Environment (Public Lands)

passed · United States · Senate May 14, 2026

SRES 734: A resolution designating May 16, 2026, as "Kids to Parks Day".

This Senate resolution designates May 16, 2026, as "Kids to Parks Day" to encourage families to visit national, state, and local parks. The bill aims to promote outdoor recreation, environmental stewardship, and healthy lifestyles for young people across rural, suburban, and urban communities. By officially recognizing this date, the Senate encourages Americans to take part in safe, active family trips to public lands.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill promotes environmental stewardship and outdoor recreation in parks, encouraging public engagement with natural resources.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Parks & Recreation Public Lands

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in committee · United States · House Apr 27, 2026

HR 8514: Active Transportation for Public Lands Act

This bill requires federal agencies managing public lands to allocate at least 5 percent of their annual transportation funding toward active transportation projects. These projects include building trails for pedestrians and bicyclists, improving safety infrastructure for non-drivers, and converting abandoned railroad corridors into recreational paths. The legislation directly affects federal land management programs and aims to expand safe transportation options for people of all ages and abilities. By mandating this funding set-aside, the bill ensures consistent investment in non-motorized transportation infrastructure across federal lands.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill promotes active transportation (trails, bike paths) which reduces vehicle emissions and supports conservation on public lands.75% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill mandates federal agencies allocate 5% of funding to active transportation projects like trails and safety infrastructure.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Parks & Recreation Public Lands Bicycle Infrastructure Pedestrian Safety Roads & Highways

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in committee · United States · House Apr 22, 2026

HR 8438: Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity Conservation Act of 2026

This bill establishes a federal system to protect and restore wildlife corridors on public lands, aiming to help native species move safely across fragmented habitats affected by development and climate change. It creates a new mapping and science program to identify critical wildlife pathways, designates specific federal lands as National Wildlife Corridors, and sets up a coordinating committee of federal agencies and stakeholders to manage these areas. The legislation also authorizes grants for private landowners, states, tribes, and local governments to implement conservation projects that improve habitat connectivity on non-federal lands.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill establishes federal protections for wildlife corridors, restores habitats, and funds conservation efforts to address climate change impacts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Public Lands Wildlife

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in committee · United States · House Apr 30, 2026

HR 8616: Caja del Rio Protection Act

The Caja del Rio Protection Act establishes two new protected areas in New Mexico: the Caja del Rio Special Management Area within the Santa Fe National Forest and the Caja del Rio National Conservation Area managed by the Bureau of Land Management. These areas cover approximately 85,000 acres total and aim to conserve cultural, spiritual, ecological, and historical values while enhancing opportunities for local Indigenous tribes to participate in management. The bill restricts new road construction and limits motorized vehicle use to designated routes, requires the decommissioning of unauthorized roads, and withdraws the land from mining and mineral leasing operations. Additionally, the legislation facilitates a potential land swap where the federal government would transfer certain Bureau of Land Management parcels to the state in exchange for state trust land within the conservation boundary. The act also mandates the development of comprehensive management plans that incorporate Indigenous knowledge and ensure tribal access for traditional cultural and religious practices.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill creates protected areas to conserve ecological values and natural resources.95% confidence ✗ TransportationOpposes TransportationBill restricts new road construction in protected areas, limiting transportation infrastructure development.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Forestry Public Lands Roads & Highways

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in committee · United States · Senate Jul 15, 2026

S 4383: Geothermal Ombudsman for National Deployment and Optimal Reviews Act

This bill creates a new Geothermal Ombudsman and a Permitting Task Force within the Bureau of Land Management to improve how geothermal energy projects on public lands are approved. The Ombudsman will serve as a liaison between different BLM offices and project applicants, help resolve disputes, track permit processing times, and develop better practices for geothermal leasing. The Task Force, led by the Ombudsman, can temporarily assign specialized staff from other parts of the Department to assist with geothermal projects and may offer retention bonuses to keep experienced workers. The law also requires the Ombudsman to submit annual reports to Congress on the Task Force's activities and the effectiveness of geothermal permitting.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill creates mechanisms to improve geothermal energy project approvals on public lands, directly advancing renewable energy infrastructure.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill promotes geothermal energy, a clean renewable resource, and improves permitting efficiency for public land projects.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Lands

