This week’s Wild Line covers House passage of the SPEED Act and its implications for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a slate of wildfire and public lands bills advancing in the Senate, a serious new threat to the National Park System, sweeping rollbacks to the Endangered Species Act, mounting impacts from Forest Service staffing cuts, changes to water quality protections in Montana, and growing concern over efforts to rescind the Roadless Rule.

House Passes SPEED Act; Senate Outlook Uncertain

The House of Representatives approved Natural Resources Committee Chair Bruce Westerman’s SPEED Act, following last-minute changes made to secure Freedom Caucus support. The bill dramatically weakens the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), sharply limiting environmental review requirements and the public’s ability to hold federal agencies accountable. If enacted, the SPEED Act would allow the Trump administration to fast-track fossil fuel projects without adequately considering health, environmental, or economic impacts—at a moment when judicial and congressional oversight is already under strain.

Senate Advances Wildfire and Public Lands Bills

On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources marked up 15 bills related to wildfire and public land management, all of which are now eligible for consideration on the Senate floor. Among them:

• Sarvis Creek Wilderness Completion Act
  Would expand Colorado’s Sarvis Creek Wilderness by 6,817 acres, protecting subalpine habitat while preserving recreation access.
• Chugach Alaska National Exchange Oil Spill Recovery Act
  Would authorize a land exchange with Chugach Alaska Corporation to address unresolved impacts from the Exxon Valdez oil spill.
• Brian Head Town Land Conveyance Act
  Introduced by Committee Chair Mike Lee, this bill would convey 24 acres of Dixie National Forest to the town of Brian Head, Utah, for public works needs.

Mike Lee Amendment Threatens the National Park System

Senator Mike Lee is planning to introduce an amendment to the Interior Appropriations Bill that would strike long-standing language requiring the federal government to maintain all existing National Park units as federal lands.

Lee claims to have the votes necessary to pass the amendment, which would open the door to selling, transferring, or giving away national parks, trails, and Wild and Scenic Rivers. This move follows repeated efforts by the Trump administration to defund and shrink the National Park Service. Listeners are encouraged to contact their senators and oppose Lee Amendment 3972, emphasizing the cultural, economic, and historical importance of the National Park System—especially as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.

House Advances Bill Weakening the Endangered Species Act

Also this week, the House Natural Resources Committee advanced legislation that would significantly weaken the Endangered Species Act, under the guise of making it more “friendly” to mining and drilling interests.

Rather than addressing real challenges—such as chronic underfunding and staffing shortages—the bill would undermine scientific standards, narrow the definition of habitat, restrict critical habitat designations, delay species listings, and accelerate the removal of existing protections. Conservationists warn the bill would erode one of the nation’s most effective environmental laws.

Federal Agencies Propose Sweeping ESA Rollbacks

In parallel, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service have proposed regulatory changes that would dramatically alter how the ESA is implemented. The proposals would eliminate many environmental reviews for federal projects, remove automatic protections for threatened species, and inject economic considerations into extinction-risk determinations. Advocates call these the most severe rollbacks to species protections in decades.

The public comment deadline is December 22.

We spoke with Jewel Tomasula of the Endangered Species Coalition about how to make your voice heard:

These Trump administration proposals for the Endangered Species Act amount to an extinction plan, and we just have a few days to make our voices heard. There’s real consequences on the ground for our communities, and we only have until December 22 to make that known in full force and put that forward. There’s four different places to submit comments, and the show notes will have that. And if you need talking points or need to learn a bit more about it, you can go to the Endangered Species coalition website, www.endangered.org.

For a deeper discussion on species recovery and stewardship, check out episode 41 of The Wild Idea, featuring former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams.

Interior Secretary Takes Over American Prairie Grazing Review

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has assumed jurisdiction over three grazing rights cases involving American Prairie, following pressure from Montana’s governor and congressional delegation.

American Prairie welcomed the review, emphasizing that conservation grazing is permitted under federal law and that its bison are considered livestock under Montana law. The organization says it is simply seeking equal treatment under existing grazing rules.

For more about American Prairie, listen to our recent two–part series.

Montana Moves Away from Numeric Water Quality Standards

Montana is moving to eliminate numeric water quality standards in favor of narrative-based standards after quiet EPA approval during the recent government shutdown. Critics warn this shift could weaken pollution prevention and make enforcement more reactive than proactive.

Here’s Scott Bosse from American Rivers:

“Well, let’s just start by saying that clean water is the most valuable natural asset that Montana has, and it’s the essential ingredient that fuels our two biggest sectors of the economy, and that’s agriculture and outdoor recreation, and that’s why we think we should be doing everything we can to protect it. I think the challenge we face here in Montana is that there are a lot of communities, especially rural communities, that can’t afford to upgrade their wastewater treatment systems to meet water quality standards for nutrients. But the solution isn’t to weaken those standards, it’s to invest more in our water and sewer infrastructure.”

Forest Service Staffing Cuts Take a Heavy Toll

A leaked Forest Service memo obtained by The Washington Post outlines the consequences of DOGE-related cuts and forced resignations. Since January, the agency has lost more than 6,000 employees, with some districts losing all trail crew staff. As a result, trail conditions are deteriorating, access is being lost, and only 19% of Forest Service trail miles now meet standard—the lowest level in 15 years. Grant programs supporting partner communities have also been abruptly cut off.

New Hampshire Delegation Pushes Back on Roadless Rule Rescission

Ahead of an upcoming Wild Idea series on the Roadless Rule, New Hampshire’s congressional delegation has formally urged Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to slow down the Forest Service’s plan to rescind the rule. The delegation raised concerns about limited public engagement and the administration’s proposed 21-day comment period, noting the rule protects more than a quarter-million acres in the White Mountain National Forest.

The Wild Line returns in January

That’s our report for December 19, 2025. The Wild Line will take a brief holiday break and return in January.
Coming up on The Wild Idea:

• A Child’s Christmas in the Shenandoah Valley, featuring Sarah Francisco
• A year-end conversation with Michelle Fullner, host of the Golden State Naturalist podcast

Until then—Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and act up and run wild.

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