This week’s Wild Line covers Congress’ work on the National Defense Authorization Act, new House actions to weaken the Clean Water Act, a broad Senate hearing on National Park Service and Wild and Scenic River bills, major shifts at the National Park Service and Forest Service, housing proposals in Wyoming, and a federal ruling restoring the nation’s renewable wind program.

Congress Advances National Defense Authorization Act; Lumbee Recognition Included

Congress grappled this week with the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a must-pass policy bill that sometimes carries provisions unrelated to defense. This year, alongside wildfire-related measures such as National Guard support for firefighting, the bill included long-awaited federal recognition for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. Federal status had been a top priority for Lumbee leaders, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), and President Trump. Recognition would unlock expanded federal support and cap a decades-long campaign by tribal advocates. 

House Passes PERMIT Act; Eyes Turn to Westerman’s SPEED Act Next Week

On Thursday, the House passed H.R. 3898, the PERMIT Act, which would significantly weaken Clean Water Act protections. Among its provisions, the bill would expand WOTUS exemptions, limit EPA authority to develop water quality criteria, reduce liability for microplastic dumping, and restrict state and tribal authority under Section 401.  This followed unanimous House approval of two other permitting bills earlier in the week. All of this sets the stage for next week, when the House may consider Chairman Bruce Westerman’s SPEED Act—potentially the most sweeping permitting reform Congress has ever taken up.

Senate Committee Reviews Broad Slate of Park and Wild & Scenic Bills

On Tuesday, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources heard testimony on a wide-ranging list of National Park Service and Wild and Scenic River proposals, including:

• Senator Lisa Murkowski’s bill to re-designate (or re-re-designate) Mount McKinley as Denali
• Senator Chris Van Hollen’s bill to establish the Justice Thurgood Marshall National Historic Site
• Senator Jon Ossoff’s bill to create the Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Preserve
• Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s bill to redesignate Saratoga National Historical Park as “Saratoga National Battlefield Park”
• Senator Alex Padilla’s bill to expand Joshua Tree National Park
• Senator Rick Scott’s bill to designate Florida’s Myakka River as Wild & Scenic
• Senator Mike Lee’s bill to allow expanded off-road vehicle use in Capitol Reef National Park

National Park Service Orders Removal of DEI-Related Books and Materials

Acting NPS Director Jessica Bowron has ordered the removal of books and retail items that conflict with President Trump’s efforts to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Park rangers have until December 19 to identify any public-facing content not aligned with administration policy.
Because many park stores are run by concessionaires or nonprofit partners, critics warn the order will directly harm parks’ own revenue streams.

State-Specific National Park Updates: Montana and Utah

The Park Service has reversed course on vehicle reservation requirements at Glacier National Park, abandoning the multi-year system used to relieve congestion on Going-to-the-Sun Road and other high-traffic areas. The agency will instead enforce parking time limits at locations such as Logan Pass—an approach that may negatively affect hikers and backcountry users who rely on long-term parking. Meanwhile, a longtime backcountry myth became reality at Arches National Park, where an experienced hiker became trapped at a 45-degree angle in quicksand. Thanks to a GPS satellite messenger, Grand County Search and Rescue retrieved him within hours. A spokesperson noted this was only the second such extraction they could recall.

Forest Service May Move Headquarters West; Reports Point to Salt Lake City

Reports surfaced this week that Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden is circulating a plan to relocate the U.S. Forest Service headquarters from Washington, DC, to Salt Lake City. USDA would not confirm or deny the rumors but acknowledged it aims to “strengthen its presence in the West” and that moving employees could improve responsiveness. The Forest Service has already seen significant leadership and staffing losses, and observers warn that a headquarters move—similar to the Bureau of Land Management’s relocation during Trump’s first term—could further diminish the agency’s ability to coordinate with Congress and federal policymakers.

Arkansas: Blanchard Springs Caverns to Become State’s 53rd State Park

The Ozark–St. Francis National Forest signed an agreement with Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to redesignate Blanchard Springs Caverns—Arkansas’s second-largest cave system—as the state’s 53rd state park. The site, sacred to the Osage Nation, includes 8.5 miles of explored limestone caverns and draws more than 70,000 visitors annually. The park will be funded through a state conservation account first created in 1996 under Governor Mike Huckabee.

Wyoming: Forest Service Partners on Affordable Worker Housing

In Wyoming, the Bridger-Teton National Forest is working with a community housing nonprofit on a first-of-its-kind plan to construct affordable rentals on three acres of public land. Jackson’s high housing costs have strained recruitment and retention for federal land agencies. The site borders existing Forest Service housing, the National Elk Refuge, and a popular trailhead. Supporters call the effort essential to keeping workers in town; critics warn it sets a dangerous precedent for expanding Jackson’s urban footprint into protected federal lands.

Federal Judge Strikes Down Trump Order Blocking Wind Development

On Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Patti Saris struck down President Trump’s January 20 Executive Order that halted federal wind energy leasing and backed away from renewable energy projects on public lands. The court found the order “arbitrary and capricious” and in violation of federal law.
The EO had paused approvals, loans, and permits for all wind projects—offshore and onshore—and cited false claims about domestic and international wind energy use.

Next Week

That’s our report for December 12, 2025. We’ll be back next Friday with another Wild Line.

Coming Tuesday on The Wild Idea: Anders and Bill talk with Martha Williams.

Until then—act up and run wild.

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