How States Can Turn Polluted Lands Into Clean Energy ReportNovember 17, 2025 How States Can Turn Polluted Lands Into Clean Energy In the absence of federal leadership, states should encourage renewable energy development on contaminated lands—including landfills, abandoned mines, and brownfield sites—in order to reap economic benefits and meet rising electricity demand. Nov 17, 2025 Dylan Nezaj, Alia Hidayat
Fact Sheet: How States Can Turn Polluted Lands Into Clean Energy Fact SheetNovember 17, 2025 Fact Sheet: How States Can Turn Polluted Lands Into Clean Energy In the absence of federal leadership, states should encourage renewable energy development on contaminated lands—including landfills, abandoned mines, and brownfield sites—in order to reap economic benefits and meet rising electricity demand. Nov 17, 2025 Alia Hidayat, Dylan Nezaj
The Shutdown’s Impacts on National Parks and Public Lands Offer a Preview of Trump’s Long-Term Vision ArticleOctober 28, 2025 The Shutdown’s Impacts on National Parks and Public Lands Offer a Preview of Trump’s Long-Term Vision Before and during the government shutdown, the Trump administration has pushed an agenda to sell out America’s public lands for drilling and mining while gutting the funding, staff, and policies necessary to steward those lands for future generations. Oct 28, 2025 Drew McConville
The Trump Administration Is Erasing American History Told by Public Lands and Waters ArticleOctober 23, 2025 The Trump Administration Is Erasing American History Told by Public Lands and Waters Through a series of executive orders targeting place names, signage on, and access to public lands and waters, the Trump administration is erasing important chapters of American history. Oct 23, 2025 Angelo Villagomez, Sam Zeno, Gianna Sala
Ocean Progress Symposium: Advancing Conservation Close to Shore Past EventOctober 15, 2025 Ocean Progress Symposium: Advancing Conservation Close to Shore Please join the Center for American Progress for an event to explore how to navigate ocean conservation in the United States for the next four years. Center for American Progress and Online via Zoom Oct 15, 2025
Ocean Progress Symposium 2025: Advancing Conservation Close to Shore Past EventOctober 15, 2025 Ocean Progress Symposium 2025: Advancing Conservation Close to Shore Please join the Center for American Progress for an event to explore how to navigate ocean conservation in the United States for the next four years. Online via Zoom Oct 15, 2025
Shelby Semmes and Drew McConville: How Vermonters can lead as Washington backslides on conservation In the NewsSeptember 24, 2025 Shelby Semmes and Drew McConville: How Vermonters can lead as Washington backslides on conservation Shelby Semmes and Drew McConville write in VTDigger about how Vermont can take the lead on conservation. Sep 24, 2025 VTDigger Shelby Semmes, Drew McConville
The Trump Administration’s Expansive Push to Sell Out Public Lands to the Highest Bidder ReportSeptember 22, 2025 The Trump Administration’s Expansive Push to Sell Out Public Lands to the Highest Bidder After bipartisan opposition forced Senate Republicans to remove language from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that would have sold off public lands, the Trump administration is still moving forward with proposals to transfer control over tens of millions of acres of public land to the oil and gas, mining, and timber industries. Sep 22, 2025 Drew McConville, Mariel Lutz, Jenny Rowland-Shea
States Can Lead the Way on an Abundant, Pro-Nature Clean Energy Future ArticleAugust 27, 2025 States Can Lead the Way on an Abundant, Pro-Nature Clean Energy Future The Trump administration has falsely framed wind and solar power as harmful to wildlife in order to justify stifling affordable, rapid-to-deploy, clean energy. Here’s how state leadership can advance clean energy and conservation goals simultaneously. Aug 27, 2025 Alia Hidayat
Study protected waters newly opened up to fishing In the NewsAugust 21, 2025 Study protected waters newly opened up to fishing In an article published by Nature, Angelo Villagomez, Kirsten Grorud-Colvert, Jenna Sullivan-Stack, and Steven Mana’oakamai Johnson make a case for studying protected waters that have recently been opened up to fishing. Aug 21, 2025 Nature Angelo Villagomez, Kirsten Grorud-Colvert, Jenna Sullivan-Stack, 1 More Steven Manaoakamai Johnson
Congressional Republicans’ Big Shift on Public Land Payments to Counties ArticleAugust 21, 2025 Congressional Republicans’ Big Shift on Public Land Payments to Counties While the One Big Beautiful Bill Act may have stopped short of selling off public lands, it did end some public land payments that rural communities have relied on since 1908—diverting those funds to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy. Aug 21, 2025 Mark Haggerty, Jenny Rowland-Shea
What To Know About the Senate’s Public Lands Sell-Off ArticleJune 18, 2025 What To Know About the Senate’s Public Lands Sell-Off Among other damaging proposals, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes a controversial plan to sell off public lands to pay for billionaire tax breaks. Jun 18, 2025 Drew McConville
