Project 2025’s Impact on Public Lands: 2026 Update on National Monuments and Energy Policy

Trump administration actions threaten millions of acres. Real data on tourism revenue, energy jobs, and monument rollbacks

Estimated read time: 14 minutes

Project 2025 shifted from policy proposal to active implementation when President Trump took office on January 20, 2025. Within weeks, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum ordered agencies to review all protected public lands for potential rollback. In June 2025, the Department of Justice reversed 87 years of internal interpretation, asserting presidential authority to revoke national monument designations—a legal opinion that conservation groups call unprecedented. By January 2026, the Center for American Progress reports that initiated actions could affect protections for tens of millions of acres.

This article examines verifiable data on 2024 tourism spending, current energy employment figures, specific monuments under threat, and opportunities to participate in public comment periods on proposed lease sales.

Trump Administration’s 2025 Actions on Public Lands 2026 UPDATE

The Heritage Foundation released Project 2025 in May 2023 as a conservative blueprint for federal government operations. When Trump resumed the presidency in January 2025, implementation of elements aligned with the blueprint began with executive actions focused on public lands.

February 2025: Interior Secretary Doug Burgum signed six secretarial orders titled “Unleashing American Energy.” One order directed agencies to “review and, as appropriate, revise all withdrawn public lands.” This includes national monuments designated under the Antiquities Act, areas withdrawn from mining, and lands with conservation protections.

The orders directed staff to prioritize energy development in land-use decisions. Agencies had 15 days to present action plans. Interior has not released these plans publicly as of early January 2026.

April 2025: Trump lifted commercial fishing prohibitions within the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, reopening thousands of square miles of ocean ecosystem to industrial fishing.

June 2025: The Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel released an internal opinion reversing a 1938 departmental interpretation. The new opinion asserts that presidents can revoke national monument designations made by predecessors if protections are deemed unwarranted. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Lanora Pettit wrote that monument designations for hiking, camping, and recreation are “wholly unrelated to (if not outright incompatible with) the protection of scientific or historical monuments.”

This DOJ opinion represents a change in executive branch legal interpretation but does not constitute binding judicial precedent. Supreme Court decisions such as Cameron v. United States (1920), which upheld broad presidential authority under the Antiquities Act, remain unchanged. The DOJ interpretation could shift with future administrations or be challenged in court.

October 2025: During a government shutdown, the administration kept national parks open with reduced staffing while furloughing thousands of park workers.

According to a Center for American Progress analysis released in December 2025, already-initiated actions could strip protections from substantial acreage of public lands if fully implemented.

Economic Impact: 2024 Tourism vs Energy Data 2026 UPDATE

National parks drive economic activity in gateway communities within roughly 60 miles of protected areas.

The National Park Service released its 2024 Visitor Spending Effects report in September 2025. The data shows 331.9 million recreation visits to national parks in 2024. Visitors spent $29 billion in local communities near parks. This spending generated $56.3 billion in total economic output and supported 340,100 jobs nationwide.

Visitor spending broke down as follows:

• $11.1 billion at lodging (38% of direct spending)
• $5.7 billion at restaurants
• $2.6 billion on recreation industries

Visitation grew by 6 million visits (2% increase) from 2023 to 2024. Spending increased by 10% despite economic uncertainty prompting visitors to choose domestic travel over international trips.

The energy sector employed 8.5 million people in 2024 (5.4% of all U.S. jobs), according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Clean energy comprised 3.56 million of these jobs (42% of energy sector employment), growing faster than traditional energy sectors.

Fossil fuel employment has declined over decades due to mechanization. Coal mining lost 58% of jobs between 1980 and 2015 as production per worker increased through technology advances. Oil and gas extraction contributed hundreds of billions to GDP but employment figures show long-term contraction despite high revenue.

Economic comparison: National park tourism vs energy sector employment (2024 data)

Sector	Annual Economic Output	Jobs Supported	Data Source
National Park Tourism	$56.3 billion	340,100	NPS 2024 VSE Report
All Energy Sector	Varied by subsector	8.5 million total	DOE 2025 USEER (2024 data)
Clean Energy Subsector	Not separately calculated	3.56 million	E2 Clean Jobs 2025

Primary sources: Flyr, M., Stockmoe, E., Cullinane Thomas, C., Koontz, L., & Huber, C. (2025). 2024 National Park Visitor Spending Effects. NPS Science Report NPS/SR—2025/353; U.S. Department of Energy 2025 U.S. Energy and Employment Report; E2 Clean Jobs America 2025 report.

