New order weakens protections for public lands and wildlife

President Trump’s Interior Secretary Doug Burgum issued a directive making it easier to develop fossil fuels on public lands, reversing conservation efforts and threatening migratory birds, national monuments and endangered species.

Lisa Sorg and Wyatt Myskow report for Inside Climate News.

In short:

Burgum’s directive reinstates canceled fossil fuel leases, expands oil and gas drilling on public lands and asks for a review and eventual shrinking of monuments protected under the Antiquities Act.
The order also reverses Biden-era rules protecting migratory birds, reintroducing Trump-era policies that limited liability for accidental bird deaths caused by industry.
Environmental groups and tribal nations are expected to challenge these rollbacks in court, citing risks to biodiversity and climate.

Key quote:

“Even as imperiled species dwindle and vanish across America, this order will fan the flames of the extinction crisis.”

— Noah Greenwald, endangered species director at the Center for Biological Diversity.

Why this matters:

Public lands, which make up nearly 28% of the United States, have long been a battleground for competing interests. Conservationists argue that these lands should serve as a refuge for biodiversity and a buffer against climate change, while industries see untapped potential for economic growth. This directive tilts the balance decisively in favor of the latter, potentially opening millions of acres to oil, gas and coal extraction.

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