The question of whether Congress will draft legislation that includes the sale of public lands looms large as Republican lawmakers prepare their budget reconciliation bill to be made public. The first votes on the topic were held by the Senate earlier this month during consideration of an amendment to block public land sales through this legislative process. The administration took action to overturn two mineral withdrawal processes, as well as to rescind the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Public Lands Rule. Lastly, legislation to conserve iconic landscapes across the West and Alaska were introduced with applause from BHA.

BHA Members on Capitol Hill

In the first week of April, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers members traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in two strategic fly-ins, advocating for the protection of our public lands and waters. Members from our Arizona and Colorado chapters, joined by California-based staff, voiced strong support for national monument designations and stood firmly against efforts to sell off public lands. Simultaneously, members from our Arkansas, Michigan, and West Virginia chapters – along with a representative from our North American Board in Pennsylvania – met with decision-makers to champion continued funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. These efforts underscore the power of our grassroots network and the importance of showing up – BHA will continue to bring the voices of hunters and anglers to Capitol Hill in the months and years ahead.

Budget Amendment to Prohibit Public Land Sales Fails

On April 2, it was reported that congressional Republicans were actively considering the sale of public lands in the drafting of a budget reconciliation bill – partisan legislation that can ultimately become law with a simple majority vote and cannot be filibustered. BHA raised the alarm in opposition to any plan to sell off public lands that are valuable for hunting and fishing; These lands belong to the American people — not politicians, not private interests.

BHA commended Sens. Daines (R-MT) and Sheehy (R-MT) and Rep. Zinke (R-MT) for publicly opposing the inclusion of public land sales in this legislation. BHA is urging all Republican lawmakers to join them and reject any proposal that would sell off our public lands legacy.

The Senate took votes to advance a budget resolution, marking an early step in the process to pass a budget reconciliation bill. An amendment to block the sale of public lands to reduce the federal deficit was introduced but failed by a vote of 48-51. BHA strongly supported the amendment to the Senate budget resolution introduced by Sens. Hickenlooper (D-CO) and Heinrich (D-NM). 

Sens. Daines and Sheehy were the only Republicans to vote in favor of the amendment, contributing to a bipartisan stand against public land sales. BHA once again applauded their commitment to the legacy of America’s public lands. 

• Read BHA’s press release here.
• Read more here in Outdoor Life.
• Take action here to oppose public land sales!

Ruby Mountains Protections Removed, Legislation Reintroduced

On April 8, the Ruby Mountains Protection Act was reintroduced by Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV). This bipartisan legislation, long supported by BHA, would permanently withdraw nearly 350,000 acres of the Ruby Mountains from oil and gas leasing.

“The Ruby Mountains Protection Act would permanently conserve some of the best unfragmented habitat in Nevada including the migratory corridor for state’s largest mule deer herd, streams and lakes home to Lahontan cutthroat trout, and upland ecosystems vital to game bird populations,” said Molly Beaupré, policy chair for the Nevada chapter of BHA. “We thank Sens. Cortez Masto and Rosen for advancing this legislation that reflects years of broad, bipartisan support from hunters, anglers, and public land advocates who have repeatedly called for conservation of this iconic landscape.”

This reintroduction followed on the heels of an announcement from the Trump administration that they would be canceling the initiation of a temporary moratorium on oil and gas leasing for 265,000 acres within the Ruby Mountains along with the process to consider a 20-year administrative withdrawal.

“The Ruby Mountains Mineral Withdrawal would have conserved important habitat in the migratory corridor for Nevada’s largest mule deer herd as well as streams and lakes populated by Lahontan cutthroat trout,” said Devin O'Dea, western policy and conservation manager for BHA. “Canceling the withdrawal circumvents years of broad, bipartisan support from a variety of stakeholders who recognize the value of these lands and waters to hunters, anglers and the American people.”

• Read BHA’s press release on the cancellation of the withdrawal here.
• Read BHA’s press release on the Ruby Mountains Protection Act here.
• Take action here to support permanent protections for the Ruby Mountains!

New Mexico Conservation Legislation Reintroduced Following Removal of Protections

On April 8, the Pecos Watershed Protection Act was reintroduced by Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM). This legislation would establish a permanent mineral withdrawal encompassing approximately 165,000 acres managed by the U.S. Forest Service and BLM.

The cold-water tributaries of the Pecos River provide essential habitat for trout species, including the native Rio Grande cutthroat, while the surrounding lands support diverse wildlife such as elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, black bear, dusky grouse, and wild turkey. In 1991, the watershed suffered a devastating toxic mine waste spill that resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of fish and necessitated costly, decades-long cleanup efforts. 

“BHA remains committed to ensuring that future generations can experience the hunting and fishing opportunities the Pecos River watershed provides—a landscape whose headwaters are a lifeblood flowing through New Mexico and well into Texas, and which has supported the hunting and fishing traditions of people since time immemorial,” said Kyle Klain, policy chair for the New Mexico chapter of BHA. “We call on Congress to swiftly pass the Pecos Watershed Protection Act, securing permanent protection for this cherished landscape and the fish and wildlife it sustains.” 

BHA has consistently advocated for the protection of this vital area through advancing conservation policy and stewardship projects – and in December 2024, celebrated the Department of the Interior's initiation of a two-year mineral withdrawal to shield the watershed during the consideration of a proposed 20-year withdrawal. The reintroduction follows an announcement from the Trump administration that they would be canceling the temporary withdrawal and the process to consider a 20-year withdrawal.

