SE Wyoming News

Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and House Western Caucus Chair Dan Newhouse (R-WA) have strongly criticized the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) new Conservation and Landscape Health final rule. The rule, which alters the multiple use requirements on federal lands, has raised concerns about its potential negative impact on local communities in the west.

Lummis expressed her disappointment, stating, "The people of Wyoming and throughout the west have once again been put on the backburner by this administration to score political points with climate change activists." She highlighted the severe implications of the rule on Wyoming's economy, with activities like grazing, energy development, and tourism facing the risk of being banned.

Newhouse echoed similar sentiments, accusing President Biden and Secretary Haaland of conflating conservation with preservation. He asserted, "This is just another way to lock up America's abundant natural resources, end grazing on federal lands, and limit public access to our public lands for the sake of climate alarmism."

Both Lummis and Newhouse emphasized their commitment to opposing the rule, with Lummis indicating support for any effort to overturn the overreach. Newhouse affirmed, "This is a direct assault on the Western way of life, and the Congressional Western Caucus will support any and all efforts to overturn this blatant overreach from the Biden administration."

The duo's concerns are not new, as in 2023, Senator Lummis and Senator John Barrasso introduced legislation aimed at blocking the rule and safeguarding federal lands. The new BLM rule has sparked controversy by amending the definition of "conservation" to exclude multiple use and introducing "conservation leases" that could keep productive lands out of use for a decade or more.