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Congress is considering a move that could upend how hundreds of millions of acres of America’s public lands are managed. By using the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn resource management plans from the Bureau of Land Management, the Senate risks opening the door to legal and regulatory chaos across the West.
As Center for Western Priorities Deputy Director Aaron Weiss explains in a new blog post, if courts interpret this action broadly, every management plan written since 1996 could be challenged in court—potentially invalidating oil and gas leases, grazing permits, and threatening public access to trails and campgrounds.
This regulatory limbo threatens not just energy and ranching, but the entire recreation industry that fuels local economies across the West. Without modern management plans, land managers would be forced to revert to outdated frameworks from decades ago, written before today’s recreation economy took off. Outfitters, guides, and businesses that depend on reliable access for rafting, off-roading, and other outdoor activities could face years of uncertainty, permit delays, and costly litigation.
The Senate’s vote could mark the start of a new era of instability for public lands. For a closer look at the potential legal and economic ripple effects, read the full analysis on CWP's Westwise blog.
National park employees flag ‘disparaging’ material
Employees inside the National Park Service are assisting with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum's effort to whitewash American history. The National Parks Conservation Association obtained internal information showing the Park Service is reviewing books about slavery for sale in gift shops, and exhibits that name slave owners. At Sitka National Historical Park in Alaska, a park employee flagged an interpretive panel about missionaires who tried to remove Alaska Natives from their land and destroy their language.
“Pretending that the bad stuff never happened is not going to make it go away,” said Alan Spears, a senior director with NPCA. “We need to be able to talk about these things if we’re going to have any hope of bringing people together.”
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We know protecting nature is 
