The Department of the Interior has announced a proposal to rescind the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Public Lands Rule. This move is in line with Secretary Doug Burgum’s stated goal to restore what he describes as balanced, multiple-use management for federal lands. The department says the change will prioritize access for energy development, ranching, grazing, timber production, and recreation.
The 2024 Public Lands Rule had made conservation—defined as no use—an official use category for public lands. Under this rule, conservation was treated on par with other land uses managed by BLM. Critics argued that this approach left land idle and restricted activities such as grazing, energy development, or recreation.
According to the Department of the Interior, stakeholders from various sectors including energy, recreation, and agriculture raised concerns that the rule introduced regulatory uncertainty and reduced access to public lands. They also claimed it undermined BLM’s long-standing mandate from Congress to manage these lands for multiple uses.
Secretary Doug Burgum commented on the proposal: “The previous administration’s Public Lands Rule had the potential to block access to hundreds of thousands of acres of multiple-use land – preventing energy and mineral production, timber management, grazing and recreation across the West,” said Secretary Doug Burgum. “The most effective caretakers of our federal lands are those whose livelihoods rely on its well-being. Overturning this rule protects our American way of life and gives our communities a voice in the land that they depend on.”
The department argues that rescinding the rule would return BLM management practices to their legal mandate and protect economic activities in rural communities dependent on agriculture, mining, and energy production. It also states that people who rely on public lands have historically conserved them without additional regulation.
If finalized, this proposal would shift more authority over land management decisions back to states, counties, and tribes affected by these policies. The department says it will also reduce litigation risks and permitting delays for industry stakeholders by removing regulatory uncertainty.
This action follows Secretary’s Order 3418 (“Unleashing American Energy”), which aims to remove barriers to energy development while supporting BLM’s multiple-use mandate rather than prioritizing conservation above other uses.
A 60-day public comment period will begin once notice is published in the Federal Register.
