The Wilderness Society still opposes S.5653
Following updated text, TWS calls on elected officials to reject permitting bill
Washington D.C. (November 7, 2026) -- After reviewing the updated bill text, The Wilderness Society reaffirms its opposition to the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act.
This morning, just two days before the bill’s first procedural vote, Senators released a 500-page updated version of S.5653 that continues to pose grave threats to some of the most cherished and visited public lands, including the Boundary Waters, Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments, Chaco Canyon and the Arctic.
The concerns raised in TWS’s earlier analysis either remain untouched or insufficiently addressed. This bill still sells out our shared public lands to fossil fuel drilling, hardrock mining and AI data centers, silences public input and erodes bedrock environmental laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act.
In response to the updated bill text, Tracy Stone-Manning, President of The Wilderness Society said:
"Americans deserve permitting reform that isn't crafted behind closed doors and rushed to the Senate floor. Unfortunately, that's exactly what this flawed bill is, and future generations will pay for the damage it will cause to public lands if it becomes law.
Senators should take their cues from the election and conduct a thorough, transparent process that delivers clean energy while protecting our clean air, water and cherished public lands. The country is counting on Congress to get this right and this bill widely misses the mark."
For questions, please reach out to Emily Denny, Senior Communications Manager, edenny@tws.org
