The U.S. Department of the Interior, under Secretary Doug Burgum, is repealing a rule implemented during former President Joe Biden's administration that aimed to place conservation on equal footing with development on public lands. This rule, adopted in 2024, allowed public lands to be leased for conservation purposes similarly to how oil companies lease land for drilling. Critics, including Bobby McEnaney from the Natural Resources Defense Council, argue that repealing this rule will result in diminished protections for clean drinking water and endangered wildlife, as well as reduced accountability for corporations that damage public lands. Supporters of the repeal, including industry representatives, claim it restores the 'multiple use' mandate of the Bureau of Land Management, which oversees approximately 10% of U.S. land. The repeal is set to take effect 30 days after its publication in the Federal Register. This decision follows a trend of easing restrictions on fossil fuel production and sidelining renewable energy projects initiated by the Trump administration.