The BLM has spent years updating it’s planning process to be more inclusive, transparent, and collaborative. The changes are collectively called 2.0. Last night the House decided they didn’t like those rules, now things move to the senate.
Here is the former Secretary of Interior (Sally Jewell) explaining why and how 2.0 is an improvement.
The proposed changes support the BLM’s shift to science-based, landscape-scale approaches to resource management while increasing opportunities for early engagement by state and local government, Tribes, partner agencies, stakeholders, and the public.
This was not some sort of end of the year rule change, the consideration of these changes have been years in the making and incorporate things that have been found to work.
The BLM has established a new persona amongst rural westerners of late. Someone that can get along, someone that people can work with rather than the enemy. It will take years to overcome the bad feelings that gave rise to the Sagebrush Rebellion and the Bundys, and it takes time, The BLM was on it.
By crushing these rules before they hardly get off the ground all the work and good feelings will also be destroyed. I try to imagine who would be harmed and who would be helped. I figure large powerful groups of people that already have outsized influence on planning for the BLM wouldn’t like these rules. Usually we think of extractive industries as being large and powerful. Ranching groups are also strong in states such as Wyoming. In thinking about it I can’t help but imagine one more group that has built up relationships over years, one other group that has headquarters far away but via lobbyists and influence also works behind the scenes on planning, or maybe some environmental groups thrive more on confrontation, litigation, and angry donations? Finding common ground is a bad deal if one’s job is to argue and go to court.
As usual it’s primarily hunters and anglers who are kicking up a fuss. We are joined by The Nature Conservancy (those New Conservationists) and The Wildlife Society. Of the hunting orgs
The TRCP (Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Partnership), Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Trout Unlimited, Pheasants Forever. etc.
BLM lands are multiple and sustained use types of land. I understand that. Oil wells, mining, forestry, ranching, as well as bird watching and camping are all uses, and certainly all those uses can make room for each other, but having a secretive process for determining when and how and what form the planning for those uses entails is a regression to the problems of yesteryear.
If you belong to the Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, Earthjustice, or similar, maybe give them a call and ask them how come they aren’t on this issue. Might want to call your senator too, cause it’s too late for your congressman, that horse already left the barn.