BLM Public Lands Rule ushers in more balanced approach decades overdue

Ever heard of the "Bureau of Livestock and Mining"? It's clever wordplay, but sadly there has also been some historical basis in this disparaging nickname for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Despite Congress requiring the agency to manage public lands in a balanced way nearly 50 years ago, the BLM has seemed mostly concerned with drilling and mining. In 2016, for example, 90% of its estate was open for oil and gas leasing.

That grim era has finally ended with the roll-out of the finalized. A major victory for communities and nature alike, the final rule confirms definitively that conservation-of natural habitat, cultural resources, recreation areas and more-is on equal footing with resource extraction under the agency's mandate.

Put simply, BLM is rebalancing public lands management to benefit communities and nature, bringing an end to industrial development's open buffet.

This is a moment of generational significance. The BLM manages 245 million acres of public lands, including some of the most significant landscapes in North America. Despite the old joke we mentioned above, these lands encompass vital ecosystems, sacred sites, beloved hikes and more.

By way of example, take a look at the map below, which illustrates that BLM lands hold some of the greatest ecological significance in the United States: