For a cleaner, more prosperous world, ACC mobilizes conservatives around environmental issues, fostering collaboration in the pursuit of environmental conservation.
January 4 marked one year since the EXPLORE Act became law. It arrived quietly by Washington standards, without spectacle or late night drama, but its passage deserves attention. The bill cleared the House by voice vote, then passed the Senate by unanimous consent, a rare outcome in a Congress more accustomed to stalemate than agreement. The EXPLORE Act crossed the finish line at the close of the 118th Congress as a standalone bill, proving something many had begun to doubt: cooperation is still possible when lawmakers choose seriousness over theater and results over posture. ACC was proud to champion this effort through public advocacy and a letter of support because it reflected a governing posture grounded in stewardship, access, and practical care for America’s public lands.
The EXPLORE Act matters because it addresses real needs with practical solutions. It improved outdoor access, strengthened recreation infrastructure, and supported gateway communities that depend on healthy public lands. It did not attempt to remake the world. It focused on maintenance, on safety, on opportunity. That kind of work rarely earns headlines and certainly never goes viral, but it shapes daily life for millions of Americans who hunt, fish, hike, work, and raise families near public lands. The Act reminded us that good policy often looks like steady upkeep. It looks like clearing the trail, fixing the bridge, and making sure the door stays open for the next person who comes along. That is the kind of governing that builds trust, and trust is the currency that allows bigger work to follow.
And follow it did! Six months later, on July 3, the Make America Beautiful Again Executive Order was signed, setting the stage for the nation’s 250th anniversary. The timing mattered. The order framed conservation as a shared inheritance, one that belongs to every American and deserves attention as we approach a historic milestone. MABA elevated restoration, access, and stewardship as national priorities. It reinforced the idea that caring for land and water is part of how a nation honors its past and prepares for its future. Together, the EXPLORE Act and the MABA Executive Order formed a pattern: bipartisan legislation paired with executive leadership, Practical policy paired with cultural signal, results paired with momentum.
These efforts from the past year could not have come at a better time; our needs are real and growing. Energy demand continues to rise as prices surge, putting pressure on families, businesses, and the grid itself. Permitting reform and nuclear energy development remain essential if the country hopes to meet that demand responsibly. America’s national parks carry a deferred maintenance backlog of more than twenty three billion dollars, a burden that cannot be ignored if access and safety are to be preserved. Wildfires are increasing in size and severity, demanding active forest management and faster project approval. Farmers face rising input costs, volatile markets, and extreme weather, all while remaining some of the nation’s most effective conservation partners when voluntary programs are designed to work with them rather than around them. None of these challenges are abstract. They show up in electric bills, closed trails, smoky skies, and strained rural communities.
As we head into 2026 and march toward America’s 250th anniversary, the message from the past year is clear: progress is possible when leaders choose responsibility and stay focused on outcomes. The EXPLORE Act and the MABA Executive Order did not solve every problem, but they did demonstrate a posture worth repeating: a willingness to work across differences, a commitment to tangible results, a respect for the land and the people who depend on it. There is much left to do, and the work will not carry itself.
Demand will keep rising.
Costs will keep climbing.
Landscapes will keep changing.
Yet this past year showed that when leaders and citizens pull in the same direction, real wins follow. Together, we can deliver more for America, more access, more restoration, more energy, and more confidence in a future worth building.
Ryan Anderson is the Stakeholder Communications Manager at the American Conservation Coalition.