February 11, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Congressman Russ Fulcher (ID-01) and Congresswoman Celeste Maloy (UT-02) introducedtheWestern Economic Security Today (WEST) Act. This legislation would repeal the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Conservation and Landscape Health final rule.
“As a fourth-generation Idahoan, I am proud to co-lead the WEST Act,” said Congressman Fulcher. “This legislation defends the way of life for Americans across the West and empowers local voices by reversing the Biden administration’s draconian land management rule that would effectively lock up millions of acres across the U.S. that countless families and businesses have relied on for decades.”
“BLM’s rule shows just how broken our bureaucracy really is. Congress directed BLM to manage public lands for multiple uses and sustained yield. This rule eliminates multiple use, locking out Utahns who have relied on these lands for ranching, grazing, recreation, and more for generations. My bill ensures that these lands remain in the stewardship of local communities and are managed in compliance with federal law,” said Congresswoman Maloy.
Bill Background
In June 2024, BLM finalized a rule that elevates conservation as an eligible “use” under the multiple-use framework in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976. It also expands Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs) by designating some research areas and temporary protection areas as ACECs, contradicting congressional intent and effectively locking up lands across the West.
The BLM controls 245 million acres across the country.
