AFBF Challenges BLM Public Lands Rule

Smith: A total of 12 groups sued the Bureau of Land Management, saying the new Public Lands Rule threatens the future of ranching in the U.S. by destabilizing a long-time tradition of grazing on federal lands. Travis Cushman, deputy general counsel for AFBF, talks about the issues with the BLM rule.

Cushman: I highlight two issues. The first is the rule elevates conservation or non-use of public lands as an appropriate use for leasing. That is a huge issue for us, because the Taylor Grazing Act and FLPMA require BLM to have many uses available, and conservation or non-use is not one of those. So now we could be competing with ENGOs over leases. The second is it elevates something called an ACEC to the point where basically you could have ENGOs that are able to indefinitely take land offline.

Smith: Cushman says the new BLM rule violates government policy already in place.

Cushman: The key argument is that this rule violates FLPMA, otherwise known as the Federal Land Policy Management Act. FLPMA requires BLM to manage lands under the multiple use methodology, and this new rule does not do that.

Smith: He says the legal process is just getting underway.

Cushman: We're at the very beginning of our lawsuit. We just filed a complaint, which lays out our claims and causes of action for the case. Next, the government will respond. And after their response, we will brief the case for the judge to hear arguments at both sides, followed by a decision. That process can take anywhere between nine and 18 months to complete.

Smith: For more information, go to fb.org/news. Chad Smith, Washington.