On February 20, 2026, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) published a proposed rule that would overhaul how locatable mineral exploration and mining are reviewed on National Forest System lands for the first time since 1974. Proposed Rule, Locatable Minerals, 91 Fed. Reg. 8316 (Feb. 20, 2026). The proposal—issued at 91 Fed. Reg. 8316—shifts from
The Need for Speed: Expediting Permitting for Mining and Infrastructure—Safely
Originally published in The Advocate, the magazine of the Idaho State Bar (October 2025).
Imagine you’re running late for a flight. You get into the TSA line, which snakes longer than expected. People fumble with their countless carry-ons, one person argues about the “new” twenty-year-old liquid restriction, and you worry you’ll miss your
President Trump’s Executive Order Promoting Domestic Mineral Production
On March 20, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14241 (EO), 90 Fed. Reg. 13673 (Mar. 25, 2025), aimed at promoting domestic mineral production for national security. The EO follows the President’s earlier EOs “Declaring a National Energy Emergency,” 90 Fed. Reg. 8433 (Jan. 29, 2025), and “Unleashing American Energy,” 90