The Attack on Public Lands & Waterways Never Seems To End Under The Trump Administration.

Hanging Lake, Colorado

OP/ED

Originally Written: 5/6/2026

Updated: 5/7/2026

Where should we begin? This is a genuine question.

Let’s address the current situation: The U.S. Department of the Interior is allocating lands and waterways for exploitation, including unnecessary mining and drilling, irresponsible hunting and logging, and even development.

This will have a catastrophic effect on wilderness health, on all levels: forests, land, waterways, ecosystems, wildlife, air, and even human life.

The Department of the Interior's (DOI) Secretary’s Order No. 3447 takes effect on Monday. What does this mean for you? To put it plainly, if you are an irresponsible hunter or fisher, 3447 will be a cause for celebration. The rest of the population either already understands or will come to understand why 3447 is both dangerous and irresponsible. As Lisa Friedman from The New York Times noted, "The order, which takes effect on Monday, applies to some 76 federal lands that allow hunting but have rules to protect habitats or people. Curecanti National Recreation Area in Colorado had prohibited firing weapons from, toward, or across trails." It's important to note the word ‘had,’ as the new rules now permit hunters to shoot from, toward, and across trails. Given that LUE Outdoors is based in Colorado, this example particularly resonates with us; we've spent considerable time enjoying the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Curecanti, and Gunnison areas. As Coloradans, we can confidently say that if the public had been allowed to vote on this change, the majority would likely have opposed it. This is why such decisions are often made quietly, with minimal public awareness of comment periods and expedited processes to limit public feedback.

On Wednesday, May 6, 2026, the DOI finalized an accelerated 14-day environmental review process to authorize the Green Chile Natural Gas Pipeline’s crossing through 16 miles of public lands in Doña Ana County, an area rich in Indigenous history and context for local tribes. This is not the first deal to bypass public scrutiny. According to a Bureau of Land Management press release, "From January through March, the BLM sold 246 parcels for lease on 225,277 acres in Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming."

A March press release from the DOI announced, “USDA Prioritizing Common Sense Forest Management, Moves Forest Service Headquarters to Salt Lake City.” Upon reading the release, it appears as if mass layoffs are being portrayed as fiscal responsibility and that the changes will benefit science and research, misleading those unfamiliar with the true implications. This plan has now commenced.

The USDA and DOI are removing bison from federal public lands in Montana. Yes, bison. It's worth noting that the DOI Bison Conservation Initiative (2020) was enacted during Mr. Trump's first presidential term, alongside the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). The difference between 2020 and 2026 is the need for funds to support the Trump administration’s costly domestic and international terror campaign (disaster).

The above is not even a sliver of the havoc wreaked by Mr. Trump and his administration: Since January 2025, there has been a constant attack on public lands, waterways, wildlife, history, and native communities. Everything from parks to forests, monuments, museums, reserves, refuges, indigenous lands, and beyond.

If you are interested in protecting the lands, waterways, air, and life of all forms, please join the fight against Mr. Trump, his administration, and his millionaire friends.

Sources: New York Times, USDA, DOI, Bureau of Land Management, National Parks Conservation Association