by William Creamer<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The United States federal government oversees some 640 million acres of land, which equates to about 28% of the landmass in the country[1]<\/sup><\/a>. This land comes in the form of national parks and forests, wilderness and conservation areas, and other categories. Split across multiple different federal bureaus, the management of this land is often a source of political controversy[2]<\/sup><\/a>. Some view the lands as the last true American wilderness, untouched by industrialization, while others view them as economic opportunities. While resource extraction has historically taken place on public lands\u2014approximately one-third of America\u2019s minerals lie on land governed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM, for short)\u2014it has become an increasingly polarizing topic within modern media[3]<\/sup><\/a>. Despite claims that resource extraction is a beneficial practice, efforts must be made to stop harmful extraction and conserve public lands in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Throughout the 18th and 19th century, the newly created United States government acquired land from indigenous tribes and foreign nations. Over time, much of this land was transferred to private or state-level ownership. But it wasn\u2019t until March 1, 1872, with the establishment of Yellowstone National Park, that the popularized form of public lands\u2014recreational entities\u2014were introduced to the public[4]<\/sup><\/a>. Moreover, with the establishment of the Antiquities Act of 1906, places of scientific and historical importance on public lands were given protection[5]<\/sup><\/a>. Now, millions of Americans enjoy public lands every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since this land is protected and maintained by the federal government, the legislation regarding public land use changes under each presidential administration. In recent years, the Biden administration created the \u201cAmerica the Beautiful\u201d initiative, which aims to conserve 30% of the nation\u2019s lands and waters by 2030; additionally, the Biden administration withdrew 625 million acres of United States shoreline from future oil and gas leasing, furthering their anti-extraction attitude[6]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, the Trump administration has historically demonstrated an interest in utilizing public lands as an economic resource[7]<\/sup><\/a>. With the nomination of oil and gas advocate Kathleen Sgamma to lead the BLM and recent layoffs of thousands of public land employees, the Trump administration has reaffirmed their desire to use public lands to accomplish American economic dominance[8]<\/sup><\/a>. During his 2025 inauguration speech, President Trump said, \u201cWe will drill, baby, drill\u201d and declared a national energy emergency[9]<\/sup><\/a>. His administration will stop at no end to further their agenda, and efforts must be made to save America\u2019s public lands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Public lands sustain important ecosystems, provide recreational benefits to the public, and are sources of important cultural locations. These lands also act as recreational areas for millions of people and are an important part of the local economy for many small communities; additionally, indigenous tribes view many of these lands as sacred and irreplaceable. Resource extraction often disrupts or destroys these lands and the organisms they support outright through practices such as drilling and logging. Mining for valuable minerals exposes the land to toxic substances like arsenic that contaminate groundwater. Air pollution from oil drilling negatively contributes to 13% of deaths in American citizens aged 14 and older[10]<\/sup><\/a>. Logging leads to soil erosion and drastically alters forest landscapes, harming ecosystems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resource extraction on public lands also contributes to climate change. In the past year we have seen the effects of climate change everywhere. Drastic flooding, massive wildfires, and unending tropical storms have battered the United States and contributed to the deaths of at least 568 people in 2024 alone[11]<\/sup><\/a>. Public lands can help mitigate this problem. A 2018 study found that a ban on new and renewed leases for fossil fuel extraction on public lands could cut the United States\u2019 emissions by 280 million tons of carbon dioxide annually by 2030[12]<\/sup><\/a>. A no resource extraction policy on public lands altogether would cut total United States carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 25%[13]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But not only do public lands contribute to climate change directly, they can fight the problem. Forests on public lands naturally sequester carbon from the atmosphere\u2014a no timber harvest policy on public lands could offset total United States greenhouse gas emissions by 1.5%[14]<\/sup><\/a>. Through a combination of policies preventing new and renewed resource extraction leases and policies to enhance public land ability to sequester carbon, additional global warming and extreme weather phenomena can be mitigated, saving the lives of your fellow Americans. While joining campaigns, spreading awareness, and volunteering are all viable avenues to fight against the exploitation of American public lands, it is through voting power that you have the capability to make a difference. On January 28th, 