Good riddance to non-use of public lands

The Trump Administration is restoring Congressional intent by removing “conservation” from the Bureau of Land Management’s mandate earlier this month.

The Biden-era rule put non-use on par with grazing, mineral extraction and recreation, in flagrant disregard for the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, which mandates that the 245 million acres of federal land be managed under the principles of “multiple use” and “sustained yield.”

As the BLM noted in its rule change,

“It is not appropriate, or logical, to treat conservation as a ‘use’ under FLPMA. Under a more appropriate interpretation and implementation of FLPMA's mandate, the BLM works to responsibly conserve resources to ensure balanced development while also achieving long-term productivity of those resources, in all cases consistent with the principles of multiple use and sustained yield. This may be achieved through land management efforts, including in partnership with other entities, but it does not follow that FLPMA's leasing authority allows for conservation ( i.e., mitigation and restoration) as a ‘use.’”

And not only did the Biden rule thumb its nose at the rule of law, but it would have severely impacted land available for grazing livestock, petroleum and mineral extraction, and hunting and other recreational use. Ultimately, this would have led to thousands of jobs lost and nearly $1 billion in foregone revenue in Wyoming, according to estimates from petroleum groups, not to mention cutting off access to millions of acres.

One of the worst aspects of the rule was that it expanded “Areas of Critical Environmental Concern,” which would have allowed bureaucrats to remove access to certain areas without first requiring public input and consultation with state and local governments.

As Gov. Mark Gordon wrote following the decision, the “action by President Trump and Secretary Burgum is a welcome return to the statutory principle of true multiple use on our public lands. Wyoming people have long understood that conservation and responsible use are not mutually exclusive. Our ranchers, energy producers, sportsmen, counties, and local communities have cared for these lands for generations while supporting jobs, schools, economies and wildlife habitat.”

Gov. Gordon had previously testified against the decision before Congress and Wyoming, along with Utah, challenged it in federal court. Both states have large percentages of federal land, making up slightly less than half of Wyoming and about 64 percent of Utah. Gov. Greg Gianforte in Montana also strongly supports the rule change for similar reasons.

Protecting the land and using it for recreation and purposes that generate economic activity can happen simultaneously, as they did for decades prior to the Biden rule change. The rescission brings common sense back to federal land management while also protecting the livelihoods of thousands who responsibly make a living on our shared inheritance.