And on April 18, the M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act led by Representative Gabe Vasquez (D–NM) and Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM). This legislation would permanently conserve approximately 446 miles of waterways by establishing them as Wild and Scenic. Doing so would enhance hunting, angling and other outdoor activities by safeguarding the last major free-flowing river segments in the Southwest, home to the rare Gila trout. 

• Read BHA’s press release here.
• Take action here to support permanent protections for the Pecos River Watershed!
• Take action here to keep the Greater Gila River wild and free flowing

New Legislation Introduced in Senate to Permanently Protect Boundary Waters

On April 9, the Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection Act was introduced by Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN). This follows the reintroduction of the Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act by Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) and would similarly prohibit sulfide-ore mining on 225,000 acres of public land.

“The Minnesota chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers thanks Senator Smith for introducing the Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection Act and for her ongoing efforts to protect this unique region along with the sporting and recreation opportunities it sustains,” said Chance Adams, chair of the Minnesota chapter of BHA. “The Boundary Waters is one of the most unique places in the world and during our modern era, we need the wild places of this country to help rekindle the American spirt of adventurism and exceptionalism more than we need foreign mining interests treating our public lands as a commodity.”  

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) is one of the most highly prized wilderness ecosystems and a place that has provided a formative outdoor experience for hunters and anglers across the country. For decades, the threat of a sulfide-ore mining operation in the Superior National Forest upstream of this wilderness area has persisted. In January of 2023, the U.S. Forest Service announced their decision to implement a 20-year withdrawal of mineral leasing from 225,000 acres following the determination of this threat to the watershed. This action was applauded by hunters and anglers, though only Congress can permanently protect the region.

Threats to the Boundary Waters persist as Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN) continues to push legislation aimed at reversing the mineral withdrawal and reinstating foreign mining leases, putting the Boundary Waters – and the communities that depend on its clean waters and intact habitat – at risk. Recent executive orders and secretarial orders have now laid the groundwork for reversing these safeguards through administrative actions. 

It is critical that Congress now pass the legislation led by Rep. McCollum and Sen. Smith that would permanently withdraw public lands in the watershed surrounding the BWCA from copper-nickel mining development and mineral leasing, while still allowing for historic iron taconite mining. Doing so would guarantee the pristine ecological quality and unparalleled hunting and fishing opportunities of the Boundary Waters are maintained. 

• Read BHA’s press release here.
• Read more here in Field & Stream.
• Take action here to protect the Boundary Waters!

Administration Rescinds BLM Public Lands Rule

On April 14, the Trump administration announced their intention to rescind the BLM’s Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, known as the Public Lands Rule. This follows an earlier directive from Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum in his first secretarial orders to “suspend, revise, or rescind” the Public Lands Rule, as well as the suspension earlier this year of the federal advisory council responsible for overseeing implementation of the Rule.

The Public Lands Rule affirms that conserving public land is a legitimate and important use – on equal footing with energy development, timber harvest, grazing, and recreation – under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act; it also encourages innovative partnerships to restore and protect the health of these landscapes for future generations. BHA supported the final Rule after an extensive public process that thoughtfully incorporated input from hunters, anglers, and other stakeholders. 

“The notion that the administration may intend to move forward unilaterally without following any public engagement process is deeply troubling,” said Kaden McArthur, director of policy and government relations for BHA. “The Public Lands Rule reflects years of work, including extensive input from stakeholders, to ensure the long-term health of the landscapes we rely on for healthy fish and wildlife habitat. To abandon the Rule in its entirety – and the overwhelming public support behind it – is a direct affront to those who value America’s wild places, and the democratic process used to steward them for the benefit of all of us as public land owners.”

The extended public comment period that helped shape the Rule drew input from thousands of hunters and anglers. In total, more than 90 percent of comments supported the Rule, underscoring the importance conservation of wild places has across the United States. 

• Read BHA’s press release here.
• Read more here in Field & Stream.
• Read more here in Outdoor Life.

Reintroduction of Legislation to Designate Arctic Wilderness

On April 29, the Arctic Refuge Protection Act was reintroduced by Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Reps. Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA). This bipartisan legislation would designate the 1.5-million acre coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as wilderness.

“We applaud the leadership of Sen. Markey and Reps. Huffman and Fitzpatrick for reintroducing the Arctic Refuge Protection Act,” said Mary Glaves, Alaska coordinator for BHA. “For hunters and anglers, the 1.5-million-acre coastal plain is the birthplace of wild pursuits for caribou, waterfowl, and iconic fish species including Dolly Varden and Arctic Char. The abysmal interest in both the 2020 and 2025 lease sales demonstrates the bad economics of drilling in the Arctic Refuge. The wetlands and rivers weave together one of the last truly wild landscapes that are essential for the North American heritage of hunting and fishing, and subsistence for local Alaskan communities. The Arctic Refuge is a national treasure that should be protected as such through a wilderness designation.”

The Arctic Refuge was established in 1960 by President Eisenhower “for the purpose of preserving unique wildlife, wilderness and recreational values.” Its 19.5 million acres, 8 million of which are designated wilderness, are home to iconic game species including grizzly bears, Dall sheep and caribou. The Arctic Refuge is the destination of the longest land migration on earth: the calving grounds of the Porcupine Caribou Herd. It is crucial that this wild habitat remains managed for the benefit of fish, wildlife, and future generations of American sportsmen and women.

The 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act required oil and gas lease sales in the Arctic Refuge, making it the only unit in the National Wildlife Refuge System to have an oil and gas program as a statutory purpose. The Republican budget reconciliation bill currently being drafted by Congress is widely anticipated to include additional mandates for future leasing in the Arctic Refuge.