Proponents of expanded energy leasing argue that domestic production reduces foreign imports and creates high-paying jobs. Critics contend that tourism provides more geographically distributed employment and that extraction methods risk habitat fragmentation and cultural site destruction regardless of modern techniques.

Legal Strategy: DOJ Reverses Internal Interpretation NEW 2026

The Antiquities Act of 1906 allows presidents to declare national monuments covering areas necessary to protect “historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest.” Presidents have used this authority for over a century to protect landscapes from the Grand Canyon to Bears Ears.

A 1938 Department of Justice legal opinion concluded that presidents lack authority to revoke monuments designated by predecessors. This interpretation guided executive branch practice for 87 years, though it was never tested in court and does not represent binding judicial precedent.

On June 11, 2025, the Trump administration’s Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel issued a new internal opinion. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Lanora Pettit asserted that presidents can cancel monument designations if protections are not warranted.

The opinion specifically discussed two California monuments designated by President Biden in his final days: Chuckwalla National Monument (624,000 acres) and Sáttítla Highlands National Monument (roughly 225,000 acres). Pettit argued that recreation activities are “wholly unrelated to (if not outright incompatible with) the protection of scientific or historical monuments.”

Environmental groups dispute this interpretation. The Wilderness Society responded that “Americans overwhelmingly support our public lands and oppose seeing them dismantled or destroyed.” Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico called it an attempt to “clear a path to erase national monuments.”

This represents a change in how the executive branch interprets the Antiquities Act, not a change in Supreme Court precedent. The Supreme Court upheld broad presidential authority under the Act in Cameron v. United States (1920), but that case addressed designation authority, not revocation. Legal scholars and prior administrations have interpreted the Act differently than the current DOJ position suggests.

Project 2025 proponents cite the statutory phrase “smallest area compatible” as justification for reducing monument boundaries. They argue recent designations exceed what preservation requires. Courts have not ruled definitively on maximum monument size or whether presidents can revoke predecessors’ designations.

Monuments Under Threat: Current Status 2026 UPDATE

Multiple national monuments face potential boundary reductions or protection changes. Conservation organizations have identified specific monuments at risk based on Interior Department review criteria and public statements.

Bears Ears National Monument (Utah): Created in December 2016 covering 1.35 million acres, reduced 85% in 2017, restored in 2021. Holds deep cultural significance for five Native American tribes and contains over 100,000 archaeological sites. Conservation groups report the monument faces renewed threat based on administration statements and review processes initiated in early 2025.

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (Utah): Established in 1996 at 1.87 million acres, downsized nearly 50% in 2017, restored in 2021. Known for paleontological sites and unique geology. Under review as of January 2026 based on Interior Department orders.

Chuckwalla National Monument (California): Designated by Biden in January 2025 covering 624,000 acres near Joshua Tree. Includes Painted Canyon of Mecca Hills and Alligator Rock. Protects rare species including desert bighorn sheep. Specifically named in the June 2025 DOJ opinion as an example of monuments that could potentially be revoked.

Sáttítla Highlands National Monument (California): Designated by Biden in January 2025 covering approximately 225,000 acres near the California-Oregon border. Also named in the DOJ opinion as a potential revocation candidate.

Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument (Arizona): Designated in August 2023 covering nearly 1 million acres. Protects watershed, wildlife habitat, and sacred Indigenous sites. Media reports from April 2025 indicated Interior was considering boundary changes.

Additional Monuments Under Review: Conservation groups have identified Ironwood Forest (Arizona), Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks (New Mexico), Cascade-Siskiyou (Oregon), and Browns Canyon (Colorado) as potentially affected by review processes. Browns Canyon protects drinking water sources for over a million people.

The Wilderness Society released analysis in February 2025 showing that millions of acres of monument lands fall within Interior’s stated review criteria based on the language of secretarial orders.

Ongoing Lease Sales: 2026 Schedule NEW 2026

The Bureau of Land Management has proposed multiple oil and gas lease sales for early 2026. Recent policy changes have increased the frequency and scope of federal lease offerings.

