for passage should it be considered in the Senate.
Today’s approval by the U.S. Senate of Steve Pearce as Director of the Bureau of Land Management brings alarming indications for the future stability and durability of public land protections.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 11, 2026 Contact: Kris Deutschman kris@conservationlands.org 916-425-7174 WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Trump administration repealed the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule (Public Lands Rule), the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) rule confirming that conservation is on equal footing with extractive uses, like oil and gas drilling and mining. 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 National Conservation Lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. “Public lands are the people’s lands and this move is another strategy to gaslight the public and ultimately give these lands away. They’ve stripped away the tools that ensure conservation is a core mandate on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. “The Bureau of Land Management is required by law to balance multiple uses for the benefit of the public. Instead, this move gives the administration greater leeway to ignore the health of our country’s lands, water sources, wildlife habitats, and ways of life and it locks the public out of their favorite places to hike, fish, and camp with their families. “The Public Lands Rule brought balance to the management of the country’s public lands and waters in the U.S., and is overwhelmingly popular: 92% of public comments submitted during the robust public comment process supported it. And the vast majority of Westerners across the political spectrum want their elected officials to protect more clean water sources and wildlife habitat, and provide more opportunities to visit and recreate. “Simply put, this is just another move towards privatizing the public’s lands. The Conservation Lands Foundation will continue working tirelessly with local communities and lawmakers to ensure existing laws are followed to safeguard the health of public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the public’s access to them.” About the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) The BLM manages nearly 250 million acres of public land–one in every 10 acres of land in the United States and approximately 30 percent of the nation’s minerals. These lands are managed for a variety of uses, including energy development, livestock grazing, recreation, and timber harvesting, while also ensuring the conservation of the country’s remaining natural, historical, and cultural resources. ####
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 8, 2026 Santa Fe, NEW MEXICO - In a move supported by local Tribes, nature protection organizations, local elected officials and outdoor recreation enthusiasts, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez today introduced legislation to protect one of the most ecologically rich and culturally significant landscapes in the Southwest. The Caja del Rio Protection Act: S 4458 and HR 8616 covers about 107,000 acres of a wildlife corridor that runs along the Upper Rio Grande from New Mexico to Colorado and plays a critical role in maintaining wildlife mobility and vital habitats for many endangered and sensitive species of mammals, reptiles and birds. Statement by Charlotte Overby, Santa-Fe based Vice President of Field Programs for the Conservation Lands Foundation who is part of the coalition that has been advocating for the protection of the Caja del Rio Plateau: "The Caja del Rio is important to all people for its natural beauty, culture, economic benefits and contributions to New Mexicans' way of life. To lose it to potential sell-off to private developers would be a travesty, and the New Mexico Congressional delegation recognizes we all have a responsibility to protect it for current uses and for future generations to love and steward. We thank the Pueblo Governors, Senator Heinrich and Representative Leger Fernandez for their leadership in seeing through the development of the Caja del Rio Protect Act and getting it introduced in both houses of Congress." “We invite everyone to take a virtual field trip through the Caja and then add their name in support of protecting it at https://cajadelrio.org/” said Overby. #### About Conservation Lands Foundation Conservation Lands Foundation leads the only national movement of grassroots advocates to protect, restore and expand National Conservation Lands overseen 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 resolution, which essentially erases years of local and Tribal input and puts Congress in charge of the national monument in southern Utah, is now subject to a 60-vote threshold for passage should it be considered in the Senate.
Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area, which protects more than 48,000 acres of Southern Nevada’s Mojave Desert, was expanded by nearly 9,300 acres with the signing by President Trump of the Sloan Canyon Conservation and Lateral Pipeline Act (H.R. 972).
Today’s approval by the U.S. Senate of Steve Pearce as Director of the Bureau of Land Management brings alarming indications for the future stability and durability of public land protections.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 11, 2026 Contact: Kris Deutschman kris@conservationlands.org 916-425-7174 WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Trump administration repealed the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule (Public Lands Rule), the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) rule confirming that conservation is on equal footing with extractive uses, like oil and gas drilling and mining. 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 National Conservation Lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. “Public lands are the people’s lands and this move is another strategy to gaslight the public and ultimately give these lands away. They’ve stripped away the tools that ensure conservation is a core mandate on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. “The Bureau of Land Management is required by law to balance multiple uses for the benefit of the public. Instead, this move gives the administration greater leeway to ignore the health of our country’s lands, water sources, wildlife habitats, and ways of life and it locks the public out of their favorite places to hike, fish, and camp with their families. “The Public Lands Rule brought balance to the management of the country’s public lands and waters in the U.S., and is overwhelmingly popular: 92% of public comments submitted during the robust public comment process supported it. And the vast majority of Westerners across the political spectrum want their elected officials to protect more clean water sources and wildlife habitat, and provide more opportunities to visit and recreate. “Simply put, this is just another move towards privatizing the public’s lands. The Conservation Lands Foundation will continue working tirelessly with local communities and lawmakers to ensure existing laws are followed to safeguard the health of public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the public’s access to them.” About the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) The BLM manages nearly 250 million acres of public land–one in every 10 acres of land in the United States and approximately 30 percent of the nation’s minerals. These lands are managed for a variety of uses, including energy development, livestock grazing, recreation, and timber harvesting, while also ensuring the conservation of the country’s remaining natural, historical, and cultural resources. ####
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 8, 2026 Santa Fe, NEW MEXICO - In a move supported by local Tribes, nature protection organizations, local elected officials and outdoor recreation enthusiasts, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez today introduced legislation to protect one of the most ecologically rich and culturally significant landscapes in the Southwest. The Caja del Rio Protection Act: S 4458 and HR 8616 covers about 107,000 acres of a wildlife corridor that runs along the Upper Rio Grande from New Mexico to Colorado and plays a critical role in maintaining wildlife mobility and vital habitats for many endangered and sensitive species of mammals, reptiles and birds. Statement by Charlotte Overby, Santa-Fe based Vice President of Field Programs for the Conservation Lands Foundation who is part of the coalition that has been advocating for the protection of the Caja del Rio Plateau: "The Caja del Rio is important to all people for its natural beauty, culture, economic benefits and contributions to New Mexicans' way of life. To lose it to potential sell-off to private developers would be a travesty, and the New Mexico Congressional delegation recognizes we all have a responsibility to protect it for current uses and for future generations to love and steward. We thank the Pueblo Governors, Senator Heinrich and Representative Leger Fernandez for their leadership in seeing through the development of the Caja del Rio Protect Act and getting it introduced in both houses of Congress." “We invite everyone to take a virtual field trip through the Caja and then add their name in support of protecting it at https://cajadelrio.org/” said Overby. #### About Conservation Lands Foundation Conservation Lands Foundation leads the only national movement of grassroots advocates to protect, restore and expand National Conservation Lands overseen 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 .
