180 Western Leaders Urge Trump Administration to Abandon Push to Gut BLM Public Lands Rule
“Our communities are asking for a more balanced approach to land management that reflects the full range of ways people live, work, and recreate on these lands.”
On November 6, 2025, 180 elected mountain community leaders from across the West are urging the Trump Administration to abandon its shortsighted push to roll back the Public Lands Rule - a critical rule the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) finalized last year that balanced stewardship on public lands by putting conservation on equal footing with other uses of BLM land like energy development, livestock grazing and recreation.
In a letter, the county commissioners/supervisors, mayors, and council members/trustees wrote that the Rule provides a more balanced approach to public lands management in the West, and said any rollback will negatively impact Western communities’ important wildlife habitat, treasured recreation areas, critical water resources, and Indigenous cultural sites.
“Western communities depend on well-managed public lands to support our economies and our outdoor way of life, and the BLM Public Lands Rule ensures that conservation of these irreplaceable landscapes is given equal consideration,” said Mountain Pact Director Anna Peterson. “This critical tool conserves key lands and waters for residents, wildlife, and future generations, and brings much-needed balance to BLM management. We oppose the elimination of this commonsense rule and encourage the administration to fully implement it.”
The Rule does not eliminate oil and gas development, mining, logging, or grazing. In fact, 81% of BLM-managed lands remain open to oil and gas leasing. It simply clarifies existing law and gives the BLM the tools to ensure that these uses are considered alongside other important public values, such as clean air and water, access to nature, recreation opportunities, and the protection of cultural and historical resources.
92% of public comments submitted during the robust comment period in the spring of 2023 supported the Public Lands Rule. 82% percent of voters in the West–on both sides of the aisle–support a national goal of conserving America’s lands and waters in the next decade, including support from over two-thirds of conservative Republican voters.
The Trump administration’s proposal to gut the BLM Public Land Rule puts important BLM lands that bolster local economies and protect treasured outdoor spaces in danger, and comes amidst an all-out attack on our public lands. Since February, the administration has issued secretarial orders targeting America’s national monuments and positioning drilling and mining interests as the favored users of America’s public lands. Trump has also fired thousands of employees and slashed millions in funding from public land agencies like the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management; waged an all-out assault on renewable energy in favor of more drilling and resource extraction; erected barriers for Land and Water Conservation Fund projects; and made moves to rescind the Roadless Rule.
More than 300 current and former Western local elected officials from both sides of the aisle, including mayors, county commissioners, state lawmakers, and city and town council members have urgently called for a more balanced approach to the management of our public lands. And 60 western communities have passed pro-public resolutions pushing back on these direct threats to mountain communities and our outdoor way of life.
Protected public lands are important economic drivers for Western communities that add $1.2 trillion to the American economy and support more than 5 million jobs in the US.
Polling has consistently shown protections for public lands hold overwhelming support from both the public and local elected officials. According to the 2024 Conservation in the West Poll, 72 percent of Western voters oppose removing protections on existing national public lands to allow more drilling and mining. The same poll found that 85 percent of voters in the West – including 74 percent of Republicans, 87 percent of Independents, and 96 percent of Democrats – say issues involving clean water, clean air, wildlife and public lands are important in deciding whether to support an elected official.
Quotes from Letter Signers
ARIZONA
District 3 County Supervisor and Vice Chair Jennifer Allen, Pima County, Arizona said “Pima County is proud to have supported the BLM Public Lands Rule that helps us thoughtfully manage the precious public lands that boost tourism, support our local economy, and offer incredible opportunities to appreciate and be in awe of Arizona’s majestic desert. We’re greatly disappointed by this attempt to gut the Public Land Rule, and urge the Administration to reconsider so it can continue benefiting communities like mine and countless others like it across the West.”
CALIFORNIA
Nevada County, California Supervisor District 5 Hardy Bullock said, “Public lands power our outdoor economy and provide countless benefits like clean air and water, critical wildlife habitat, and unparalleled opportunities for outdoor recreation. We urge the administration to listen to the overwhelming support in communities like mine for the BLM Public Land Rule and reconsider this short sighted rollback before it’s too late.”