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in committee · United States · House Feb 13, 2026

HR 7578: TORCH Act

The TORCH Act streamlines wildfire prevention efforts on federal lands by expanding the scope of activities that can be conducted with reduced regulatory requirements. It allows forest managers to remove high-priority hazard trees more quickly, increases the acreage limits for certain wildfire mitigation projects from 3,000 to 10,000 acres, and enables the use of timber sales and grazing to reduce fuel loads. The bill also modifies rules for electric utility vegetation management, permits utilities to remove hazardous vegetation near power lines without separate timber sales, and exempts certain forest management activities from additional environmental review requirements. Additionally, it updates good neighbor agreements to include Indian tribes and clarifies how revenue from timber sales on these agreements can be used for restoration work.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill strengthens wildfire prevention and forest management to reduce fuel loads, protecting natural resources and preventing environmental damage from wildfires.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Forestry Public Lands

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in committee · United States · House Mar 24, 2026

HR 8061: Forest Resources Accountability Act

This bill, the Forest Resources Accountability Act, directs the Secretary of Agriculture to protect winter wildlife habitat on specific federal land in Colorado's White River National Forest. It prohibits the construction of new year-round roads or utility corridors on a 680-acre parcel and requires any access routes to remain unpaved, seasonal, and limited to specific permitted uses. The legislation also mandates that the federal government attempt to purchase the parcel from willing sellers and incorporate it into the national forest for conservation purposes. Additionally, the bill requires a report within 180 days detailing efforts to acquire the land and coordinate with state and local partners.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill protects winter wildlife habitat, prohibits new roads, and restricts utility corridors on federal land, directly advancing environmental conservation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Forestry Public Lands

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in committee · United States · Senate Mar 24, 2026

S 4180: Forest Resources Accountability Act

This bill, the Forest Resources Accountability Act, addresses staffing reductions at the Forest Service and restricts road construction in Colorado's White River National Forest. It requires the agency to prioritize essential projects like wildfire risk reduction, trail maintenance, and wildlife habitat protection due to a reported 6,000 staff cuts. The legislation specifically prohibits the Secretary of Agriculture from approving or funding any new year-round roads or utility corridors on designated federal land within the White River National Forest. Additionally, it mandates efforts to purchase the 680-acre Berlaimont Estates parcel from willing sellers and incorporate it into the national forest for conservation purposes.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill prioritizes wildfire risk reduction, trail maintenance, and wildlife habitat protection while restricting new road construction in a national forest, directly supporting environmental conservation.90% confidence ✗ TransportationOpposes TransportationBill restricts road construction and prohibits new year-round roads in White River National Forest, limiting transportation infrastructure development.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Forestry Public Lands Roads & Highways

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in committee · United States · House May 21, 2026

HR 7954: Don Young Doug LaMalfa Indian Buffalo Management Act

This bill establishes a framework for the Department of the Interior to work with Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations to restore and manage buffalo populations on Indian lands. It authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide contracts, grants, and technical assistance to support tribal buffalo restoration programs, commercial buffalo activities, and mobile meat processing facilities. The legislation also requires ongoing consultation between the Department and tribes on buffalo management initiatives and ensures that culturally sensitive tribal information remains confidential. Additionally, the bill allows for the transfer of surplus buffalo from federal lands to Indian lands and explicitly preserves existing treaty rights of Indian Tribes, with all provisions set to expire seven years after enactment.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill supports buffalo population restoration and management on tribal lands, which contributes to biodiversity conservation and natural resource management.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Lands Wildlife Tags Tribal Nations

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in committee · United States · Senate Jul 15, 2026

S 4200: Douglas County Economic Development and Conservation Act

This bill transfers various federal lands in Douglas County, Nevada to the state, county, and the Washoe Tribe for conservation, recreation, and tribal purposes. It designates approximately 12,392 acres as the Burbank Canyons Wilderness, protects tribal cultural resources, and allows for the sale of certain federal lands with proceeds supporting education and open space preservation. The legislation also establishes rules for land use, environmental protection, and management of wildlife and water resources within the designated areas.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill transfers federal lands for conservation, designates wilderness area, protects cultural resources, and establishes environmental protection rules.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Public Lands Wildlife

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