The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing a new public lands management rule that could have severe implications for ranchers who utilize public lands for grazing.
The agency said the intention for the rule is to “improve the resilience of public lands in the face of a changing climate; conserve important wildlife habitat and intact landscapes; plan for development; and better recognize unique cultural and natural resources on public lands.”
In short, the proposal will overhaul how the agency manages public lands. The proposed rule would implement assessments to examine “the health of public lands,” and would apply standards for watersheds, forests and wildlife habitats. The rule also proposes the use of conservation leasing to pursue “ecosystem reliance through mitigation and restoration.” Conservation leases could be permitted for up to 10-year terms.
BLM said its ability to manage for multiple use and sustained yield on public lands depends on the resilience of ecosystems across the lands.
“The proposed rule would apply land health standards to all BLM-managed public lands and uses, clarify that conservation is a ‘use’ within the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) multiple-use framework, and revise existing regulations to better meet FLPMA’s requirement that the BLM prioritize designating and protecting Areas of Critical Environmental Concern,” the written proposal read.
The agency said the use of conservation leases is not intended to preclude other uses, such as grazing, mining and recreation.
“Conservation leases should not disturb existing authorizations, valid existing rights, or state or Tribal land use management,” BLM wrote. “Rather, this proposed rule is intended to raise conservation up to be on par with other uses under the principles of multiple use and sustained yield.”
Regardless, this could lead to more competition for ranchers looking to lease land for grazing.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) said the rule would completely upend BLM’s multiple-use mandate and jeopardize the agency’s ability to be a good partner to ranchers who utilize public lands.
“Ranchers have a reasonable expectation of transparency and predictability with dealing with the BLM, and this proposed rule falls short on both accounts,” said NCBA Executive Director of Natural Resources and Public Lands Council Executive Director Kaitlynn Glover.
“The covert manner in which the rule was developed and announced has left permittees feeling like the rule is either a capitulation to the extremist environmental groups who want to eradicate grazing from the landscape or a concerted effort to develop rules that preclude ranchers’ input.”
The proposal largely received support from conservation groups.
“This is an invaluable opportunity for the BLM to rebalance its priorities and safeguard habitats for wildlife that are trending toward extinction so that they not only exist but thrive in the future,” said Vera Smith, senior federal lands policy analyst with Defenders of Wildlife.
Comments will be accepted through June 20. To submit comments online, visit regulations.gov and search for “1004–AE–92.” Comments may also be mailed to: U.S. Department of the Interior, Director (630), Bureau of Land Management, 1849 C St. NW, Room 5646, Washington, DC 20240, Attention: 1004–AE92. Comments should be mailed as soon as possible to ensure timely delivery. — Anna Miller, WLJ managing editor
