[ad_1]
A Biden administration proposal that would lock up federal land and block traditional uses of public land like energy development is facing stiff opposition from a wide range of stakeholders.
In March, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) unveiled federal regulations that would allow environmental organizations that are opposed to fossil fuel drilling and mining projects to lease land for conservation uses, thereby blocking resource development. The agency extended its public comment period for the rule until Wednesday and has received more than 170,000 comments.
“What you’ve got now is BLM trying to shove through another overarching, sweeping rule that’s not supported by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act,” Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen told Fox News Digital in an interview. “They’re trying to argue that conservation now somehow fits within the definition of uses under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and trying to do it by rule.”
“It’s just flagrantly in violation of federal law. But they’re trying to do it on the sly,” he continued. “They can’t get done what they want done in Congress and through the Senate, so they try to do it via rule.”
BIDEN’S LATEST ECO REGS BLASTED BY SMALL BUSINESSES, MANUFACTURERS: ‘WILL DO TERRIBLE DAMAGE’
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen said the Biden administration proposal is “flagrantly in violation of federal law.” (Fox News Digital)
Knudsen added that the proposal represents a broad policy change that should come through legislation, not BLM regulations. He suggested the proposal is also in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act, a 1946 law that requires federal agencies to provide sufficient reasoning for regulations they implement.
Knudsen joined letters led by other state attorneys general in opposition to the proposal. The comment letters from him and the other top law enforcement officials stated the BLM action would substantially harm the energy, mining, agriculture and cattle…
[ad_2]