COLORADO
La Plata County, Colorado Commissioner Matt Salka said, “In La Plata County, our public lands are the backbone of our economy and the heart of our outdoor way of life. We celebrated when BLM recognized that conservation of these irreplaceable landscapes deserves equal standing alongside agriculture, energy development, and other uses. We are deeply concerned to see that hard-won balance now at risk. These are shared public lands — and they must remain protected so that our children and grandchildren can experience them and benefit from them for generations to come.”
Chair, Gunnison Board of County Commissioners Laura Puckett Daniels, Gunnison County, Colorado
said,“The BLM’s Gunnison Field Office sees more recreation than any other district in Colorado. It generates $300 million of economic activity, just in this corner of the state. The economic value of recreation often outweighs the economic value of oil and gas development in Gunnison County, and it needs to be considered with equal weight in public land use planning. Gunnison County has always taken a balanced approach to energy production and land management; we have oil and gas wells, timber production, a coal mine, solar farms, and geothermal fields. We also have gold-medal trout fishing, robust elk herds, and a vibrant recreation economy. The Public Lands Rule strikes this same balance—allowing wildlife and recreation, which have enormous economic and cultural value—to hold equal footing as energy production. It is imperative the Public Lands Rule stay in place so that our public lands uphold all of these values for generations to come.”
IDAHO
County Commissioner Muffy Davis, Blaine County, Idaho said,“In Idaho, our public lands are vital to both our economy and our way of life—supporting hundreds of good-paying jobs and offering unparalleled opportunities to ski, hike, fish, and explore our remarkable landscapes. The BLM Public Lands Rule is essential because it rightly elevates conservation and recreation as core elements of balanced land management. We urge the administration to uphold this commitment to protect and sustain our public lands for future generations.”
MONTANA
Missoula, Montana Mayor Andrea Davis said, “We call on the administration to stop undermining responsible management of our public lands and instead partner with communities like Missoula to protect them. The BLM Lands Rule represents a modern, balanced approach to caring for the lands that sustain our economy, our culture, and our health. Here in the West, we know that strong stewardship of our public lands isn’t partisan, it’s about protecting and enhancing the places and livelihoods that define who we are.”
NEVADA
Clark County, Nevada Commission Chair Tick Segerblom said, “Our public lands are essential to our traditions, wildlife, and outdoor way of life. The Public Lands Rule is integral to defending this irreplaceable part of our heritage, culture, and future, and ensures the government acts as a responsible stewards of these shared spaces. We were proud to speak out in support of this critical rule, and will continue fighting to protect our most sacred natural spaces upon which we all rely.”
NEW MEXICO
Santa Fe County, New Mexico County Commissioner Hank Hughes said, “The Land of Enchantment is defined by our public lands. The sweeping open spaces, stunning mountain ranges, and rugged deserts that define the New Mexico landscape are critical drivers of our outdoor and recreation economy, which is more important to our local economy than extractive activities. The BLM Public Lands Rule is a key tool that balances the needs of many different users, and I urge the administration to rethink its approach and instead work with us to protect the public lands we call home.”
OREGON
Lane County, Oregon Commissioner Laurie Trieger said, “Public lands provide vital watersheds and habitat for wildlife, are critical for mitigating the impacts of climate change, and serve as the key driver of our outdoor recreation economy. The BLM Public Lands Rule is an important tool that elevates these considerations alongside other uses, and enables land managers to make decisions accordingly, benefiting everyone. We applaud the Rule for making it easier for BLM and communities to work together to protect our shared public lands, which is why I urge the administration to change course and leave this important tool intact.”
UTAH
Grand County, Utah Commissioner Trisha Hedin said, “Putting conservation on the same playing field as other uses like mining, grazing, and drilling is a common-sense approach that invites collaboration and lets Western communities like mine have a say when it comes to our most important resource - our public lands. Our community depends on the health of public lands to attract visitors from all over the world. It is the backbone of our economy. The BLM Public Lands Rule allows us to protect our shared heritage of robust public lands and cultural resources, and the decision to roll it back should be reconsidered for the benefit of us all.”
