WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Lauren Boebert and several of her colleagues blasted the Biden Administration’s so-called Conservation and Landscape Health final rule enacted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). This new regulation is a direct threat to rural America and violates the Federal Land Policy and Management Act's multiple-use mandate.
Congresswoman Lauren Boebert stated, “Biden’s bureaucrats’ so-called BLM Conservation Rule is just another misguided land grab meant to prevent oil and gas production at a time when sky-high gas prices and inflation are looting the pocketbooks of the American people. This new regulation is also an attack on our ranchers and farmers that will end grazing on federal lands and will also prevent Coloradans from accessing their public lands. I’ll be working closely with my colleagues on the Natural Resources Committee as well as the Western Caucus and Freedom Caucus to overturn this overreaching rule.”
"This devastating decision threatens the western way of life and is a slap in the face for local communities who have diligently stewarded America's resources for generations. Access and the multiple uses of BLM land are an integral part of life in western states and is the backbone of rural economies across the country,” saidHouse Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (AR-04). “When this rule was proposed, several western governors, members of Congress, and thousands of Americans used BLM’s comment period to publicly share their opposition, yet their concerns have gone unheard. Today is another example of the Biden administration leaving local communities out of the conversation and blatantly disregarding input from the American families that are impacted the most. This rule fundamentally threatens the land we use to feed and fuel our country and is at best vaguely defined, unnecessary and burdensome. Fortunately, the House Committee on Natural Resources has been advancing a solution. Congressman Curtis's WEST Act amplifies the concerns of stakeholders across western states and will require the BLM director to withdraw this severely misguided rule and manage lands in accordance with the agency’s statutory multiple use mandate. I look forward to doing everything in my power to help get the WEST Act through the House and I’d like to thank Congressman Curtis for his leadership on this important issue."
“BLM’s new rule effectively cedes control of federal lands from those who have been managing the land for generations through ranching and grazing,” said Rep. Doug LaMalfa (CA-01). “Access to BLM land is a fundamental part of life in western states and essential for many rural economies, it’s not a privilege for wealthy enviro groups to buy up and lock up in the name of ‘conservation’.”
“This rule is an example of everything that’s wrong with the administrative state,” said Rep. Celeste Maloy (UT-02). “Congress’ directive to the BLM is to manage land for multiple uses and sustained yield. This rule eliminates multiple use. Therefore, this rule is in contradiction to the agency’s authority. It has to be stopped before it is implemented.”
“As energy prices continue to rise across the country, this Administration has created yet another nonsensical rule that will effectively lock up more land and raise energy costs,” said Rep. Jay Obernolte (CA-23). “By restricting land from being utilized under the false guise of conservation, this rule will only make it more expensive for American companies to extract resources and generate energy. Those increased costs will be passed along to consumers, further fueling inflation and making it even harder for Californian families to make ends meet.”
“This final rule is a step backwards for responsible stewardship of our lands,” said Rep. Adrian Smith (NE-03). “It’s clear from federal land grabs like this and President Biden’s broader 30x30 agenda, the administration has no interest in recognizing congressional intent and feedback from stakeholders. Communities across the west are highly dependent on access to multiple-use public lands for their health, recreation, and livelihoods, and BLM should immediately reverse course.”
“The Bureau of Land Management's Conservation and Landscape Health rule will lock away more federal land – limiting the American people’s ability to responsibly use our lands for activities, such as recreation, timber harvesting, livestock grazing, and energy development,” said Rep. Tom Tiffany (WI-07). “It is another example of the Biden administration catering to extremist environmental groups that do not want Americans accessing our public lands.”
“Once again, the Biden Administration is ignoring the multiple use mandate on BLM lands in favor of radical environmentalists funding their political operation and controlling western lands,” said Rep. Ryan Zinke (MT-01). “Conservation has always been an end goal of the BLM’s mandate and is already a focus for all those who utilize our public lands. The enactment of ‘conservation leases’ is about control and is a direct threat to communities that create jobs, fund their schools, and build their livelihoods on grazing, mining, energy production and outdoor recreation. I will be submitting a rider on the FY25 Interior appropriations bill blocking this rule until a new administration is in control.”
