Republicans target public lands protections in a new way

By:
Alex Brown
-
March 9, 2026
2:45 pm

Republican lawmakers and the Trump administration are using the Congressional Review Act (CRA)—a law that allows Congress to overturn recent federal regulations—to cancel public land management plans that restrict mining, drilling, and other resource extraction. The move has already been used to target plans affecting lands in Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, Utah, and Minnesota.

The CRA was rarely used for decades and had never been applied to land management plans until recently. Traditionally, these plans are developed over years through research, public meetings, and collaboration, guiding how millions of acres of federal land are used for activities such as conservation, energy development, grazing, recreation, and wildlife protection.

Conservation groups and legal experts warn that applying the CRA this way could have sweeping consequences. Because more than 100 existing land management plans were never submitted to Congress for review, they could now be challenged as invalid. That uncertainty could affect thousands of permits and leases for oil and gas drilling, mining, grazing, logging, renewable energy projects, and outdoor recreation.

Supporters of the move say it is necessary to advance President Donald Trump’s “energy dominance” agenda and increase resource extraction from public lands. Critics argue it bypasses the normal planning process and could destabilize the entire system governing federal lands.

Some industry leaders also worry about the precedent, noting that future administrations could use the same tactic to overturn plans that favor development, creating long-term uncertainty for businesses that rely on public lands.