FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 4, 2025

Five years after landmark conservation victory, new threats loom over public lands

Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund warns that proposed Interior Department changes could undermine the legacy of the Great American Outdoors Act

(HELENA, Mont.) — Exactly one month ago marked the fifth anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) being signed into law — a bipartisan achievement that permanently funded the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and delivered historic wins for public lands, outdoor access, and Montana’s local economies. But as we celebrate, the Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund is raising alarm over a new Department of the Interior Secretarial Order (3442) that threatens to undo the very legacy GAOA helped secure.

 

The Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund released the following statement from Executive Director Ben Super:

“Five years ago, Congress and the White House came together to pass the Great American Outdoors Act — a landmark investment in Montana’s public lands and the small businesses and communities that depend on them.

Now, that progress is in jeopardy. S.O. 3442 effectively undermines conservation and public access, weakens LWCF’s land protection tools, limits private property rights, and creates new roadblocks that will stall urgently needed outdoor access and recreation projects, thereby harming our state’s thriving outdoor economy. It’s more than a policy mistake — it’s a betrayal of the values at the heart of the Great American Outdoors Act.

The GAOA made LWCF permanent in 2020. Weakening LWCF now would betray the bipartisan promise Congress made — and jeopardize the public lands, jobs, and local economies Montanans depend on.

We urge Congress and our state’s delegation to reject this damaging proposal and stand with Montanans who are counting on LWCF to keep our communities, public lands, and outdoor livelihoods protected and resilient.”