New Bill Would Better Protect National Parks from Mining Threats

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) celebrates the introduction of a bill that takes steps to protect America’s national parks from the harmful impacts of mining.

With over 3,500 active mine claims inside national parks and national monuments and over 127,000 mine claims impacting watersheds and wildlife habitat just outside of park boundaries, this legislation addresses the urgent need to preserve these iconic landscapes for future generations.

Introduced by U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico, the CLAIM Act proposes long-overdue reforms to the General Mining Law of 1872. The current law allows for mining activities within and near national parks, allowing companies to operate with little oversight and leaving taxpayers to cover the costs of damaged landscapes and abandoned mines. This outdated law poses a particular risk to the fifteen national parks with active mine claims within their boundaries.

The CLAIM Act takes a practical step to reduce speculative claims within and near national parks and monuments while supporting the restoration of tens of thousands of abandoned mine sites that threaten water quality, wildlife habitat, Tribal cultural resource protection, and visitor safety.

Mining activities risk polluting the air and water within these pristine landscapes and jeopardize the health of ecosystems and the communities that rely on them. According to a recent bipartisan poll, nearly 60% of Americans oppose opening lands in or adjacent to national parks for mining and drilling, recognizing that such activities can cause irreversible damage and threaten the very experiences millions of visitors come to national parks to enjoy.

In March 2025, the Trump administration issued an executive order to rapidly expand mining on public lands by expediting permitting approvals, expanding the list of critical minerals and promoting speculative mineral exploration on lands in and adjacent to national parks, putting these iconic landscapes in the crosshairs of unchecked mining development.

Statement by Charlie Olsen, Energy and Public Lands Policy Manager at the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA):

“If we don’t act now, our national parks risk becoming industrial mining zones. We’re already seeing growing threats from mining in places like the Grand Canyon, Voyageurs, Arches, Gates of the Arctic and Mojave National Preserve.

“A century ago, many of our national parks were born out of the need to protect irreplaceable places in the frenzy of the gold rush. We know the next boom-and-bust rush for critical minerals is coming for our public lands, and this bill takes long-overdue steps to protect our national parks and our American heritage.

“The CLAIM Act is a promising step that brings balance to our mining system, steering new mining claims away from national parks and ensuring the public isn’t the only one left footing the cleanup costs.

“Nobody wants mining in or near our national parks. We urge Congress to support commonsense reforms like this to better balance responsible mining practices with the preservation of our exceptional national parks.”

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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.9 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.