Trump administration wants to cancel Biden-era rule that elevated conservation on public land

By MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press BILLINGS Mont AP Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Wednesday proposed canceling a society land management rule that elevated the importance of conservation as President Donald Trump s administration seeks to open more taxpayer-owned tracts to drilling logging mining and grazing The rule was a key part of efforts under former President Joe Biden to refocus the Interior Department s Bureau of Land Management which oversees about of land in the U S Adopted last year it allowed society property to be leased for restoration in the same way that oil companies lease land for drilling Industry and agriculture groups were bitterly opposed to the Biden rule and had lobbied Republicans to reverse it States including North Dakota where Burgum served as governor before joining Trump s Cabinet pursued a lawsuit hoping to block the rule FILE Cattle graze along a section of the Missouri River that includes the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument near Fort Benton Mont on Sept AP Photo Matthew Brown File Wednesday s announcement comes amid a flurry of actions since Trump took office aimed at boosting ability production from the federal establishment s vast land holdings which are concentrated in Western states including Alaska California Nevada New Mexico Utah and Wyoming Interior agents stated the Biden rule had sidelined people who depend on general lands for their livelihoods and imposed unneeded restrictions Burgum disclosed in a message that it would have prevented thousands of acres from being used for capacity and mineral productions grazing and recreation Overturning it protects our American way of life and gives our communities a voice in the land that they depend on Burgum explained The previous administration s General Lands Rule had the possible to block access to hundreds of thousands of acres of multiple-use land preventing vitality and mineral production timber management grazing and recreation across the West Burgum mentioned Environmentalists had largely embraced the rule that was finalized in April Supporters argued that conservation was a long-neglected facet of the land bureau s mission under the Federal Lands Procedures Management Act The administration cannot only overthrow that statutory authority because they would prefer to let drilling and mining companies call the shots commented Alison Flint senior legal director at The Wilderness Society While the bureau previously issued leases for conservation purposes in limited cases it never had a dedicated scheme for it Related Articles Alex Jones asks U S Supreme Court to hear appeal of billion Sandy Hook judgment Supreme Court to fleetly consider if President Donald Trump has power to impose sweeping tariffs Chief Justice Roberts keeps in place Trump funding freeze that threatens billions in foreign aid US upends its role as the high-seas drug police with a military strike on Venezuelan boat Hegseth and Caine visit Puerto Rico as US attempts up military operations in the Caribbean Critics reported the change under Biden violated the multiple use mandate for Interior Department lands by catapulting the non-use of federal lands meaning restoration leases to a position of prominence The rule also promoted the designation of more areas of critical environmental concern a special status that can restrict rise It s given to land with historic or cultural significance or that s crucial for wildlife conservation In addition to its surface land holdings the land bureau regulates publicly-owned underground mineral reserves such as coal for power plants and lithium for renewable vitality across more than million square miles million square kilometers The bureau has a history of industry-friendly policies and for more than a century has sold grazing permits and oil and gas leases The pending publication of Burgum s proposal will kick off a -day constituents comment period House Republicans last week repealed land management plans adopted in the closing days of former President Joe Biden s administration that restricted growth in large areas of Alaska Montana and North Dakota Interior representatives also reported a proposal aimed at increasing mining and drilling in Western states with populations of greater sage grouse Biden administration administrators proposed limits on enhancement and prohibitions against mining to help protect the grouse