Trump Administration Issues New Order for Land and Water Conservation Fund

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 3, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 4, 2025

CONTACT: Russell Kuhlman, Executive Director, Nevada Wildlife Federation: Kuhlman@nvwf.org

Trump Administration Issues New Order for Land and Water Conservation Fund

Washington, D.C- On September 4th, Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum signed Secretarial Order 3442 that increased bureaucratic red tape to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). In 2020, The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) was supported by large bipartisan majorities in Congress and remains the signature conservation achievement of President Trump’s first term – finally fixing a 55-year broken promise by dedicating LWCF’s non-taxpayer dollars only to their intended purpose. Since passage of permanent funding in GAOA, LWCF has had more impact than ever across the country to protect public lands and ensure recreational access to outdoor opportunities for everyone.   

The order includes language that would mean the near-total prohibition on further conservation and expansion of outdoor recreation and sporting access within National Monuments, National Conservation Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, and National Scenic and Historic Trails administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).  This means access to tens of thousands of acres of BLM land due to be opened up by LWCF projects will be lost.

“Nevada is approximately 86% public land, of which 67% is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. If you have enjoyed some form of outdoor recreation in Nevada, there is a good chance it was on BLM managed land. If you have camped, hiked, OHV’ed or hunted in Nevada, it was likely in or near a National Conservation Area or National Monument,” said Russell Kuhlman, executive director of the Nevada Wildlife Federation. “This is because these areas are used to protect critical wildlife habitat and prevent human development while maintaining our outdoor recreation heritage. This order is another attempt to prevent conservation funding from being used to ensure future generations of outdoor users have the same access and experience we currently take for granted.”

About Nevada Wildlife Federation: The Nevada Wildlife Federation is an affiliate of National Wildlife Federation and the oldest statewide conservation organization dedicated to sustaining Nevada’s wildlife through conservation and education.

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