“This rule from the Biden administration would jeopardize several years of successful management and collaboration between stakeholders who live, work, and recreate on public lands,” said Rep. Mike Simpson (ID-02). “As Chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee—which has jurisdiction over the BLM—I will continue to push back against this misguided decision.”
"It is critical that Utah's land remains under the stewardship of those who have tended it for generations. This rule from the Biden Administration undermines the very people who rely on our federal lands for ranching, grazing, recreation, and beyond,” said Rep. John Curtis (UT-03). “Utahns know the true value of these lands, and this rule unjustly restricts access that should remain open to everyone. Instead, it favors wealthy individuals and environmental groups, allowing them to lock up land that belongs to all Utahns. I will work tirelessly to repeal this disastrous effort."
"Idahoans have enjoyed the vast natural resources the state has to offer for decades, and this rule change will have drastic impacts on the future of recreation, grazing, and natural resource production," said Rep. Russ Fulcher (ID-01). "I am deeply disappointed that BLM announced the final ruling and extensive changes to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA). BLM manages twelve million acres of Idaho federal land. Idahoans have the congressional right to utilize the resources in their backyard for multiple uses, and I indeed to fight to ensure that stays in place."
“Once again this Administration is using federal agencies to circumvent Congress and create rules that destroy our Western way of life,” said Rep. Harriet Hageman (WY-AL). “The finalization of this disastrous rule, which was created without the input of the families, farmers, ranchers, tribes, and others that best know and care for our public lands, will negatively impact Wyoming and all Western states. It impowers radical environmentalist groups to restrict public access to public lands. I was proud to cosponsor legislation to withdraw this rule and will continue to fight against this Biden land grab.”
Background:
Biden’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) enacted a new regulatory mandate titled, “Conservation and Landscape Health.” This flawed rule contradicts the Congressional intent behind the Federal Land Management and Policy Act (FLPMA) by classifying conservation as a use for the purpose of fulfilling the congressional mandate that public lands have multiple uses including mineral exploration and production, livestock grazing, rights-of-way, fish and wildlife development, recreation, and timber. The FLPMA never mentions “conservation” as an active multiple use on federal land and Congress never passed a new law to authorize this rule. The Biden administration also made up a definition of “ecological resilience” for this regulation, a term that is never mentioned in FLPMA.
The Biden administration is attempting to unilaterally rewrite the law through regulation and using this definition change to covertly implement its radical 30x30 initiative that aims to lock up 30% of all land and water in the United States by 2030. Congresswoman Boebert is a strong champion of multiple use on public lands, and she introduced the 30x30 Termination Act to prohibit the Biden administration from enacting policies that prevent Americans from utilizing their public lands. Thousands of rural communities depend on access to BLM lands for recreation, grazing, timber production, and energy production. BLM estimated in fiscal year 2021, that BLM programs support more than $200 billion in economic output and approximately 783,000 jobs.
BLM is seeking to implement this landgrab through so-called 10-year “conservation leases” to address “restoration of degraded landscapes.” BLM has been intentionally vague about what uses will be compatible with “conservation” in order to lock up federal lands and prevent other multiple-uses with which it philosophically disagrees. The executive summary for this new mandate falsely claims, “Ensuring resilient ecosystems has become imperative, as public lands are increasingly degraded and fragmented due to adverse impacts from climate change and a significant increase in authorized use.” According to a report by the Congressional Review Service published in 2017, grazing on BLM managed lands has decreased by 52.2% since 1954 under BLM management.
Congresswoman Lauren Boebert fought for ranchers and farmers and other Americans that utilize our public lands during a hearing on H.R. 3397, legislation cosponsored by Congresswoman Boebert to halt this new Biden regulation that will lock up our public lands from multiple use. |
