From BHA:
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers raises concerns about decades of conservation progress that could soon be undone
Washington, D.C. – On the heels of his confirmation, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum issued a series of secretarial orders that prioritize energy development and mining on public lands as part of a highly-scrutinized declaration that the U.S. is under a “National Energy Emergency.” These orders initiate a paltry 15-day review – an arbitrarily short timeframe that lacks legal basis and precedent in federal decision-making. The rushed process directs agencies to halt several federal rules supported by North America’s leading public lands advocacy group, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA), while simultaneously reconsidering previously issued decisions that protect public lands. Such an abrupt and sweeping review discounts the input of hunters, anglers, and other stakeholders who have long advocated for balanced public land management.
“BHA accepts the mixed-use mandate of federal land management that considers all interests and engages a wide variety of stakeholders in the process. By elevating and prioritizing questionable energy development needs and increased mining for private interests on land owned by all Americans, the public is shut out of their own public lands legacy,” said Patrick Berry, BHA President and CEO. “Conservation of fish and wildlife habitat and opportunities for hunters and anglers must be included as equal values. When the United States is currently producing more energy than any nation in history, these aggressive and uncompromising policies to expedite development on public lands only benefit one stakeholder group – private industry.”
Included in the orders is a directive for federal staff to review the following with the intent of “unleashing” energy and natural resource development:
- Every national monument back to the very first established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906.
- Every mineral withdrawal, ranging from protections for the Boundary Waters in Minnesota to Colorado’s Thompson Divide.
- Every Bureau of Land Managment (BLM) resource management plan.
In addition to this review, orders were issued to “suspend, revise or rescind” rules supported by hunters and anglers that aimed to balance conservation with other uses in the management of our public lands. Chief among these is the BLM Public Lands Rule which established innovative restoration partnerships and recognized that conservation is a valid use on BLM-managed lands – alongside energy development, timber harvest, grazing, and recreation. This review also includes the BLM Oil and Gas Leasing Rule which implemented fiscal reforms to ensure the oil and gas industry pays for the cleanup of projects, while prioritizing leasing near existing infrastructure or in areas with high potential for oil and gas production to avoid the fragmentation of intact habitat.
Kaden McArthur, BHA’s Director of Policy and Government Relations, underscored the significance of these policies and the concerns surrounding their abrupt review.
“America’s public lands are more than a blank slate for development – they provide access and opportunity for millions of hunters, anglers, and outdoor recreators,” said McArthur. “Responsible energy development and conservation of public lands can coexist, but only when decisions are made thoughtfully, with input from the public and based on sound science. These orders undermine that balance and disregard the voices of those who rely on these landscapes for their way of life. BHA will continue to encourage this administration and the Department of Interior to engage meaningfully with the hunters and anglers across the U.S. who understand, use, and appreciate these lands – and who recognize the value maintaining healthy, intact fish and wildlife habitat.”
BHA will continue to monitor these developments closely and provide updates as new information emerges. Stay informed by following BHA’s Policy Blog for the latest policies impacting our public lands, waters, and wildlife.
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers seeks to ensure North America’s outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing in a natural setting, through education and work on behalf of wild public lands, waters, and wildlife. To learn more about issues important to BHA’s membership, and to become a member today, visit www.backcountryhunters.org/our_issues.