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U.S. Department of the Interior, Director (630)
Bureau of Land Management
1849 C St. NW, Room 5646
Washington, DC 20240
Attention: 1004- AF03
The below listed local elected officials, who represent communities across the Western U.S., are writing to oppose the rescission of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, better known as the Public Lands Rule (Rule). Any rollback to the Rule, which has begun to provide a more balanced approach to public lands management in the West, will negatively impact our communities’ important wildlife habitat, treasured recreation areas, critical water resources, and Indigenous cultural sites.
Well-managed public lands, with a balanced approach to different uses, are tremendous assets to Western communities. They play a critical role in our way of life and help make the communities where we live and work what they are, while contributing to a healthier and better tomorrow for future generations. Yet, too many of these areas have suffered from one-sided management practices that have prioritized resource extraction and development over recreation, cultural resource protection, and conservation. For decades, these old management practices have ignored the economic realities of our Western communities by favoring oil and gas development and mining over the new economic drivers of outdoor recreation and tourism.
As the largest land manager in the nation and with nearly 40% of all U.S. federal public lands under its jurisdiction, the Bureau of Land Management must play a leading role in stewarding our public lands for the future. The Rule is a key tool to help conserve and restore more of our nation’s lands and waters for residents, wildlife, and future generations while increasing equitable access to nature. The Rule has put conservation, recreation, and access to nature on equal footing with extractive uses on public lands, finally bringing balance to the agency’s management, which is critical to ensuring and balancing the economic needs of our communities - needs that include smart resource development and conservation. We oppose the elimination of this commonsense rule and encourage the administration to fully implement it.
As the world faces staggering nature loss and disappearance of biodiversity, BLM lands are vital “connective tissue” across the western United States providing essential core habitat and migration corridors that enable wildlife species and entire ecosystems to survive and thrive. These lands between wilderness areas; national parks; national monuments and refuges; and smaller private, state, county, city, and town lands; are integral to intact ecosystems that make it easier for species to adapt to climate change. Interconnected landscapes that allow species to reach new habitat areas is an important aspect of preserving ecosystems and wildlife populations.
These lands also support a diverse array of outdoor recreation activities and create sustainable jobs in the recreation and tourism sector that are the backbone of many of our communities. In 2023 alone, outdoor recreation generated $1.2 trillion in economic output–two times the economic output of agriculture and forestry, or one-and-a-half times that of oil and gas development and mining. Similarly, access to Bureau of Land Management Lands for recreational activities contributes about $11.8 billion to the national economy—critical fiscal certainty for our rural and gateway communities situated near these lands and waters. BLM lands located in our region are favorites for visitors and residents alike for camping, fishing, mountain biking, hiking, and more.
The Rule does not eliminate oil and gas development, mining, logging, or grazing. In fact, 90% of BLM-managed lands remain open to oil and gas leasing. This Rule simply clarifies existing law and gives the BLM the tools to ensure that these uses are considered alongside other important public values, such as clean air and water, access to nature, recreation opportunities, and the protection of cultural and historical resources. Our communities are asking for a more balanced approach to land management—not a decades-old approach dominated entirely by extractive and polluting industries, but one that reflects the full range of ways people live, work, and recreate on these lands. The Rule helps ensure that these priorities are given due consideration, and that our public lands can support our economies and our quality of life now and into the future.
The Rule will create opportunities for people to engage and support decision-making about the lands and waters they care about close to home by considering conservation, including watershed and land health, restoration, mitigation, and the protection of critical natural resources. These efforts at the national level will positively impact BLM lands in our communities and across the West. Fully implementing the Rule as it was written will also help bring the agency’s management practices more in line with the balanced economic approach our communities are working hard to develop.
We urge BLM to listen to the voices of our communities and the public as 92% of public comments submitted during the robust comment period in the spring of 2023 supported the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule. Eighty-two percent of voters in the West–on a bipartisan basis–support a national goal of conserving America’s lands and waters in the next decade, including support from over two-thirds of conservative Republican voters.
