09/18/2026
Follow Trail Preservation Alliance and help keep our Public lands public
The Trails Preservation Alliance supports the House Committee on Natural Resources' newly announced investigation into the litigation practices of 19 environmental nonprofit organizations and their use of taxpayer-funded attorney-fee reimbursements.
For those of us working on public-land access and management, litigation can have very real consequences for recreation opportunities, agency resources and work on the ground.
Citizens and organizations absolutely must retain the ability to challenge government decisions. At the same time, programs that reimburse attorneys' fees with taxpayer dollars should be transparent, accountable and operate as Congress intended.
If the system is working as intended, greater transparency should demonstrate that. If it isn't, the public deserves to know.
The Committee has requested written answers and in-person testimony from 19 organizations, including several that are active on public-land issues in Colorado and across the West.
An investigation does not establish wrongdoing. TPA supports getting the facts, understanding how these taxpayer-funded provisions are being used and determining whether reforms are warranted.
Read the Committee's announcement, including the full list of organizations being investigated via the link in the comments.
