Tracking every rollback, reversal, and overreach — and the path back to the America we know.
The Trump administration restructured the US Forest Service by closing all regional offices that manage 193 million acres of public lands. The reorganization forces Forest Service workers to either relocate or resign, raising concerns about operational disruption. Union leaders warn the changes will cause chaos in managing American public lands and negatively impact environmental stewardship.
President Trump signed Executive Order 14154 on January 20, 2025, directing federal agencies to expand oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters, streamline permitting for energy projects, and reduce environmental review timelines. The order eliminates or modifies regulations governing fossil fuel development on public lands. Confirmed direct impacts include accelerated lease sales on federal property and shortened environmental assessment periods for energy infrastructure projects.
On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14156 declaring a national energy emergency. The order directs federal agencies to expedite permitting and reduce regulations for energy infrastructure projects, including fossil fuel development on federal lands and waters. The confirmed direct impact includes acceleration of drilling permits, reduced environmental review timelines, and expedited approval processes for energy projects on public lands.
President Trump signed Proclamation 2018-12033 on May 30, 2018, designating June 2018 as Great Outdoors Month. The proclamation encourages Americans to spend time in national parks, forests, and public lands, and recognizes outdoor recreation as part of American heritage. The proclamation is ceremonial and establishes a monthlong observance with no direct regulatory or budgetary impact on Americans.
On December 4, 2017, President Trump signed Proclamation 2017-26714, which reduced the size of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah from 1.9 million acres to 1.3 million acres, removing approximately 600,000 acres from federal protection. The action opened previously protected lands to potential mining, energy development, and other extraction activities. The reduction directly affected land management in Utah and changed access and development possibilities on federally managed public lands.
President Trump signed Proclamation 2017-11774 on May 31, 2017, designating June 2017 as Great Outdoors Month. The proclamation encourages Americans to visit and enjoy federal public lands and waters. The proclamation has no regulatory effect and does not change access to or management of federal lands.