Congressman John Curtis and other leaders in the West continue to push back on a BLM rule that adds conservation leases to the list of potential land uses on public land. This week, Curtis’ bill HR3397 was heard in the Natural Resources Committee. The bill has 19 co-sponsors and aims to require the Director of the BLM to withdraw the ‘Conservation and Landscape Health’ rule. “The rule in question basically gives the BLM an unquestioned and sweeping hand to block off large areas of public lands for conservation with no questions asked,” says Curtis. “It doesn’t matter if there’s grazing there. It doesn’t matter if there’s recreation there.” Curtis shares that he was extra frustrated as there were dozens of Democratic members on the panel that did not show up to hear his bill and the concerns of those that actually live where public lands are dominantly located. Curtis is not alone in his pursuit to overturn the rule as Governor Cox is among 6 Governors to sign a letter opposing the rule which they say would fundamentally alter the way of life of real people.