Stars & lighthouses: Marine conservation that blends Pacific Islander wisdom and Western knowledge (commentary) In the NewsJune 11, 2025 Stars & lighthouses: Marine conservation that blends Pacific Islander wisdom and Western knowledge (commentary) In an op-ed for Mongabay, Angelo Villagomez makes an argument for why and how we should blend Indigenous islander conservation practices and Western conservation efforts. Jun 11, 2025 Mongabay Angelo Villagomez
See Them While You Can: Trump’s Policies Threaten America’s National Parks and Public Lands ArticleMay 28, 2025 See Them While You Can: Trump’s Policies Threaten America’s National Parks and Public Lands By selling out national parks and other public lands, the Trump administration is endangering some of America’s great travel destinations. May 28, 2025 Sam Zeno, Drew McConville
Congress’ Tax Bill Is Selling Out America’s Public Lands and Waters ArticleMay 6, 2025 Congress’ Tax Bill Is Selling Out America’s Public Lands and Waters The tax bill would now include the largest sellout of public lands by Congress in modern U.S. history. May 6, 2025 Jenny Rowland-Shea, Drew McConville
Executive Summary: Nearshore Ocean Progress Fact SheetMay 5, 2025 Executive Summary: Nearshore Ocean Progress Increasing focus on nearshore ocean conservation will benefit people and communities and provide more effective protections for wildlife. May 5, 2025 Alia Hidayat, Grey Gowder, Jasmin Graham, 4 More Jewel Tomasula, Jenna Valente, Alissa Weinman, Angelo Villagomez
Nearshore Ocean Progress ReportMay 5, 2025 Nearshore Ocean Progress Increasing focus on nearshore ocean conservation will provide benefits to people and communities alongside more effective protections for wildlife. May 5, 2025 Alia Hidayat, Grey Gowder, Jasmin Graham, 4 More Jewel Tomasula, Jenna Valente, Alissa Weinman, Angelo Villagomez
A reckless sale of public lands won’t solve the housing crisis ArticleMay 2, 2025 A reckless sale of public lands won’t solve the housing crisis In an op-ed published by The Hill, Drew McConville explains why selling off our public lands is a slippery slope and a poor answer to the housing crisis. May 2, 2025 The Hill Drew McConville
Inside Trump’s Plan to Sell Out America’s Public Lands to Mining ReportMay 1, 2025 Inside Trump’s Plan to Sell Out America’s Public Lands to Mining President Trump’s “mine everywhere” executive order calls for a list of national public lands with potential mineral deposits and the prioritization of mining on those lands—a move that would cut off access to some of America’s most iconic places. May 1, 2025 Sam Zeno, Jenny Rowland-Shea
Will the U.S. Housing Crisis Be Exploited for a Massive Public Lands Sell-Off? ReportApril 10, 2025 Will the U.S. Housing Crisis Be Exploited for a Massive Public Lands Sell-Off? Some politicians are using the nation’s housing affordability problems as a pretense to sell off public lands—an extreme agenda that puts America’s treasured lands and waters at risk without substantively addressing housing needs. A new initiative from the Trump administration publicly promises restraint, while specific proposals from Capitol Hill tell a different story. Apr 10, 2025 Drew McConville, Doug Turner
America’s Park and Forest Rangers Are Being Fired, and Oil and Gas Bosses Are Now in Charge ArticleMarch 3, 2025 America’s Park and Forest Rangers Are Being Fired, and Oil and Gas Bosses Are Now in Charge Early impacts of Elon Musk and his team’s purge of the federal workforce are already hitting America’s parks and public lands, while oil and gas industry loyalists shift remaining government resources to prioritize corporate profits. Mar 3, 2025 Drew McConville, Sam Zeno
The U.S. terminated its 30×30 conservation plan but this also presents an opportunity (commentary) In the NewsFebruary 26, 2025 The U.S. terminated its 30×30 conservation plan but this also presents an opportunity (commentary) In an op-ed published by Mongabay, Angelo Villagomez and Alia Hidayat argues that while President Trump's nixing of Biden's historic “30x30” conservation plan is a significant loss, a hopeful post-30x30 conservation framework may already be emerging. Feb 26, 2025 Mongabay Angelo Villagomez, Alia Hidayat
Investing in the Nation’s Future: Why Congress Should Emulate Energy States’ Sovereign Wealth Funds ReportFebruary 18, 2025 Investing in the Nation’s Future: Why Congress Should Emulate Energy States’ Sovereign Wealth Funds States save and invest fossil fuel revenue to build wealth and pay for essential services that benefit current and future generations—and Congress should take note when designing a federal sovereign wealth fund. Feb 18, 2025 Nathan Brooks, Mark Haggerty
Opening More Lands and Waters for Oil Drilling Won’t Lower Energy Prices ArticleFebruary 10, 2025 Opening More Lands and Waters for Oil Drilling Won’t Lower Energy Prices Promises to lower prices through mandating oil leasing are overblown and would actually line the pockets of Big Oil. Feb 10, 2025 Jenny Rowland-Shea, Mariel Lutz
