“Interior Department Moves to Rescind Public Lands Rule, Prioritizing Multiple-Use Access and Local Authority”

The Department of the Interior is set to rescind the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) 2024 Public Lands Rule, formally known as the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, in a bid to restore balance in federal land management. The move aligns with Secretary Doug Burgum’s commitment to prioritizing multiple-use access, supporting responsible energy development, ranching, grazing, timber production, and recreation across America’s public lands. The rule had previously elevated conservation to an official use of public lands, equating it with other uses such as grazing and energy development.

The previous administration’s interpretation of the rule as “no use” sparked concerns among stakeholders, including the energy industry, recreational users, and agricultural producers. They argued that the rule created regulatory uncertainty, reduced access to lands, and undermined the BLM’s long-standing multiple-use mandate. Secretary Doug Burgum stated that the rule had the potential to block access to hundreds of thousands of acres of multiple-use land, preventing activities like energy and mineral production, timber management, grazing, and recreation across the West.

The proposal to rescind the rule is aimed at returning authority back to states, counties, and tribes who are directly impacted by the management of public lands. It also seeks to eliminate uncertainty for industry stakeholders concerning potential litigation risks and permitting delays. The move is in line with Secretary’s Order 3418, “Unleashing American Energy,” which aims to eliminate unnecessary barriers to energy development and support the multiple-use mandate of the BLM by not prioritizing conservation over all other uses. A 60-day comment period will open on the proposed rule rescission once the Federal Register notice is published.