WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, joined a group of 15 Senators this week in pressing the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to withdraw its proposed Public Lands Rule. The letter was led by U.S. Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.).

“The proposal creates a framework for ‘conservation leases’ without authorization from Congress. The proposal specifically notes that ‘BLM shall not authorize any other uses of the leased land’ that it determines are ‘inconsistent’ with this new framework, thereby interrupting the successful balance of other responsible uses from hunting and grazing, to energy development andrecreation … It’s clear that anti-grazing and anti-development organizations would abuse this tool to attempt to halt ranching and block access to our nation’s abundant energy reserves located on public lands,” the Senators wrote.

“Taking large parcels of land out of BLM’s well-established multiple use mandate would cause significant harm to many western states and negatively impact the livelihoods of ranchers, energy producers, and many others that depend on access to federal lands. As such, the proposal should be withdrawn immediately,”the Senators concluded.

In addition to Senators Fischer, Hoeven, and Daines, the letter is signed by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and U.S. Senators James Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.).

Click here to view the letter.

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