April 18th, 2024 — Today, the Bureau of Land Management announced an update to its regulations regarding public lands. According to the BLM, “the rule recognizes conservation as an essential component of public lands management, on equal footing with other multiple uses of these lands.”
Senator John Barrasso said that the rule threatens the Wyoming way of life.
“This rule subverts the multiple-use requirement under the Federal Land Policy Management Act and will block access to federal lands. In effect, this rule will turn thousands of acres of federal lands from ‘multiple-use’ to ‘non-use’. The people of Wyoming depend on access to public lands for their livelihoods – including energy and mineral production, grazing, and recreation. With this rule, President Biden is allowing federal bureaucrats to destroy our way of life. Senator John Hoeven and I will introduce a Congressional Review Act resolution to repeal this outrageous rule.”
Governor Mark Gordon expressed his frustration over the agency’s dismissal of state efforts and input.
“It appears that Wyoming’s comments – and those from our people who depend on public lands for their livelihoods – were completely overlooked,” Governor Gordon said. “The Biden Administration’s contorted interpretation of multiple use under the Federal Land Policy Management Act and the BLM’s authorities will completely upend economies across the West – including grazing, recreation, and energy.”
“Wyoming takes immense pride in our wildlife and habitat management and expertise,” the Governor continued. “With Wyoming’s voice, authorities, and management efforts as well as the standard of multiple use disregarded, I wholeheartedly support Senator Barrasso’s efforts to withdraw this rule in the U.S. Senate.
Renaming the rule the ‘Public Lands Rule’ from its earlier incarnation as the ‘Conservation and Landscape Health Rule’ or calling ‘conservation leases’ ‘mitigation’ and ‘restoration’ leases reflects the BLM’s disingenuous attempt to shift perception surrounding this rule. It completely disregards the public’s rejection of the Administration’s efforts to force the “30 x 30” initiative down our throats.”
Senator Cynthia Lummis also expressed her disapproval.
“The people of Wyoming and throughout the west have once again been put on the backburner by this administration to score political points with climate change activists,” said Lummis. “The BLM’s new public lands rule is an egregious violation of its multiple-use mandate that immediately threatens public access and use of almost half of Wyoming’s land, delivering a nearly fatal blow to Wyoming’s ranching, energy and tourism industry. This policy will have devastating consequences for the state of Wyoming and the entire west, and I will support any effort to overturn this egregious overreach.”
