Momoko, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) oversees more acres of public lands than any other government agency—but under the current administration's control, it's being used to weaken protections for the very places it's meant to protect.
Just last month, it officially repealed the Public Lands Rule, putting industrial interests back in the driver's seat and disregarding the overwhelming wishes of the American people for public lands to be managed in a balanced way that conserves special places for future generations. Soon after, former Rep. Steve Pearce—a hardline politician with deep ties to the oil and gas industry—was confirmed as the agency's new director.
The message is loud and clear: the administration and its allies are prioritizing drilling and mining over conservation. They are rapidly accelerating their plan to sell off America's public lands to the highest bidder at the expense of wildlife, clean air and water, and our freedom to explore the wild places that belong to us all.
We're launching an emergency campaign to keep America's public lands in public hands, and we urgently need your help. Will you rush an urgent gift to help us raise $20,000 by June 30?
Here's what you need to know:
The BLM is responsible for more than 245 million acres of the wide-open spaces where Americans hike, hunt, fish and camp. And it's now squarely in the crosshairs of an administration working aggressively to open those lands to destructive industrial development.
The agency's new director, Steve Pearce, spent years in Congress pushing for the sale of public lands, opposing protections for special places and making it easier for oil and gas companies to operate on public lands without paying their fair share.
With his appointment, the administration is pushing full-steam ahead with its reckless agenda of dismantling and privatizing America's public lands.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in their recent repeal of the BLM Public Lands Rule, which placed conservation and outdoor recreation on equal footing with drilling, mining and grazing. By rolling it back, the administration can once again cater to the extractive industries that have long sought to profit from our shared lands.
What comes next:
We are not backing down, and this fight is not over. We'll be watching Pearce's actions closely, and with the help of Wilderness Society supporters across the nation, we'll mount an immediate defense against any attempt to sell off, give away or privatize public lands. To get that done, we need all hands on deck. Can we count on your support today?
What's needed:
We urgently need to raise $20,000 by June 30—and a tax-deductible gift from you today will help make sure we have the resources to fight back and defend our shared public lands at every turn.
Please, chip in to help protect America's public lands for generations to come >>
Thank you for standing with us,
The Wilderness Society
