Sierra Club Statement on Trump Administration’s Attempt to Give Away Public Lands to Corporate Polluters

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Trump administration is working to revoke two federal rulesprotecting public lands in another major giveaway to corporate polluters.

On Tuesday, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs posted notices of the administration's intent to rescind a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rule governing the stewardship of millions of acres of public lands across the West, and potentially rescind a separate BLM rule limiting oil and gas development in Alaska's Western Arctic.

The first rule, commonly referred to as the Public Lands Rule, balances the agency's multi-use mandate by considering conservation as an equally valid use as drilling, mining, and other extractive activities. Previously, BLM policies prioritized extractive industry over all other potential uses of public lands. The other rule, which came into force last year, added protections for millions of acres in the Western Arctic, which contains the largest contiguous area of public lands in the entire United States. Both rules were adopted after robust public consultation and support.

The announcements are the next step in enacting Interior Secretary Doug Burgum's February orders calling for increased energy development on public lands, in line with Donald Trump's "drill, baby, drill" agenda. On his first day back in the White House, Trump issued a flurry of executive orders seeking to boost oil and gas production in the Arctic and lower 48 states. He has also nominated oil and gas industry lobbyists to key positions in the administration, and allowed Elon Musk to chaotically slash budgets and fire federal workers. In recent weeks, Trump allies have subsequently hinted at a mass privatization of public lands to fund billionaire tax cuts.

In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous, released the following statement:

"These actions are effectively declaring an open season for drilling, mining, and polluting on some of the country's most iconic landscapes from the Arctic to southwestern deserts and everywhere in between.

"Our public lands belong to all of us, visiting them is a rite of passage for many, and we all have a responsibility to steward them safely for future generations. We are going to work furiously to prevent this giveaway and protect the lands that we all love."

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.