BLM Issues Final Rule to Improve Conservation

On May 9, 2024, BLM issued a final rule, entitled "Conservation and Landscape Health," which significantly revises BLM's land management regulations. (89 Fed. Reg. 40308, May 9, 2024). The final rule provides that the BLM will protect intact landscapes, restore degraded habitat, and make wise management decisions based on science and data. To support these activities, the proposed rule would apply land health standards to all BLM-managed public lands and uses, clarify that conservation is a “use” within FLPMA's multiple-use framework, and revise existing regulations to better meet FLPMA's requirement that the BLM prioritize designating and protecting Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs). The proposed rule would create an overarching framework for multiple BLM programs to promote ecosystem resilience on public lands.