New Executive Order on Critical Mineral Mining on National Public Lands Replaces Balance with Bulldozers

Conservation Lands Foundation

|March 25, 2025

Washington, D.C. — A recently-announced Executive Order on critical minerals mining continues the Trump administration’s pattern that replaces balance and consideration for the multiple needs of public lands management with bulldozers and a disregard for any policy outcome other than destruction of public lands. A statement from the White House on March 20, 2025 outlined “Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production.”

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.

“We recognize the need to produce domestic critical minerals, but to do so without any regard for environmental protections or public input, and prioritizing mining over all other uses of public lands, is lazy, reckless, and ignores the financial values that natural landscapes are providing for rural communities, ranching, recreation, hunting, and fishing across the west.

“Public lands management is supposed to balance the needs of responsible energy development and resource extraction with people’s right to access and enjoy these areas. Instead, this Executive Order replaces balance with bulldozers. National public lands are not one big manufacturing facility for oil and gas companies or international mining firms that will export our precious natural resources to benefit others.

“Necessary and appropriate critical minerals production must respect environmental laws, the rights and traditions of Indigenous people, and the long-term preservation of the land and essential wildlife habitats that are part of the natural and national legacy that belongs to all of us.

“We support balanced and responsible uses of public lands but will fiercely fight against irresponsible, exploitative, and egregious efforts to plunder our national public lands that are essential wildlife habitats, water sources, recreation areas —for short-term profit that does not benefit American taxpayers.”

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Conservation Lands Foundation published this page in Latest News 2025-03-25 15:00:46 -0600

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