Two new national monuments, efforts to put conservation on an equal footing with other public land uses, and proposals to advance clean energy are just a few of the things the Bureau of Land Management has been proud of over the past year. Here are some of the top stories of 2023 that will provide the foundation for maintaining momentum in 2024 and beyond.
Public Lands Rules
Amboy Crater, an Area of Significant Environmental Concern in California. BLM photo.
In March, the BLM proposed a proposed rule aimed at protecting the health of our public lands for current and future generations. The Public Lands Rule treats conservation on an equal footing with other uses of public lands. The rule protects clean water and wildlife habitat, restores lands and waters, and helps make smart management decisions based on the best available science, data, and Indigenous knowledge.
Arctic conservation proposals
Aerial view of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. BLM Photo.
In November, the BLM proposed rulemaking to protect ecologically sensitive areas across approximately 23 million acres of public land in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve. The proposed rule would prohibit new oil and gas leasing on 10.6 million acres and restrict future leasing and industrial development in areas that are home to globally important, intact habitat for wildlife, including grizzly bears, polar bears, caribou, and hundreds of thousands of migratory birds. Tribal nations and Native American communities rely on subsistence activities on the reserve, harvesting caribou, shorebirds, waterfowl, and many other fish and wildlife species, and many communities make their living primarily from food harvested there.
New National Monument near the Grand Canyon
Partners and stakeholders look on as President Joe Biden signs the presidential designation of the Baaji Nawajo Ita Kukuveni National Monument. DOI photo.
In August, President Biden established Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni, a new “Grand Canyon National Monument in the Footprints of Our Ancestors” in Arizona. Administered by the BLM and USDA Forest Service, the park’s name reflects the deep connection between the land and tribal nations. The Havasupai call the land baaj nwaavjo, meaning “where the natives roam,” and the Hopi call it i’tah kukveni, meaning “footprints of our ancestors.” The park protects nearly 900,000 acres of plateaus, canyons, and tributaries that support a remarkable diversity of wildlife and plants, including bison, mule deer, elk, desert bighorn sheep, and rare or endemic cacti.
Avikwaame National Monument designated
Joshua trees and other native plants in the newly established Abikwaame National Monument. Photo by Jenny Lyons, BLM.
In March, President Biden signed a proclamation establishing Abikwaame National Monument in Nevada, to be administered by the BLM and the National Park Service. The designation protects approximately 506,814 acres of land sacred to Native Americans, as well as features of historical and scientific importance. The designation also grows America’s outdoor recreation economy while protecting public lands. The area is home to the world’s largest Joshua tree forest, providing contiguous habitat or migration corridors for species such as desert bighorn sheep, desert tortoises, and Gila monsters.
Restoration scenery
Workers install fencing along Muddy Creek as part of a landscape restoration project in Wyoming. BLM photo.
This year, the BLM committed $161 million to restoring ecosystems and enhancing resilience on the nation’s public lands as part of President Biden’s “Invest in America” plan, focusing on 21 “restoration landscapes” in 11 Western states, ranging from restoring wildlife habitat in high desert sagebrush steppe to recreating wetland meadows and restoring watersheds on former industrial forestlands.
Proposed Renewable Energy Regulations
Wind energy on public lands in the California desert. BLM photo.
In June, we released a proposed rule to update renewable energy regulations and enhance solar and wind development on public lands. The proposal would reduce project fees by approximately 80%, streamline application review, expand lease application acceptance in priority areas, and provide greater certainty for developers as they build clean energy infrastructure. The rule is a critical step in achieving the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to allow 25 gigawatts of clean energy on public lands by 2025 and transition to 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035.
Proposed Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Rules
BLM officials conduct a compliance check on oil and gas development in Colorado. Photo by Bob Wick, BLM.
In July, we announced proposed changes to the BLM leasing regulations, the first comprehensive revision of the federal onshore oil and gas regulatory framework the BLM has undertaken in decades. The proposed regulations would better protect cultural and natural resources by steering oil and gas development away from important wildlife habitat and cultural sites and toward existing infrastructure and lands with high productive potential. The proposal also provides a fairer benefit to taxpayers by codifying provisions of the Inflation Control Act to increase royalty rates on extracted resources, increasing minimum bids per acre in lease sales auctions, and increasing minimum rental rates for leases.
A blueprint for outdoor recreation in the 21st century
Bikers on the Biz Johnson National Recreation Trail in California. BLM photo.
In September, the BLM released a plan to inform recreation management on America’s public lands. Managing recreation opportunities is core to the BLM’s multiple-use mission, which faces greater challenges as demand for recreation on public lands steadily increases. The Recreation Blueprint will guide how the BLM, in partnership with the new Foundation for America’s Public Lands, can improve recreation opportunities and prioritize investments and staffing to better meet current and future needs.
Proposed Methane Waste Regulations
Two flares at an oil and gas production site. BLM photo.
The BLM has developed a proposed rule to limit methane waste produced by excessive releases and flaring of natural gas. If finalized, the rule would update regulations that have remained unchanged for more than 40 years and take into account modern technologies in the oil and gas industry. By requiring operators on federal and tribal lands to reduce waste and requiring operators that generate excess waste to pay appropriate royalties to the public or Native American mineral owners, the proposal is expected to save enough energy to heat and light approximately 12,500 homes per year.
More than 8,000 wild horses and donkeys find new homes
Two wild horses in a BLM herd management area. BLM photo.
This year, BLM helped find forever homes for 8,045 wild horses and burros, saving American taxpayers more than $181 million in fiscal year 2023. Finding good homes for these animals is not only rewarding for the foster parents and BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program staff, it also supports our important efforts to keep animals and habitats healthy and in balance with the needs of local ecosystems. BLM has found new homes for more than 290,000 wild horses and burros since the Wild Free-Ranging Horse and Burro Act was passed in 1971. Read happy adoption stories on our Tales from the Trails blog.