As representatives of the communities that are most impacted by BLM’s management decisions, we urge the administration to listen to the overwhelming support for the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule and reconsider this short sighted rollback of a rule that will ensure a balanced approach into the future. We encourage the administration to work with our communities to fully implement the Rule and help ensure a sustainable future to our Western way of life.
Thank you,
Arizona
Supervisor Patrice Horstman, Coconino County, Arizona
Supervisor District 2 Jeronimo Vasquez, Coconino County, Arizona
Supervisor Judy Begay, Coconino County, Arizona
Vice Mayor Austin Aslan, City of Flagstaff, Arizona
Mayor Andrea Wood, Town of Patagonia, Arizona
Vice Mayor Michael Stabile, Town of Patagonia, Arizona
Council Member Steve Finch, Town of Patagonia, Arizona
Council Member A. Francesca Claverie, Town of Patagonia, Arizona
Council Member Gary Retherford, Town of Patagonia, Arizona
District 3 Supervisor, Vice Chair Board of Supervisors Jennifer Allen, Pima County, Arizona
Mayor Clarinda Vail, Tusayan, Arizona
Council Member Randall Putz, City of Big Bear Lake, California
City Councilmember Lorraine Avila Moore, Lynwood, Los Angeles County, California
Mayor Christine Bubser, Town of Mammoth Lakes, California
Mayor Pro Tem Amanda Rice, Town of Mammoth Lakes, California
Council Member John Wentworth, Mammoth Lakes, California
County Supervisor District 5 Hardy Bullock, Nevada County, California
Council Member Dave Polivy, Town of Truckee, California
State Senator Dylan Roberts, Colorado
State Senator District 18 Judy Amabile, Colorado
County Commissioner Carrie Warren-Gully, Arapahoe County, Colorado
Mayor Rachael E. Richards, City of Aspen, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem John Doyle, City of Aspen, Colorado
Mayor Tamra Nottingham Underwood, Avon, Colorado
Council Member Ruth Stanley, Town of Avon, Colorado
Former Mayor Sarah Smith Hymes, Avon, Colorado
Mayor David Knight, Town of Basalt, Colorado
Council Member Hannah Berman, Town of Basalt, Colorado
County Commissioner Marta Loachamin, Boulder County, Colorado
County Commissioner Ashley Stolzmann, Boulder County, Colorado
County Commissioner Claire Levy, Boulder County, Colorado
Former County Commissioner Elise Jones, Boulder County, Colorado
Former Mayor Suzanne Jones, City of Boulder, Colorado
Council Member Paloma Delgadillo, City and County of Broomfield, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Dick Carleton, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado
Council Member Stephen Gerard, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado
Trustee Michal Rosenoer, Town of Buena Vista, Colorado
Trustee Chris Hassig, Town of Carbondale, Colorado
Trustee Colin Laird, Town of Carbondale, Colorado
County Commissioner P.T. Wood, Chaffee County, Colorado
County Commissioner Gina Lucrezi, Chaffee County, Colorado
County Commissioner Dave Armstrong, Chaffee County, Colorado
Former County Commissioner and Commander, United States Navy (Retired) Keith “Chet” Baker, Chaffee County, Colorado
County Commissioner George Marlin Clear Creek County, Colorado
Council Member Beth Goldstone, Town of Crested Butte, Colorado
Council Member Flor Alvidrez, City and County of Denver, Colorado
Mayor Carolyn Skowyra, Town of Dillon, Colorado
Council Member Barbara Richard, Town of Dillon, Colorado
Former Mayor and Council Member Jessika Buell, City of Durango, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Dave Woodruff, City of Durango, Colorado
Council Member Kip Koso, City of Durango, Colorado
County Commissioner, Chair Jeanne McQueeney, Eagle County, Colorado
County Commissioner Matt Scherr, Eagle County, Colorado
