News

Don’t let Congress stall united public land management

By Steve Williams

Reno Gazette-Journal

Managing hundreds of millions of acres of public land owned by every American is no small task. People have competing interests and every American, whether they work for the oil and gas industry, raise livestock, hike, hunt, or simply enjoy open spaces has a say in how that land is managed.

In 1976, Congress adopted the Federal Land Policy and Management Act to provide guidance to the Bureau of Land Management for use of public lands. That law directs the BLM to provide for “multiple use,” defined as “The management of the public lands and their various resource values so that they are utilized in the combinations that will best meet the present and future needs of the American people.” FLPMA does not mandate that every use be accommodated on every acre; rather, it calls for balancing public demands and providing for a mix of land uses – including active development, passive use and protection. That rule has served America well for over 40 years.