Proposed Early 2026 Sales (check BLM ePlanning for current status):

• New Mexico and Oklahoma: Parcels totaling over 20,000 acres proposed
• Colorado: Multiple sales proposed including parcels exceeding 70,000 acres
• Montana and North Dakota: Parcels totaling several thousand acres
• Nevada and Utah: Combined parcels exceeding 90,000 acres proposed
• Eastern states (Arkansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi): Smaller parcels proposed

Conservation organizations report that BLM is offering substantially more acreage for leasing compared to recent years, particularly across Colorado and other Western states.

Industry observers note that some recent lease auctions in areas where easily accessible resources have already been developed receive limited bidding activity. Aaron Weiss of Center for Western Priorities stated that much of the highest-value acreage across the West has already been leased, suggesting market constraints on expanded development despite increased offerings.

Environmental groups call the accelerated lease schedule “a burden on the short-staffed agency,” noting BLM faces budget constraints while processing increased lease offerings.

How to track current sales: Visit eplanning.blm.gov and search for “oil and gas lease” to find active proposals with comment periods and sale schedules. The National Fluid Lease Sale System on BLM’s website lists upcoming auctions.

Public Opposition and Polling Data 2026 UPDATE

Public support for national monuments and the Antiquities Act remains strong based on multiple polls conducted by conservation organizations and independent research firms.

Analysis of public comments on Trump administration proposals shows overwhelming opposition to protection rollbacks. According to conservation group analyses:

• Over 600,000 comments submitted on roadless rule protections, with the vast majority opposing rollbacks
• Public comment analysis on the Public Lands Rule guiding conservation across millions of acres showed strong opposition to rescission
• Polls conducted by conservation organizations consistently show large majorities opposing monument protection reductions

Monument-specific polling conducted by organizations including Grand Canyon Trust and New Bridge Strategy shows broad support:

• Strong majorities of Utah voters support presidents’ ability to protect public lands as national monuments
• Large percentages of Utah voters support keeping Bears Ears as a national monument
• Polling indicates support for monument protections crosses party lines, with majorities of both Republican and Democratic voters supporting protections

Western state voter surveys consistently find that majorities prefer environmental and wildlife protection over expanded oil and gas development on public lands.

Historical polling data from 2018 shows national monuments are viewed as important to nearby economies, as national treasures, as important places for future generations, and as places to learn about American history, with approval ratings exceeding 80% across these categories.

During Trump’s first term, Western voter approval for his handling of land, water, and wildlife issues dropped substantially after monument reduction announcements were made.

How to Participate: Comment Periods and Action Steps 2026 UPDATE

Federal agencies must accept public comments on proposed lease sales and land management changes. Here is how to participate:

BLM Lease Sale Comments:

1. Visit eplanning.blm.gov
2. Search for “oil and gas lease” or specific state names
3. Review parcel maps and environmental analyses for active proposals
4. Submit comments during 30-day public scoping or comment periods
5. Focus comments on specific parcels, environmental concerns, or procedural issues

Finding Active Comment Periods:

BLM publishes press releases announcing new lease proposals at blm.gov. Each announcement includes project numbers and ePlanning links. Comment deadlines are typically 30 days from the announcement date.

Congressional Engagement:

• Contact your U.S. Representative and Senators through their official websites
• Request they support Antiquities Act protections and public lands conservation
• Ask about oversight hearings on Interior Department actions
• House Natural Resources Committee and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hold jurisdiction over public lands issues

Conservation Organization Involvement:

• Join local or national conservation groups that track proposed actions and coordinate advocacy
• Participate in coordinated comment campaigns when available
• Attend public meetings when agencies hold them in your region
• Support legal challenges if monuments are reduced contrary to law

Tribal Engagement:

Many monuments protect Indigenous cultural sites and sacred landscapes. Tribal councils often lead advocacy efforts for these places. Non-Native supporters can amplify tribal voices and support tribal-led initiatives rather than speaking for tribal communities.

With billions in economic activity and irreplaceable cultural resources at stake, informed public participation matters. Agencies are legally required to consider submitted comments, and documented public opposition can influence implementation timelines and decision-making.