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New analysis finds 99.1 percent of public comments oppose repealing the Roadless Rule
A new analysis by the Center for Western Priorities found that 99.1 percent of the 370,238 public comments posted on the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) proposal to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule oppose the Trump administration’s plan. The comment period closed October 6. The 2001 Roadless Rule prohibits most road construction and commercial […]
Read MoreMAP: The national park projects the Trump administration labeled “low priority”
Earlier this year, National Park Service headquarters in Washington shifted about 1,500 projects, many already approved, to a new “low priority” list, the Associated Press reported in August. The projects span more than 200 sites and carry a combined cost estimate of more than $400 million. Park Service employees “were told to not expect anything […]
Read MoreCommenters overwhelmingly oppose Travel Management Rule rewrite
The Forest Service’s 30-day public comment period on its plan to rewrite the Travel Management Rule closed yesterday. A new analysis by the Center for Western Priorities found that 99.0 percent of the 134,312 comments posted to regulations.gov oppose the Trump administration’s proposal. USFS manages more than 380,000 miles of roads and 165,000 miles of […]
Read MoreMap: Agreements blocked by the Trump administration at 61 national park sites
On August 7, 2026, the Department of the Interior disapproved 140 National Park Service agreements with outside partners at 61 parks, offices, and programs in all seven Park Service regions, as the Washington Post reported earlier this month. While a handful of those agreements have since been appealed or partially appealed, 133 remain disapproved, blocking […]
Read MoreOn the doorstep: How a surge in drilling nominations threatens America’s public lands
A new report released by Rocky Mountain Wild and the Center for Western Priorities shows how the Trump administration’s giveaway of national public lands for oil and gas drilling is impacting wildlife, outdoor recreation, and cultural resources across the West. The report uses eight case studies in five Western states to demonstrate how oil and […]
Read MorePublic lands win elections: The Mountain West polling guide for the 2026 midterms
As voters head to the polls across the Mountain West, one of the most prominent and bipartisan throughlines in 2026 is protecting America’s public lands and natural resources. Broadly, we have already seen public lands serve as a salient and decisive issue across elections, central to the identity of voters across the states highlighted. This […]
Read MoreFalling behind: Forest Service fuel treatment gap puts communities at risk
A new analysis finds that the U.S. Forest Service treated roughly 35 percent fewer acres for hazardous fuels in 2025 than in 2024
Read MoreFrom disavowal to delivery: The Trump administration’s rapid implementation of Project 2025 on public lands
Increasing fossil fuel production on public lands. Gutting federal agencies that oversee national parks and forests. Removing protections for Alaska’s lands and waters. Limiting environmental reviews and undermining the Endangered Species Act. These are just a few of the extremely unpopular actions called for in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 “Mandate for Leadership” report. They are […]
Read MoreOil & Gas Government Shutdown Tracker
The Center for Western Priorities’ Oil & Gas Shutdown Tracker monitors the approval of federal onshore oil and gas drilling permits during the 2025 government shutdown.
Read MoreDon’t Drill Here
How bipartisan pushback has helped prevent oil and gas leasing on some of the West’s most prized public lands President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum have made clear their intent to prioritize energy production on America’s public lands. In their recent executive and secretarial orders, they direct Interior department staff to identify and […]
Read MoreWinning the West: Election 2024
Candidates who successfully balanced economic development with environmental stewardship often found favor with voters.
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