Bureau of Land Management

Public land in Idaho. Most of the photo is a green field, with mountains and a forest in the distance.

Trump is considering data centers on 6 states' public land — some state officials say they had no idea

If the administration approves the proposed projects, data center and data center-related developments will cover 17,600 acres of public land.

September 20, 2026 - The Washington Sun

View of the mountain landscape near Boulder, Nevada. A town filled with houses with orange roofs is surrounded by mountains.

Judge strikes down Trump-backed data center on public land

The Biden administration originally approved the same patch of federal land for a solar farm in 2023.

September 13, 2026 - SFGate

The Trans Alaska Pipeline with the Alaskan forest behind it. The leaves have turned yellow.

Trump speeds up environmental review for Alaska oil pipeline

The Bureau of Land Management is also only accepting public comment on the project for 15 days, far fewer than the usual 30 to 60.

September 1, 2026 - Inside Climate News

Cowboys Herd American Bison Buffalo in West on Horses.

Feds want to stop notifying landowners about drilling under their land

The proposal also asks to reduce the public comment period for the BLM’s leasing decisions from 90 days to 10.

August 27, 2026 - County 17

Aerial of small town in Nevada with mountains and bright blue sky in background.

Boulder City appeals BLM approval of data center on public land

The data center's developer previously applied for a permit to build a solar farm, a project Boulder officials say is a far cry from the more energy-intensive data center now being proposed.

July 18, 2026 - Nevada Current

Large herd of elk in Colorado.

Colorado oil and gas land lease on public land could imperil nation's largest elk herd

The federal government approved the largest land lease to oil and gas interests in Colorado history.

June 8, 2026 - Capital & Main

Ocotillo plants in a Southern California desert landscape with white wind turbine in background.

NASA tests lunar rover in California desert

The Plaster City Open Area offers a fitting simulacrum of the Mars landscape.

May 28, 2026 - Imperial Valley Press

Wood WELCOME sign with Bureau of Land Management name and logo next to concrete stairwell outdoors in Utah.

Most Public Lands Are Safe — For Now

A proposal to sell off federally owned lands was removed from the Republican spending bill on procedural grounds.

June 26, 2025 - Los Angeles Times

Sign for Mt. Hood National Forest sign on roadside.

US Forest Service Could Open Millions of Roadless Acres to Logging

The USDA indicated it plans to repeal the ‘Roadless Rule,’ a Clinton-era regulation that prevents new road-building in undeveloped federal forest areas.

June 26, 2025 - Bloomberg Law

Map of Western U.S. indicating public lands that would be for sale under a Senate plan in yellow and green.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands

For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

June 19, 2025 - Outdoor Life

Two children and an adult looking out over railing at Grand Canyon.

DOJ Says Trump Has Power to Roll Back National Monuments

The opinion sheds light on how the administration may justify its effort to eliminate protected public lands.

June 12, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Turquoise blue Pyramid Lake near Reno, Nevada.

Nevada and Utah Groups Oppose Public Land Sell-Off Plan

A set of last-minute amendments to the budget reconciliation bill open up over half a million acres of federally managed land to sales.

May 19, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Close-up on BLM sign on Continental Divide Trail in Rawlins, Wyoming.

BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule

The change will downgrade conservation, once again putting federal land at risk for mining and other extractive uses.

April 20, 2025 - Public Domain

Red rock landscape in Bears Ears National Monument, Utah.

New Executive Order Renews Attack on Public Lands

An order issued late last week pushes for increased mineral extraction on federally owned public lands.

March 26, 2025 - Rocky Mountain Community Radio

Native American ruins at Chaco Culture National Historical Park in winter with snow.

BLM Approves Controversial Oil and Gas Leases on Navajo Land

The parcels are located near a sensitive archaeological site, but some Indigenous leaders approve of the move, which will bring in millions in revenue.

February 13, 2025 - High Country News

Asphalt road heading toward Bears Ears National Monument in Utah in winter.

National Monuments Under Threat From Mining Under New Executive Order

An executive order from the Department of the Interior could gut protections for public lands established under the Antiquities Act.

February 6, 2025 - Bloomberg Law

Dirt road on BLM land in Utah near Zion National Park with red cliff formations in background.

Supreme Court Declines to Hear Utah’s Case Against the BLM

The state wants more local control of public lands not designated as national parks or monuments.

January 14, 2025 - The Salt Lake Tribune

Two Critically Endangered Whooping Cranes in Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Texas.

Key Wins for Conservation in 2024

The year brought some important victories to advocates for public lands, national monuments, and the reclamation of Indigenous history.

November 17, 2024 - The Wilderness Society

Bears Ears National Monument

Future of Public Lands Looks Litigious Under Trump

Experts say monuments and “unappropriated” federal lands will likely be the target for expanded drilling, mining, and other development under a new Trump administration.

November 11, 2024 - Bloomberg

Roadside sign for Nevada Utah State Line "Entering Ely District" with Bureau of Land Management logo with desert mountains in background.

More States Push Back on BLM’s Conservation Rule

Twelve states and industry groups are supporting Utah’s lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management, arguing the agency can’t bar extractive uses on ‘unappropriated’ public lands.

October 30, 2024 - Utah News Dispatch

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

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City of Wisconsin Rapids

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Harvard University Graduate School of Design

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