Mike Lee's Roadless Rule Amendment, NPS Funding Diverted, and ORV Access Expands - Public Lands News (June 8 - 15)

In this week's public lands news briefing, we covered four stories:

- Mike Lee pushes the latest effort to repeal the Roadless Rule, a landmark conservation policy protecting 58 million acres of national forest land.

- Department of Homeland Security waived dozens of environmental laws to accelerate construction through the Big Bend Region for an updated border wall.

- Ed Stierli from the National Parks Conservation Association joins us to discuss growing concerns over National Park Service funding priorities and controversial projects moving forward on the National Mall.

- RideApart Editor-in-Chief Jonathon Klein helps unpack President Trump's decision to rescind decades-old off-road vehicle directives and what the change could mean for conflicts over public land and recreation access.

REMINDER: Starting June 1st, we will no longer release episodes on Fridays. Our next public lands news briefing will be released on June 22nd.

Subscribe to the Outdoor Minimalist newsletter: ⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠

Sources & Resources

NPCA Website: https://www.npca.org/

Big Bend Border Wall: https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/trump-administration-waives-environmental-laws-to-blast-border-barriers-roads-through-big-bend-national-park-2026-06-08/

June 10th Senate Committee Meeting: https://www.energy.senate.gov/hearings/2026/6/business-meeting-to-consider-pending-legislation

New York Times Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/27/climate/park-service-fees-washington-trump.html

RideApart: https://www.rideapart.com/info/team/jonathon-klein/

ORV Executive Order: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/05/removing-unnecessary-and-counterproductive-restrictions-on-access-to-federal-lands/