Press Releases

The Department of the Interior today announced a final rule to help guide the balanced management of America’s public lands. The final Public Lands Rule provides tools for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to help improve the health and resilience of public lands in the face of a changing climate; conserve important wildlife habitat and intact landscapes; facilitate responsible development; and better recognize unique cultural and natural resources on public lands.

In a hearing last year, Congresswoman Leger Fernández urged the Bureau of Land Management’s Deputy Director Culver to include New Mexico’s grazers, farmers, and ranchers in the implementation of this rule.

“Today’s final rule—which recognizes conservation in public land management as a value on par with other uses—brings us closer to the goal of preserving the environment for future generations and restoring places impacted by wildfire and drought within the 13.5 million acres of Bureau of Land Management public land in New Mexico,” said Leger Fernández.

“This rule represents a crucial step forward in addressing the challenges posed by climate change and other environmental threats facing our public lands. But what was most important for me is that ranchers, farmers, and other stewards of our land were actively engaged in the development of this rule,” she continued.

“Listening to their voices is essential if we want to manage our lands in a way that is consistent with New Mexico’s heritage and benefits our state’s agricultural. It also recreational economy. I encourage the Biden Administration and the Department of the Interior to continue to work with the people who have called these lands home for generations in future decision making. Together, we are charting a course toward a more sustainable and prosperous future for our public lands and the communities that rely on them,” she concluded.

The final rule:

• Directs BLM to manage for landscape health. Successful public land management that delivers natural resources, wildlife habitat and clean water requires a thorough understanding of the health and condition of the landscape, especially as conditions shift on the ground due to climate change. To help sustain the health of our lands and waters, the rule directs the BLM to manage public land uses in accordance with the fundamentals of land health, which will help watersheds support soils, plants, and water; ecosystems provide healthy populations and communities of plants and animals; and wildlife habitats on public lands protect threatened and endangered species consistent with the multiple use and sustained yield framework.  

• Provides a mechanism for restoring and protecting our public lands through restoration and mitigation leases. Restoration leases provide greater clarity for the BLM to work with appropriate partners to restore degraded lands. Mitigation leases will provide a clear and consistent mechanism for developers to offset their impacts by investing in land health elsewhere on public lands, like they currently can on state and private lands. The final rule clarifies who can obtain a restoration or mitigation lease, limiting potential lessees to qualified individuals, businesses, non-governmental organizations, Tribal governments, conservation districts, or state fish and wildlife agencies. Restoration and mitigation leases will not be issued if they would conflict with existing authorized uses. 

• Clarifies the designation and management of ACECs. The final rule provides greater detail about how the BLM will continue to follow the direction in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act to prioritize the designation and protection of ACECs. Following public comments, the final rule clarifies how BLM consideration of new ACEC nominations and temporary management options does not interfere with the BLM’s discretion to continue advancing pending project applications.