Sue-and-Settle Enables NGO Control

At Point Reyes, environmental groups sued NPS to remove cattle ranches while The Nature Conservancy, a 'neutral' nonparty, mediated. After settlement, TNC was awarded $2.7M by California, $1M by Interior, and secured up to 40‑year leases from NPS to manage 'rewilding.' The sequence shifts operational control of public land from agencies to a private nonprofit without standard rulemaking. — It shows how governments can enact controversial land-use changes via litigation and NGO handoffs, weakening transparency and democratic accountability.

Sources

The Debate Over the Uses of Public Land Is an Environmentalist Monologue

Chris Bray 2025.09.23 78% relevant

The article describes Point Reyes policy changes following litigation and activist pressure, with NPS managers reportedly celebrating a lawsuit outcome that aligned with their preferences and The Nature Conservancy’s role brokering outcomes—mirroring the sue‑and‑settle pathway where NGOs steer land use outside normal rulemaking.

Odd Signs and Portents in a Troubled State

Chris Bray 2025.09.02 100% relevant

California Wildlife Conservation Board’s $2.706M allocation to TNC, NPS–TNC 40‑year lease option, and DOI’s $1M grant for Point Reyes.