The Biden Administration Took Record-Breaking Conservation Action ArticleJanuary 17, 2025 The Biden Administration Took Record-Breaking Conservation Action The Biden administration’s record-breaking conservation actions are one of the most popular pieces of their legacy. Jan 17, 2025 Sam Zeno, Jenny Rowland-Shea
The Designation of Chuckwalla National Monument Would Protect Connected Ecosystems and Close the Nature Gap ArticleDecember 23, 2024 The Designation of Chuckwalla National Monument Would Protect Connected Ecosystems and Close the Nature Gap By improving ecosystem connectivity and closing the nature gap, President Biden could cement his conservation legacy through designating Chuckwalla National Monument. Dec 23, 2024 Sam Zeno
Protecting Public Land Revenue-Sharing Governments From the Fiscal Risks of Economic Transitions ReportDecember 9, 2024 Protecting Public Land Revenue-Sharing Governments From the Fiscal Risks of Economic Transitions The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerability of state, local, and Tribal governments’ dependence on payments tied to resource extraction on public lands. The Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund offered a temporary solution and a framework for a permanent one. Dec 9, 2024 Sharon Ferguson, Mark Haggerty
Disappearing Parks: How Project 2025 Would Decrease Protections for Nature ArticleOctober 21, 2024 Disappearing Parks: How Project 2025 Would Decrease Protections for Nature Eight landscape-level national monuments designated by the Biden-Harris administration have helped close the nature gap for millions of Americans, but their protections are at risk from extreme anti-conservation measures in Project 2025. Oct 21, 2024 Sam Zeno
Project 2025 Would Put the Oil and Gas Industry Before Americans and Their Public Lands ArticleOctober 17, 2024 Project 2025 Would Put the Oil and Gas Industry Before Americans and Their Public Lands Project 2025 would further benefit oil and gas CEOs and investors at the expense of the health, well-being, and economic freedom of everyday Americans by offering up public lands and waters to the oil and gas industry. Oct 17, 2024 Mariel Lutz, Jenny Rowland-Shea
State Leadership To Conserve Nature VideoSeptember 13, 2024 State Leadership To Conserve Nature Leaders from Maryland, New Mexico, Colorado, and California share how their states are leading on conservation. Sep 13, 2024 Mariel Lutz, Matthew Gossage, Hai-Lam Phan
Project 2025 Seeks To Repeal One of America’s Greatest Conservation Tools ArticleSeptember 12, 2024 Project 2025 Seeks To Repeal One of America’s Greatest Conservation Tools The Antiquities Act, a popular bipartisan executive tool for protecting lands as national monuments, is at risk of being repealed by Project 2025. Sep 12, 2024 Sam Zeno
Project 2025 Would Be a Disaster for National Marine Sanctuaries ArticleSeptember 9, 2024 Project 2025 Would Be a Disaster for National Marine Sanctuaries Project 2025 would put a freeze on new national marine sanctuaries, prevent existing sanctuaries from being effectively managed, and open the door for mineral exploration in these vital areas. Sep 9, 2024 Alia Hidayat
Project 2025’s Plan To ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ Threatens Ocean Health and Economic Stability ArticleAugust 20, 2024 Project 2025’s Plan To ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ Threatens Ocean Health and Economic Stability Project 2025’s expansion of offshore drilling threatens ocean health through pollution and oil spills; endangers coastal economies reliant on tourism and fishing; and diverts investment from renewable energy, exacerbating climate change. Aug 20, 2024 Angelo Villagomez
What True Conservation Of The Pacific Remote Islands Involves In the NewsJuly 1, 2024 What True Conservation Of The Pacific Remote Islands Involves Angelo Villagomez and Steven Mana‘oakamai Johnson comment on how the proposed ocean sanctuary in the Pacific Remote Islands ignores the voices and rights of Indigenous peoples in an op-ed published by Honolulu Civil Beat. Jul 1, 2024 Honolulu Civil Beat Angelo Villagomez, Steven Manaoakamai Johnson
A Below-the-Radar Public Lands Decision With Big Implications for Alaska Native Communities ReportJune 21, 2024 A Below-the-Radar Public Lands Decision With Big Implications for Alaska Native Communities A pending decision by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland for 28 million acres of public lands could be one of the Biden administration’s biggest conservation and Indigenous rights wins. Jun 21, 2024 Drew McConville, Alia Hidayat
A Day in the Life of Conservation Advocate Tess Hostetter VideoJune 18, 2024 A Day in the Life of Conservation Advocate Tess Hostetter Join conservation advocate Tess Hostetter as she travels around Washington, D.C., to advocate for protecting Alaska’s D-1 public lands. Jun 18, 2024 Margaret Cooney, Hai-Lam Phan, Adam Reich , 1 More Olivia Mowry
Tackling Climate Change and Environmental Injustice IssueNovember 1, 2021 Tackling Climate Change and Environmental Injustice We pursue climate action that meets the crisis’s urgency, creates good-quality jobs, benefits disadvantaged communities, and restores U.S. credibility on the global stage.