County Commissioner Tom Boyd, Eagle County, Colorado
Former County Commissioner Kathy Chandler-Henry, Eagle County, Colorado
Council Member Geoff Grimmer, Town of Eagle, Colorado
Trustee Frank Lancaster, Town of Estes Park, Colorado
Council Member Tricia Canonico, City of Fort Collins, Colorado
Mayor Brian Cerkvenik, Town of Fraser, Colorado
Mayor Rick Ihnken, Town of Frisco, Colorado
Former Mayor Hunter Mortensen, Town of Frisco, Colorado
County Commissioner Jeff Aiken, Gilpin County, Colorado
County Commissioner Sandy Hollingsworth, Gilpin County, Colorado
Council Member Don Cameron, City of Golden, Colorado
Council Member Patty Evans, City of Golden, Colorado
City Council member at large Scott Beilfuss, City of Grand Junction, Colorado
Council Member Jason Nguyen, City of Grand Junction, Colorado
Chair, Gunnison Board of County Commissioners Laura Puckett Daniels, Gunnison County, Colorado
County Commissioner Marsha Porter-Norton, La Plata County, Colorado
County Commissioner Matt Salka, La Plata County, Colorado
County Commissioner Elizabeth Philbrick, La Plata County, Colorado
Mayor Wendi Strom, City of Lakewood, Colorado
Council Member Isabel Cruz, City of Lakewood, Colorado
Council Member Bill Furman, City of Lakewood, Colorado
Council Member Jacob LaBure, City of Lakewood, Colorado
Council Member Paula Nystrom, City of Lakewood, Colorado
Council Member Sophia Mayott-Guerrero, City of Lakewood, Colorado
County Commissioner John Kefalas, Larimer County, Colorado
County Commissioner Jody Shadduck-McNall, Larimer County, Colorado
Mayor JD Mangat, City of Lafayette, Colorado
Mayor Hollie Rogin, Town of Lyons, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Scott Pearson, Town of Mountain Village, Colorado
Mayor Billy Giblin, Town of Nederland, Colorado
Former Mayor Corinne Platt, Town of Ophir, Colorado
County Commissioner – District 3 Jake Niece, Ouray County, Colorado
Trustee Sarah Matchett, Palisade, Colorado
County Commissioner Francie Jacober, Pitkin County, Colorado
County Commissioner Jeffrey Woodruff, Pitkin County, Colorado
County Commissioner Greg Poschman, Pitkin County, Colorado
Mayor John Clark, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
Council Member Polly Kroger, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
Council Member Kevin Grambley, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
Council Member Terry Schuyler, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
County Commissioner, District 1 Angelica Salinas, Routt County, Colorado
County Commissioner Sonja Macys, Routt County, Colorado
Council Member Wayles Martin, City of Salida, Colorado
County Commissioner Lance Waring, San Miguel County, Colorado
County Commissioner Galena Gleason, San Miguel County, Colorado
County Commissioner Anne Brown, San Miguel County, Colorado
Former County Commissioner Linda Luther-Broderick, San Miguel County, Colorado
Former County Commissioner Art Goodtimes, San Miguel County, Colorado
County Commissioner Scott Fetchenhier, San Juan County, Colorado
Council Member Britta Gustafson, Town of Snowmass Village, Colorado
Council Member Susan Marolt, Snowmass Village Town Council, Colorado
Former Council Member Robert Sirkus, Snowmass Village, Colorado
County Commissioner Nina Waters. Summit County, Colorado
Council Member Jenn Kaaoush, Town of Superior, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem J. Meehan Fee, Town of Telluride, Colorado
Former Mayor Pro Tem and Council Member Todd Brown, Town of Telluride, Colorado
Mayor Travis Coggin, Town of Vail, Colorado
Council Member Samantha Biszantz Town of Vail, Colorado
Council Member Jonathan Staufer, Town or Vail, Colorado
Council Member Barry Davis, Town or Vail, Colorado
Council Member David Chapin, Town of Vail, Colorado
