Bureau of Land Management Rule Threatens Livestock Grazing

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) final “Conservation and Landscape Health” rule could redefine the agency’s land management requirements for multiple uses. This includes livestock grazing according to concerns raised by the National Cattlemen’s Association and the Public Lands Council.

The final rule runs counter to the agency’s multiple-use mandate under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA). This mandate requires the BLM to balance the multiple uses of public lands including recreation, energy, mining, timber and grazing.

The “Conservation and Landscape Health” rule changes agency priorities by putting a new, single-use on equal footing with long-established uses that Congress explicitly directed. A focus on Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) may result in more restrictive land management.