Environmental and Natural Resources

U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Hearing Requiring Withdrawal of Controversial Proposed Rule

The U. S. House Committee on Natural Resources hearing held on Thursday, June 15, 2023, was singularly focused on H.R. 3397, sponsored by Rep. John R. Curtis (R-UT-3), which requires the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (“USBLM”) to withdraw its‘ Conservation and Landscape Health Proposed Rule.  This is the second such committee hearing held […]

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AR
Environmental & Regulatory Policy Advisor

Congress Holds Oversight Hearing Regarding the Antiquities Act and the Bureau of Land Managements Proposed Rule on Conservation and Landscape Health

On Wednesday, May 24, 2023, the Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee of the House Committee on Natural Resources held a hearing titled “Examining the Biden Administration’s Efforts to Limit Access to Public Lands.”  In addition to discussing the Biden Administration’s actions and proposed actions in designating National Monuments via the Antiquities Act, testimony largely focused on […]

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AR
Environmental & Regulatory Policy Advisor

Bureau of Land Management Headquarters Relocates

by Amanda Reeve As of August 10, 2020, with the signing of Secretary’s Order 3382 by the U.S. Secretary of Interior David Bernhardt, Grand Junction, Colorado is officially the new home to the headquarters for the Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”). Since its inception in 1946, the BLM has been headquartered in Washington, DC; yet […]

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AR
Environmental & Regulatory Policy Advisor

Arizona’s Cultural Resource Review Process Is a Challenge for Public Land Industries

by Fred Breedlove Most businesses that work in a natural resource industry in Arizona are familiar with the requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (“NHPA”), and Arizona’s State Historic Preservation Act (“SHPA”).  There are two reasons for that.  First, the responsibility of landowners to protect cultural or archaeological resources applies on both […]

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CC
FB

Final BLM Planning 2.0 Rule Released

by Stephen Smithson The Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) has released its final Planning 2.0 rule for publication in the Federal Register.  It will be effective 30 days after publication.  The rule is here. The rule represents a comprehensive change to the planning process because it focuses on planning on a landscape scale. One of […]

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RH
Former Partner

Proposed Amendments to BLM’s Planning 2.0 Initiative Could Significantly Impact the Management of Public Lands

by Christopher W. Payne On February 25, 2016, the United States Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) published proposed amendments to its land use planning rules as a part of its “Planning 2.0” initiative that was launched in May 2015.  The purpose of the Planning 2.0 initiative is to modernize the BLM’s planning process and increase public […]

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CP
Former Associate