Episode 47: BLM Releases Final Version of Conservation Leasing Rule

Summary: This episode discusses the final draft of the BLM landscape health and conservation rule, which aims to flood money into the public land system to control management. The rule introduces new types of leases, such as restoration and mitigation leases, and prioritizes areas of critical environmental concern (ACECs). The hosts express concerns about the rule's lack of statutory authority and its potential impact on motorized recreation. They also question the need for the rule, as many of its provisions are already covered by existing laws and programs. The conversation discusses the proposed conservation rule and its potential impact on public lands. The hosts argue that the rule is a power grab by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and gives unilateral authority to state directors to designate Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs) without congressional approval. They highlight the potential consequences for grazing allotments and the transfer of wealth from public land users to environmental groups through mitigation funds. They emphasize the need for congressional oversight and support for the West Act.   Takeaways The BLM landscape health and conservation rule aims to flood money into the public land system to control management. The rule introduces new types of leases, such as restoration and mitigation leases, and prioritizes areas of critical environmental concern (ACECs). There are concerns about the rule's lack of statutory authority and its potential impact on motorized recreation. Many of the provisions in the rule are already covered by existing laws and programs. The proposed conservation rule gives unilateral authority to state directors of the BLM to designate ACECs without congressional approval. The rule could have significant consequences for grazing allotments and other public land uses. Mitigation funds created through the rule could result in a transfer of wealth from public land users to environmental groups. The criteria for ACEC designation are vague and could be subject to abuse. Congressional oversight and support for the West Act are necessary to address the concerns raised by the rule. Sound Bites "The BLM landscape conservation rule will only affect BLM land. The Wall Street rule would have affected everything." "There is an organized political movement that is doing everything it can to remove roads off the landscape so that it can create wilderness." "This is a land grab. This is them saying, we no longer need presidents in the antiquities act. We no longer need Congress and wilderness designations." "Once they get it designated as an ACEC, then it's going to be nearly impossible to remove that ACEC designation."   Chapters 00:00 Introduction and recent events 04:46 Legislation and potential legal challenges 09:29 Prioritization of ACECs in the rule 13:44 Concerns about the rule's provisions 23:32 Ulterior motives and the need for the rule 26:57 Unilateral Authority: The Power Grab by the Bureau of Land Management 29:35 Consequences for Grazing Allotments and Public Land Uses 36:23 Wealth Transfer: Mitigation Funds and Environmental Groups 41:21 Vague Criteria: Potential for Abuse in ACEC Designation 48:23 Congressional Oversight and the Need for the West Act