Trump Administration Advances 80% of Project 2025 Land Directives

The federal government has made significant strides in implementing directives outlined in Project 2025, with over 80% of the public land actions either fully or partially advanced. This development comes despite President Donald Trump‘s prior disavowal of the project during his campaign. The findings are detailed in a report released by the Center for Western Priorities, a conservation-focused organization based in Colorado.

The report evaluates 70 directives related to public lands from Project 2025, concluding that 50% have been fully completed, 34.3% are currently in progress, and 15.7% have not been attempted. Project 2025 serves as a conservative roadmap, initially published in 2022, designed to guide Trump’s vision for a potential 2025 Republican presidency. The document, known as the “Mandate for Leadership,” was produced by The Heritage Foundation, a prominent right-leaning think tank.

During a September 10, 2024 debate with former Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump asserted, “I have nothing to do with Project 2025,” claiming he had not read it, nor did he intend to. The report’s author, Kate Groetzinger, communication manager at the Center for Western Priorities, remarked on the contradiction between Trump’s past statements and the administration’s current actions. She stated, “The speed with which President Trump has embraced a plan he once claimed to know nothing about is staggering.”

Details of Project 2025’s Public Land Directives

Project 2025 outlines a series of actions aimed at reversing many policies enacted during the Biden administration, particularly those related to endangered species and climate action. The initiative also emphasizes increasing domestic energy production and reforming federal statutes, including the National Environmental Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. The majority of these directives affect the Department of the Interior and its subagencies, such as the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

William Perry Pendley, who led the Bureau of Land Management during Trump’s first administration, was instrumental in drafting the recommendations for Project 2025. He has criticized the Biden administration’s approach to land management, suggesting that it conflicts with the department’s mission to develop oil, gas, and coal resources.

The public lands in Colorado are significant, with over one-third managed by the federal government. This includes approximately 16 million acres overseen by the U.S. Forest Service and 8.3 million acres managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

Implementation Progress and Future Implications

The report categorizes actions from Project 2025 into several areas, including fossil fuel production, federal land protections, and environmental reviews. It indicates that nearly 70% of the recommendations related to increasing fossil fuel production have been implemented, while less than 20% of those regarding land protections have been completed.

The administration’s focus on fossil fuel production began immediately at the start of Trump’s second term, marked by an executive order aimed at “unleashing” domestic energy. Subsequent actions, including the rescinding of Biden-era climate regulations, have propelled Project 2025’s directives forward.

The report warns that if current trends continue, public lands may effectively be privatized by the end of Trump’s presidency in 2028. Groetzinger expressed concern that the administration’s approach could lead to the long-term degradation of public lands, stating, “The Trump administration is effectively turning our national public lands into sacrifice zones for private profit.”

As Trump’s second term progresses, the administration is expected to further pursue the goals of Project 2025. However, public response remains critical, as evidenced by the bipartisan opposition to proposals for public land sales, such as a recent attempt to sell 3 million acres during the reconciliation process. This proposal was ultimately defeated, highlighting ongoing resistance from various stakeholders concerned about the future of public lands.

The report concludes that Western constituents will continue to advocate for the preservation of public lands against the backdrop of the administration’s ambitious agenda.