Trump’s First Month Sows Chaos, Leaves Public Lands in Limbo
We’re not going to sugarcoat it: the first month of the Trump administration has been a grim one for conservation and climate efforts. Trump and his newly appointed Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, have already issued a flurry of executive and secretarial orders withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement, declaring a “national energy emergency,” expanding fossil fuel development on federal lands and waters, establishing a national Energy Dominance Council, limiting agency regulations, and revoking a well-established Clinton-era environmental justice directive.
Meanwhile, mass firings of public servants are threatening to hamstring basic functions of the federal government. In recent days, more than 2,300 workers were abruptly fired from the Interior Department. This includes staff at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which oversees nearly 23 million acres of federal public land in Utah.
The administration also announced its nomination of fossil fuel lobbyist Kathleen Sgamma as the next BLM director, and just this week, the federal Council on Environmental Quality (a division within the Executive Office of the President) declared that it had rescinded the federal regulations implementing one of our nation’s bedrock environmental laws, the National Environmental Policy Act (click here to read a statement from SUWA Legal Director Steve Bloch).
The news is dispiriting, to be sure, but SUWA was built for this moment and we’re in this fight for the long haul. You can help by continuing to follow us on email and social media (see item below), inviting your friends to do the same, and taking action whenever we put out the call. Thanks for your ongoing support!
Public Domain Photo
Help Recruit Original Cosponsors for America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act!
This March, America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act—our flagship proposal to protect more than 8 million acres of wild public land in Utah—will be reintroduced in the Senate by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and in the House of Representatives by Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM). In the meantime, it’s important that wilderness advocates like you help build momentum for the bill by recruiting original cosponsors (those who sign on and show support prior to introduction).
Legislation like this is critically important as we face the Trump administration’s “energy dominance” agenda paired with congressional leadership that is openly hostile to public land protection. Robust national support for the Red Rock bill has enabled us to fend off anti-wilderness attacks time and time again—and it will help us in the years ahead when we’ll need it more than ever.
In just over a week, roughly 40 volunteers from across the country will arrive in Washington, DC to ask their representatives to cosponsor America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act. By reaching out to your elected officials today, you can support these activists’ efforts and make their work in DC that much easier.
>> Take Action: Ask Your Members of Congress to Cosponsor America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act
Photo © SUWA
Utah Rep. Celeste Maloy Polishes Her Anti-Public-Lands Credentials
As a relatively new member of Utah’s congressional delegation, Representative Celeste Maloy (UT-2) may not have the notoriety of Senators Mike Lee and John Curtis, but she’s quickly learning the ropes when it comes to introducing terrible legislation. Here are her latest contributions to the delegation’s dismal legacy on public lands.
Dismantling the Antiquities Act
In January, Rep. Maloy introduced legislation in the House of Representatives that, if passed, would effectively repeal the 1906 Antiquities Act by requiring Congress to approve the establishment or extension of a national monument (Lee introduced a companion bill in the Senate). This week, over 245 organizations submitted a letter to members of Congress strongly urging them to oppose any legislative attempts to repeal or undermine the Act. Read SUWA’s statement here.
Withdrawing the Public Lands Rule
Maloy has also re-introduced the Western Economic Security Today (WEST) Act, a bill that would require the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to withdraw the landmark Public Lands Rule implemented under the Biden administration. “Alleged concerns about the Rule resulting in the ‘locking up’ of public lands are all smoke, no fire,” said SUWA DC Director Travis Hammill. “Finalized in 2024, the Rule stands for common sense land management and reinforces the decades-old principle that conservation is one of the multiple uses that Congress directed the BLM to account for as it goes about its day-in, day-out work.” Read our full statement here.
We’ll keep you posted as these bills move forward.
Photo: Constituents pack Rep. Maloy’s February Town Hall meeting, © Terri Martin
2025 Conservation in the West Poll Reveals Strong Support for Public Land Protection
Colorado College has released its 2025 Conservation in the West Poll. Encouragingly, it shows that the percentage of Westerners who prefer public land conservation over energy development has reached an all-time high!
According to the poll, 85% of Utah voters prefer that decisions about public lands, water, and wildlife be made by career professionals rather than newly appointed officials; and 76% prefer that leaders place more emphasis on protecting water, air, wildlife habitat, and recreation opportunities over maximizing the amount of land available for drilling and mining.
The poll also shows that 82% of Utah voters believe existing national monument designations from the last decade should be kept in place. This echoes results from another recent poll revealing that Utah voters overwhelmingly support keeping Bears Ears (71%) and Grand Staircase-Escalante (74%) national monuments intact.
>> Click here to read the full poll results for Utah and seven other Mountain West states
Spaces Still Available on Several Spring Stewardship Projects
Want to get more involved in conservation, meet great people, and spend time in Utah’s stunning backcountry? Become a SUWA Steward in 2025! Our Stewardship Program is seeking additional volunteers for the following spring projects:
Bears Ears: Comb Ridge, March 24-27
Experience Comb Ridge’s dramatic, 80-mile monocline curves while protecting cultural sites in the living landscape that is Bears Ears!
San Rafael Swell, April 2-4
Work and camp in the heart of canyon country’s designated wilderness while learning how to keep wild lands protected.
West Desert: House Range, April 15-18
This remote landscape is a sprawling collection of magnificent ranges. If you are into breadth and solitude, then this is the project for you.
SUWA provides hand-cooked dinners throughout the trip. This is an experience you don’t want to miss. Visit our website to view all our projects and apply today!
Photo © SUWA
Follow SUWA on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky!
Information is power, and so is community connection. Stay on top of breaking news and action opportunities by following us on social media. In addition to our longstanding Facebook and Instagram accounts, you can now find us on Bluesky (we’re no longer on Twitter/X). And while you’re at it, consider asking your friends to follow us, or encourage them to join our email list at suwa.org/stayinformed. Thank you!
