We bring you the latest public lands and conservation news in a quick, digestible format. Here’s what’s making headlines:

America the Beautiful Act Reintroduced

The bipartisan America the Beautiful Act has been reintroduced in the Senate by Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Angus King (I-ME), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Mark Warner (D-VA). This bill aims to reauthorize and strengthen the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, originally established by the Great American Outdoors Act in 2020.

With over $40 billion in deferred maintenance across public lands, the updated act would:

• Extend the fund through 2033
• Boost funding to $2 billion per year
• Expand eligibility to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands
• Prioritize projects with a 15% funding match
• Require rolling project lists and promote public donations

Supporters include the National Parks Conservation Association and Outdoor Alliance. Senator Daines called the legislation vital for keeping public lands “accessible and safe for future generations.”

If you’d like to contact your representatives to support this bill, you can do so here.

Public Land Sales Proposed in House Budget

The House Natural Resources Committee’s draft federal budget includes a provision that would force the Department of the Interior to sell off parcels of federal land to generate revenue. While the bill refers to these parcels as “surplus lands,” many conservation and sportsmen’s groups are pushing back.

Organizations like Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership argue these sales could permanently reduce public access and damage ecosystems. They warn that once land is sold, it’s gone – and with it, the opportunities for recreation and habitat protection.

To voice your opposition to this proposal, contact your representatives here.

Trump Budget Proposes Deep Cuts to Interior

The Trump administration’s proposed budget for FY2026 slashes the Department of the Interior’s funding by more than 30%, from $16.8 billion to $11.7 billion. The National Park Service would take an even bigger hit, with a 40% cut to its operational budget – including a $900 million reduction to park operations.

Critics – including the National Parks Conservation Association, the Sierra Club, and the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks – say the cuts would gut public land agencies already strained by overuse and maintenance backlogs. The budget also proposes handing over smaller, lesser-used national parks to state governments, a first-of-its-kind proposal that’s drawn additional concern.

You can read the administration’s proposed funding changes here.

Bipartisan Public Lands Caucus Forms

In a rare display of bipartisanship, Representatives Ryan Zinke (R-MT) and Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), with support from Mike Simpson (R-ID) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI), launched the Bipartisan Public Lands Caucus in the House.

The caucus aims to protect access to public lands, enhance recreation opportunities, and support rural communities tied to outdoor economies. It’s a promising step toward finding common ground in an increasingly polarized political environment.