Oppose H.J. Res. 44: Repeal of the Public Lands Planning Rule

Republicans eager to throw away two years of public input into modern, transparent, science-driven planning efforts

Summary of the BLM Resource Management Planning Rule (Planning 2.0)

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Resource Management Planning Rule, commonly known as Planning 2.0, modernizes the regulatory framework for updating and maintaining Resource Management Plans (RMPs), the documents that guide all agency decisions related to the management of approximately 245 million acres of public land and 200 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate. The previous rule dates from the Reagan Administration.

The new rule facilitates public participation, requires the best available science, and directs a landscape level approach to plan design, in order to better respond to climate change. These reforms will make the planning process more nimble, transparent, and efficient. Under the old rule, it took an average of eight years to update and revise an existing RMP. BLM recognized the need for improvement and initiated a multi-year effort that involved listening sessions, extensive public comments, and several revisions before publishing the new rule.

Planning 2.0 creates more opportunities for the public to engage in the ongoing management of their public lands while placing a strong emphasis on utilization of the best available science, all to better respond to a changing climate. Repealing this rule through the inadequate Congressional Review Act (CRA) process is irresponsible and could lock in place a thirty-year old framework indefinitely.

Messages

Ironically, House Republicans are blocking an effort to reduce bureaucratic red tape, make government more efficient and responsive to public input, and enhance the role of science in land management decision making.
Nullifying this rule is another example of President Trump and House Republicans looking for every opportunity to remove science, especially related to climate change, from government decision making.
By enhancing opportunities for public input, Planning 2.0 is designed to avoid costly litigation and save taxpayer money.
Scrapping the rule will end up costing taxpayer money, not to mention all of the wasted effort and over two years of work and public input that went into developing the rule.
With more opportunities for public input throughout the process, the new rule discourages closed door deals with special interests like the oil and gas industry.
Sportsmen groups throughout the country, including the Teddy Roosevelt Conversation Partnership and Trout Unlimited, support Planning 2.0. Even conservative advocacy groups like the Western Landowners Alliance oppose subjecting the final rule to the CRA.
The rule was developed with significant public input and BLM made ample effort to incorporate concerns from the public into the final rule. In fact, BLM published a nearly thousand page response to the 3,354 public comments that describes revisions and responses to public concerns.
Repealing the rule will lock in place the Reagan-era planning framework, an approach developed before development of modern computerized mapping, widespread use of GPS, or even cell phones.