Council Member Pete Seibert, Town of Vail, Colorado
Mayor Nick Kutrumbos, Town of Winter Park, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Jennifer Hughes, Town of Winter Park, Colorado
Council Member Jeremy Henn, Town of Winter Park, Colorado
Town Councilor Michael Periolat, Town of Winter Park, Colorado
Town Councilor Riley McDonough, Town of Winter Park, Colorado
Town Councilor Art Ferrari, Town of Winter Park, Colorado
Town Councilor Rebecca Kaufman, Town of Winter Park, Colorado
Chair, Board of Blaine County Commissioners Angenie McCleary, Blaine County, Idaho
County Commissioner Muffy Davis, Blaine County, Idaho
City Council, President Kaz Thea, City of Hailey, Idaho
Council Member Courtney Hamilton, City of Ketchum, Idaho
Council Member Tripp Hutchinson, City of Ketchum, Idaho
City Commissioner & Mayor Pro Tem Emily Dean, City of Helena, Montana
City Commissioner Andy Shirtliff, City of Helena, Montana
County Commissioner Juanita Vero, Missoula County, Montana
Mayor Andrea Davis, City of Missoula, Montana
Council Member Kristen Jordan, City of Missoula, Montana
Council Member Eric Melson, City of Missoula, Montana
Majority Whip, Assemblymember, District 15 Howard Watts III, Nevada
Assemblymember, District 25 Selena La Rue Hatch, Nevada
Nevada Legislator Venicia Considine, Nevada
County Commission Chair Tick Segerblom, Clark County
President Beth Smith, Washoe County School Board, Nevada
Council Member Tammy Fiebelkorn, City of Albuquerque, New Mexico
County Commissioner Barbara Baca, Bernalillo County, New Mexico
County Commissioner Eric Olivas, Bernalillo County, New Mexico
Council Member Becky Corran, City of Las Cruces, New Mexico
City Councilor – District 1 Cassie McClure, City of Las Cruces, New Mexico
Former Council Member Gill Sorg, City of Las Cruces, New Mexico
County Commissioner Camilla Bustamante, Santa Fe County, New Mexico
County Commissioner Hank Hughes, Santa Fe County, New Mexico
Former County Commissioner Anna Hansen, Santa Fe County, New Mexico
County Commissioner Darlene Vigil Taos County, New Mexico
Council Member Genevieve Oswald, Town of Taos, New Mexico
Council Member Darien Fernandez, Town of Taos, New Mexico
Council Member Corilia Ortega, Town of Taos, New Mexico
Mayor Tonya Graham, City of Ashland, Oregon
Mayor Melanie Kebler, City of Bend, Oregon
Mayor Pro Tem Megan Perkins, City of Bend, Oregon
Council Member Mike Riley, City of Bend, Oregon
Council Member Ariel Méndez, City of Bend, Oregon
Council Member Steve Platt, City of Bend, Oregon
Council Member Gina Franzosa, City of Bend, Oregon
Council Member Megan Norris, City of Bend, Oregon
County Commissioner Laurie Trieger, Lane County, Oregon
Mayor Roger Bourke, Alta, Utah
Former Mayor Harris Sondak, Alta, Utah
Council Member Tory Hill, Town of Castle Valley, Utah
Council Member Pamela Gibson, Town of Castle Valley, Utah
Council Member Harry Holland, Castle Valley Town Council, Utah
County Commissioner Trisha Hedin, Grand County, Utah
County Commissioner Jacques Hadler, Grand County, Utah
Former County Commissioner Kevin Walker, Grand County, Utah
Former City Council Member Kalen Jones, City of Moab, Utah
Council Member Randy Aton, Town of Springdale, Utah
Council Member Jack Burns, Town of Springdale, Utah
Former Town Council Member Louise Excell, Town of Springdale, Utah
Former Council Member Suzanne Elger, Town of Springdale, Utah
County Councilor Megan McKenna, Summit County, Utah
Council Member Sean Smith, City of Covington, Washington
Mayor Steven Yarbrough, City of Gold Bar, Washington
Mayor Carl Florea, Town of Leavenworth, Washington
Council Member Craig Reynolds, Mercer Island, Washington
Council Member Tami Beaumont, City of Monroe, Washington
County Commissioner Wes Gardner, Teton County, Wyoming
