Continued Angst Among Ag Groups on Proposed BLM Conservation Rule

Public Lands Director, Sigrid Johannes says that there has been a high level of engagement regarding the Bureau of Land Management, Conservation and Land Health Standards proposed rule that would change the way that public grazing works on BLM land.

“But in reality, it's a rule that would completely undermine an app and multiple use, specifically grazing on our federal lands. So really a problematic rule from the BLM. We submitted our technical comments recently, before the comment deadline closed with not just PLC and the National cattleman seas Association and the American Sheep Industry Association, but also American Farm Bureau and 55 different state affiliates.”

Johannes explains what their number one concern is.

“Elevating conservation as a use and in fact, overlaying it and giving it sort of a higher status than all of the other multiple uses on BLM land. So the system that they are creating is a system of leases where folks could buy conservation leases that would supersede in the words of the rule themselves. They would supersede any valid or pre existing rights on that land, such as grazing so if grazing or wind energy or whatever it is you're doing out there recreation mineral was found to be wanting or found to not be matching up with the with the conservation goal. You could be in danger of losing that access.”

Public Lands Council directors sacred Johannes.