President Donald Trump has revoked two executive orders that have guided off-road vehicle (ORV) and over-snow vehicle (OSV) use on federal public lands for more than five decades, setting off a new debate over access, conservation, and the future of recreation on America’s public lands. The May 29 executive order repeals Executive Order 11644, signed by President Richard Nixon in 1972, and Executive Order 11989, signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1977. The administration argues the move will reduce regulatory burdens, improve recreational access, and remove barriers to timber and energy development on federal lands.
For skiers and snowboarders, the decision could have implications well beyond dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles. The repealed orders also helped shape how snowmobiles and other over-snow vehicles are managed on public lands, including areas adjacent to ski resorts and winter recreation zones. This could possibly have particular impact for backcountry skiers in the future.
Why Were the Original Orders Created?
The two executive orders were introduced during a period when off-road vehicle use was rapidly expanding across the United States. According to conservation groups and federal land management history, Nixon’s 1972 order directed agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service to regulate where motorized vehicles could travel on public lands. Carter’s 1977 order strengthened those protections by allowing agencies to immediately close areas where vehicle use was causing significant environmental damage.
Together, the orders established what became known as a “closed unless designated open” framework. Rather than allowing motorized travel everywhere unless specifically prohibited, agencies designated roads, trails, and areas where ORVs and snowmobiles were permitted and treated everything else as closed. The orders also required land managers to minimize damage to soil, watersheds, vegetation, and other natural resources; harassment of wildlife and disruption of habitat; and conflicts between motorized and non-motorized recreation users. Those principles have influenced federal travel management policies for decades.
Why Did the Trump Administration Repeal Them?
The Trump administration argues that the orders are outdated and unnecessarily restrictive. According to the executive order, advances in vehicle technology, concerns about regulatory burdens, and what it characterizes as vague management requirements justify eliminating the directives. The administration also argues that existing laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), already provide sufficient tools for managing motorized recreation on public lands.
The order directs federal agencies to review and potentially revise or rescind regulations that were created to implement the two executive orders. The administration says the move will expand recreational opportunities and improve access to public lands while also removing barriers to timber harvesting and energy development.
The Trump administration argues that land managers already have numerous tools available to protect resources and that removing decades-old directives could simplify management and increase public access.
Why Are Critics Concerned?
Conservation groups, recreation organizations, and former public land officials argue that the repeal removes the policy foundation that has guided motorized recreation management for more than 50 years. Organizations including The Wilderness Society, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, Winter Wildlands Alliance, National Parks Conservation Association, Sierra Club, and others contend that the orders helped balance motorized access with environmental protection and reduced conflicts between different user groups. The Wilderness Society called in “Mad Max on public lands.”
Critics fear the repeal could eventually undermine travel management regulations used by the Forest Service and other agencies. They argue that without the long-standing minimization requirements, land managers could face increased pressure to open additional routes and areas to motorized recreation.
For winter recreationists, organizations such as Winter Wildlands Alliance have warned that the repeal could affect future management of snowmobile and over-snow vehicle access, potentially increasing conflicts between motorized and non-motorized users in backcountry areas.
Environmental concerns raised by opponents include soil erosion, habitat fragmentation, disturbance to wildlife, impacts on waterways, and increased noise in otherwise quiet recreation areas.
Some critics also note that today’s off-road vehicles are significantly more powerful and capable than those that existed when the original orders were signed in the 1970s.
What Happens Next?
The immediate effect of the executive order is the repeal of the two presidential directives. However, the larger implications will depend on what federal agencies do next. The administration has directed agencies to review regulations that stem from the repealed orders, meaning future changes could affect how hundreds of millions of acres of federal public land are managed.
Public comment periods are expected if agencies propose major regulatory revisions, although conservation groups have expressed concern that such comment periods could be shortened. For now, the order reignites the debate on how to balance public access, motorized recreation, conservation, wildlife protection, and the growing number of people using public lands for everything from snowmobiling and mountain biking to backcountry skiing and snowboarding.
Whether the repeal ultimately results in significant changes on the ground remains to be seen, but both supporters and critics agree on one thing: the decision could shape how Americans use public lands for years to come.
Trump has ordered a record amount of executive orders in his second presidency. Since his inauguration, he is averaging more than one executive order per day and had signed nearly 150 directives in the first 100 days of his term alone. His early actions outpaced past presidencies, including Franklin D. Roosevelt’s historical benchmark of 99 orders in his first 100 days
