Castle Mountains National Monument / NPS
The Center for Biological Diversity just released profiles on 10 national monuments and other protected public lands and waters that could be in the crosshairs of the Trump administration for fracking, drilling, and mining.
“Trump and his buddies might think a golf course counts as the great outdoors, but most Americans know better—and they want public lands protected,” said Randi Spivak, public lands policy director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “These incredible places should be preserved for generations to come, but Trump is ready to auction off our natural heritage to the highest bidder, no matter the pollution and destruction left behind.”
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has directed agencies to reevaluate policies with the goal of ramping up industrial extraction on public lands and waters, even those currently protected from harmful drilling and mining.
This could wipe out protections for millions of acres, putting both iconic landscapes and lesser-known but ecologically vital areas at risk. The endangered sites include:
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota – The most-visited wilderness area in the U.S. spans over a million acres of pristine boreal forest, rugged rock formations, and nearly 2,000 crystal-clear glacial lakes. Copper mining has long been the biggest threat to this iconic landscape.
Upper Pecos Watershed, New Mexico – This breathtaking region in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains is home to dramatic peaks, ridges, and valleys. It could be opened up for hard rock mining exploration and extraction, putting its waters and ecosystems at risk.
Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona – Flowing through Sedona’s stunning red rock country from the rugged Mogollon Rim, this biodiverse river canyon draws over 2 million visitors a year. Trump could roll back a mining ban here, paving the way for uranium mining.
Carrizo Plain National Monument, California – Dubbed “California’s Serengeti” for its vast grasslands and legendary wildflower super blooms, this fragile ecosystem could be targeted for oil and gas drilling.
Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, Atlantic Ocean – Located about 130 miles off the Massachusetts coast, this protected marine area is home to endangered whales, sea turtles, and at least 54 species of deep-sea corals. Stripping its protections could open it to destructive commercial fishing and seabed mining.
Recent polls show that people in the West are more passionate about their public lands than ever. But the Trump administration’s push to hand them over to industry is wildly unpopular. Voters overwhelmingly want these places protected from fossil fuel extraction, mining, and development.
What’s at risk? Jaw-dropping landscapes, wild rivers, sacred cultural sites, critical wildlife habitat, pristine ocean ecosystems, world-class recreation, and irreplaceable groundwater.
Burgum’s directive required agency heads to submit action plans by Feb. 18 that could strip these protections—but so far, those plans haven’t been made public.
“Americans didn’t vote to have their public lands plundered and wildlife driven to extinction by fracking and mining, but the Trump administration doesn’t care what people want,” said Spivak. “Trump, Burgum and the rest of this band of plutocrats has grossly underestimated the ferocity with which the public will defend these cherished lands and waters.”
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