Congress returned from recess this week and wasted no time taking aim at public lands, passing a slate of resolutions that roll back years of planning in Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota. We spoke with Alaskans on the ground about what these changes mean for their communities. Meanwhile, lawmakers advanced the Ambler Road project and a series of controversial mining and wildlife bills, even as a hearing opened on reauthorizing the Great American Outdoors Act. Outside of Congress, the EPA moved to fire dozens of employees, wildfire crews raised alarms after arrests on the fireline, and new disputes over sage grouse, water rights, and climate science shaped the week. Plus, the USDA is expanding an unusual tool in the wolf conflict toolbox: drones playing human voices and rock music.

Congressional Review Act Resolutions – Alaska, Montana, North Dakota

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed three resolutions under the Congressional Review Act that overturn long-established Bureau of Land Management resource management plans in Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota. These plans had been developed through years of public input, scientific study, and tribal consultation.

We spoke with Mollie and Sean Busby, owners of the Arctic Hive Wilderness Lodge in Wiseman, Alaska, about the impact of overturning the Central Yukon Resource Management Plan.

“One of the reasons why that overturning really matters to us here in Wiseman is not only because we want these public lands that we rely on for our guests, right? Dog mushing, hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, cross country skiing, all of these things that we do with our guests on public lands. We want them to be protected. We want to know that these lands are going to be here for the sustainability of our business,” said Mollie Busby, Arctic Hive Wilderness Lodge.

She also emphasized how rural residents rely on these lands for subsistence. “Living here in the Brooks Range, we rely on these lands for subsistence. We live 275 miles from the nearest grocery store. It makes sustainable sense to rely on what is here, versus driving a treacherous road all the way to Fairbanks just to stock up on groceries,” she said.

Sean Busby stressed the cultural and ecological impacts. “Now you are also talking about taking these customary and traditional uses away from Indigenous practices from various villages and tribes that want to keep their culture alive and moving forward in the next generation,” said Sean Busby, Arctic Hive Wilderness Lodge. “With the crash of salmon stock in the Yukon River, and the risk of putting some of the world’s largest caribou migrations at risk, everything about this whole concept of throwing out this plan is just disastrous.”

Ambler Road Project – Alaska

The House also advanced the Ambler Road project, a 211-mile industrial road that would cut through the Brooks Range, cross 11 rivers, speed permafrost thaw, and disrupt caribou migration. Proponents argue the road is necessary for copper and zinc mining, but the Biden administration suspended its permit last year.

Natural Resources Subcommittee Activity – Washington, DC

 The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries heard Rep. Dan Newhouse’s Defending Our Dams Act, which would block federal agencies from considering removal of four dams on the Lower Snake River. Nez Perce Tribal Chairman Shannon F. Wheeler testified that the bill would “tie the hands of federal agencies when the wild salmon are in dire straits.”

The subcommittee also reviewed Rep. Paul Gosar’s bill to remove protections for the Mexican gray wolf, while the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources took up six mining bills, including the bipartisan Mining Regulatory Clarity Act of 2025, which would allow companies to establish mining claims on public lands for tailings disposal.

Great American Outdoors Act – Wyoming

The House Natural Resources Committee is holding a field hearing today in Grand Teton National Park on reauthorizing the Great American Outdoors Act. The law, set to expire at the end of September, funds $1.6 billion annually through the Legacy Restoration Fund for deferred maintenance in national parks and permanently authorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

EPA Firings and Rulemaking – Washington, DC

The Environmental Protection Agency sent termination notices to about a dozen employees who had been on leave since signing a letter critical of Trump administration policies. Nearly 100 others had suspensions extended. The agency is also expected to issue a new Clean Water Act rule that would narrow the definition of wetlands and reduce permitting requirements for some construction and energy projects.

Firefighter Arrests – Washington State

Two wildland firefighters battling the Bear Gulch Fire on the Olympic Peninsula were arrested last week by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, working with BLM and the Forest Service. Both men were contracted through California crews. Their arrests sparked concern among veteran firefighters who warned that such actions undermine trust and disrupt active fire operations.

Groundwater Settlement – Texas and New Mexico

After more than a decade of litigation, Texas and New Mexico reached agreement on groundwater use in the Lower Rio Grande. New Mexico will adopt a new management plan and permanently reduce its use by more than 5.9 billion gallons a year, resolving a dispute previously rejected by the Supreme Court.

Sage Grouse Habitat Plans – Western U.S.

The Bureau of Land Management is seeking to revise sage grouse habitat management plans across eight states by easing restrictions on development and grazing. The Biden administration had earlier proposed stronger protections, but legal disputes have continued. Conservationists maintain that a range-wide approach with minimal surface disturbance is the only way to protect the species, which appears to have gone extinct in South Dakota. Public comment is open until October 3.  Click HERE to see proposed changes and to comment. 

DOE Climate Report Criticized – Washington, DC

More than 85 scientists condemned a U.S. Department of Energy report released in July, arguing it downplays climate risks and distorts data. The report, authored by five individuals selected by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, suggested greenhouse gases pose less harm than widely believed and even claimed rising CO₂ could benefit U.S. agriculture. Dr. Andrew Dessler said the report relied on “long debunked ideas, misrepresentations, omissions, anecdotes, and confirmation bias,” calling it a mockery of science. The American Meteorological Society also urged corrections.

Drone Program to Deter Wolves – USDA

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has expanded its drone program designed to reduce wolf-livestock conflicts. Originally used to monitor wolves with thermal imagery, the drones now broadcast human voices, movie clips, and music, including AC/DC’s rock anthem “Thunderstruck”, to scare wolves away from cattle herds. Preliminary results suggest the approach can disrupt wolf hunts, and the program has grown from the Oregon-California border to include the Sierra Valley.

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