2025, Representatives Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02) and Ryan Zinke (R-MT-01) introduced the Public Lands in Public Hands Act<\/em> to Congress, which aims to protect public lands from being sold to the highest bidder and privatized for the enjoyment of few[15]<\/sup><\/a>. This legislation fights against the Trump administration directly and reinforces the historical idea that public lands are for every American. The Public Lands in Public Hands Act <\/em>will prevent industry from building new resource-extraction infrastructure on public lands. When land is private, it becomes much more difficult to regulate the use of that land. Inevitably, President Trump\u2019s highest bidders are those who will strip the land for everything it has to offer to increase short-term profits, destroying ecosystems and the recreational spaces so many Americans cherish. More bipartisan legislation that keeps land public and prevents leasing to industrial companies must be introduced to ensure the elimination of harmful resource extraction. By electing officials such as these and supporting their legislation, you have the power to save America\u2019s public lands. Resource extraction on public lands is a dangerous practice, and it hurts the everyday American. These lands are an integral part of our culture and history, and it is time to fight back against those who view them as little more than a fore<\/p>\n\n\n\n [1]<\/sup><\/a> Callaghan, Anna. \u201cPublic Lands in the United States.\u201d Public Lands. Accessed March 6, 2025. https:\/\/www.publiclands.com\/blog\/a\/public-lands-in-the-united-states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [2]<\/sup><\/a> Siegler, Kirk. \u201cUtah\u2019s Controversial Effort to Gain Control of U.S. Public Lands.\u201d NPR, October 3, 2024. https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2024\/10\/03\/nx-s1-5119930\/utahs-controversial-effort-to-gain-control-of-u-s-public-lands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [3]<\/sup><\/a> \u201cWhat We Manage.\u201d Bureau of Land Management. Accessed March 6, 2025. https:\/\/www.blm.gov\/about\/what-we-manage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [4]<\/sup><\/a> \u201cBirth of a National Park.\u201d National Parks Service, February 5, 2020. https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/yell\/learn\/historyculture\/yellowstoneestablishment.htm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [5]<\/sup><\/a> \u201cAntiquities Act of 1906.\u201d National Parks Service, February 10, 2025. https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/subjects\/archeology\/antiquities-act.htm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [6]<\/sup><\/a> Zeno, Sam, and Jenny Rowland-Shea. \u201cThe Biden Administration Took Record-Breaking Conservation Action.\u201d Center for American Progress, December 23, 2024. https:\/\/www.americanprogress.org\/article\/the-biden-administration-took-record-breaking-conservation-action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [7]<\/sup><\/a> Interior Press. \u201cEconomic Impact of Public Lands Increases by $400 Million in First Year under President Trump.\u201d U.S. Department of the Interior, November 14, 2018. https:\/\/www.doi.gov\/pressreleases\/economic-impact-public-lands-increases-400-million-first-year-under-president-trump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [8]<\/sup><\/a> Joselow, Maxine. \u201cTrump Names Oil and Gas Advocate to Lead Agency That Manages Federal Lands.\u201d The Guardian, February 12, 2025. https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2025\/feb\/12\/trump-land-management-kathleen-sgamma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [9]<\/sup><\/a> Feingold, Spencer. \u201cThe US Enters Its \u2018drill, Baby, Drill\u2019 Era. Here\u2019s What an Energy Leader Has to Say.\u201d World Economic Forum, March 3, 2025. https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/stories\/2025\/03\/us-enters-drill-era-top-energy-leader-oil-gas\/.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [10]<\/sup><\/a> \u201c7 Ways Oil and Gas Drilling Is Bad for the Environment.\u201d The Wilderness Society, July 9, 2021. https:\/\/www.wilderness.org\/articles\/blog\/7-ways-oil-and-gas-drilling-bad-environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [11]<\/sup><\/a> Smith, Adam B. \u201c2024: An Active Year of U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters.\u201d NOAA Climate.gov, January 10, 2025. https:\/\/www.climate.gov\/news-features\/blogs\/beyond-data\/2024-active-year-us-billion-dollar-weather-and-climate-disasters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [12]<\/sup><\/a> \u201cOpening Public Lands and Waters to Fossil Fuel Extraction Could Have Major Climate Consequences.\u201d SEI, September 11, 2019. https:\/\/www.sei.org\/about-sei\/press-room\/public-land-extraction-climate-consequences\/.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [13]<\/sup><\/a> Kelly, Alison. \u201cPublic Lands Can Help Solve the Climate Crisis.\u201d Be a Force for the Future, July 14, 2020. https:\/\/www.nrdc.org\/bio\/alison-kelly\/public-lands-can-help-solve-climate-crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [14]<\/sup><\/a> Depro, Brooks M., Brian C. Murray, Ralph J. Alig, and Alyssa Shanks. \u201cPublic Land, Timber Harvests, and Climate Mitigation: Quantifying Carbon Sequestration Potential on U.S. Public Timberlands.\u201d US Forest Service Research and Development, January 1, 1970. https:\/\/research.fs.usda.gov\/treesearch\/33137.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n