America’s public lands belong to everyone and provide countless opportunities for recreation, conservation, and sustainable use. The Bureau of Land Management’s Public Lands Rule helps ensure our ability to connect with nature remains for generations to come, but right now, this critical rule is under threat.

The Trump administration has announced its plan to rescind the Public Lands Rule.

What the Rule Changed

For decades, when the Bureau of Land Management made decisions about your public lands, oil and gas companies got priority. Need to protect wildlife habitat? Too bad if a company wanted to drill there. Want to keep hiking trails accessible? Not if mining companies had other plans.

The Public Lands Rule changed that. It said conservation, wildlife protection, outdoor recreation, and cultural sites should get equal consideration alongside industrial uses. There was also overwhelming public support in favor of the Rule: 92% of all public comments submitted were in favor of its implementation.

The simple concept: public lands should serve the public, not just extractive industries.

Why New Mexico Loses Big

With about 13 million acres of public lands under federal management, New Mexico has substantial public lands spread across the state – places like the Caja del Rio, the badlands near Cabezon Peak, and vast stretches of desert in Southern New Mexico that provide world-class hunting, wildlife habitat, and outdoor recreation. Without the Public Lands Rule, these values automatically take a backseat to whatever and wherever industry wants to drill or mine.

When landscapes get carved up by unchecked development, we all lose.

Take Action

Comment below by November 10!

Tell the Bureau of Land Management you support keeping the Public Lands Rule. Customize the following comment by adding a brief personal story or connection to public lands—for example, how you use public lands, why they matter to your community, or what changes you’ve seen over time. Learn more about how you can create an effective comment here. The most powerful comments are personal. Tell your story.