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Trump administration seeks to open more public lands to oil, gas and mining under new Interior plan

The Trump administration is moving to overhaul federal land policy with a leaked Interior Department plan that prioritizes energy and mineral extraction over conservation.

Alexander Nazaryan reports for The New York Times.

In short:

A leaked draft of the Interior Department’s 2025–2030 strategic plan calls for maximizing economic output from federal lands by streamlining permits for mining, drilling, and other industrial uses.
The plan proposes returning federal lands to state control, reducing monument sizes, eliminating some endangered species protections and downplaying climate, conservation, and tribal responsibilities.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has already begun implementing parts of the plan, including opening 87,000 acres to hunting and fishing and cutting environmental review requirements.

Key quote:

“The strategic plan clearly puts extraction and sell-off of public lands first.”

— Aaron H. Weiss, deputy director of the Center for Western Priorities

Why this matters:

Expanding drilling and mining on public lands increases the risk of air and water pollution, disrupts fragile ecosystems, and contributes to climate change. At the same time, dismantling endangered species protections and rolling back public input processes reduces transparency and oversight. The proposed changes revive decades-old debates about whether federal lands should be preserved for public benefit or exploited for private profit — a tension that cuts across political, ecological and cultural lines. Decisions made by the Interior Department ripple through rural communities, tribal nations, and urban water supplies alike. The Trump administration’s push, rooted in the Project 2025 blueprint, marks a significant departure from recent federal policy and could set a course that’s difficult to reverse.

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California mining company turns to solar heat but can’t quit coal just yet

In California’s Mojave Desert, a mining plant is turning to solar thermal energy to replace one of its coal-fired generators, but a second unit may run for years due to the intense heat and 24-hour power it needs.

Ivan Penn reports for The New York Times.

In short:

Searles Valley Minerals, a mining company in Trona, Calif., is replacing one of its two coal plants with a solar thermal system but says the other may need to stay online for the foreseeable future due to operational demands.
The company will use a concentrating solar power system from start-up GlassPoint, which uses mirrors to generate high heat, a solution that works well in hot, sunny areas but requires a large land footprint and remains rare in the U.S.
Despite California’s push to phase out coal and President Trump’s efforts to revive it, economic and geographic constraints continue to complicate full industrial transitions away from fossil fuels.

Key quote:

“We just think coal is going to be a problem. We’re going to have a hard time sourcing it. We need to be ready to pivot.”

— Dennis Cruise, president of Searles Valley Minerals

Why this matters:

Industrial heat — the kind used in mining, chemical production, and heavy manufacturing — accounts for about half of global energy use, yet it’s rarely mentioned in public climate debates. Unlike home heating or car travel, generating this level of heat without fossil fuels is still tough. Most renewable energy technologies don’t deliver the extreme, continuous heat these facilities need. That leaves industries like the one in Trona stuck with coal, even as it becomes harder to source and politically unpopular. As the U.S. attempts to decarbonize, industrial energy needs present one of the biggest hurdles.

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