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 a…