The recent passage of a controversial bill is geared to open up more land for potential coal leasing, and it has environmentalists sounding the alarm.
What’s happening?
On Sept. 3, House Joint Resolution 104 passed by just three votes in the House of Representatives. If signed into law, the legislation would reverse the Miles City Field Office Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan amendment, which limited coal leasing on public lands in Montana.
As reported by Field & Stream, the move would not only jeopardize over 1.7 million acres of public land in Montana, but it could potentially have a broader, indirect impact on public lands outside of the state by eliminating numerous Resource Management Plans. The passing of H.J. Res. 104 sets a precedent under the Congressional Review Act that could affect millions of acres of public lands across the country.
Why is the passing of H.J. Res. 104 important?
RMPs are used to protect public lands and their resources over a specific period of time. These plans can help determine how resources, such as minerals, wildlife, water, and vegetation, are managed on public land. In general, RMPs can ensure that human activities like energy production or agricultural operations do not hinder the development of these natural resources.
Dave Willms, associate vice president of the National Wildlife Federation, authored a blog post that laid out what’s at risk for millions of acres of public land. “If an RMP is repealed, management might revert to older, potentially outdated RMPs, which predate current RMPs,” Willms wrote.
The repeal of RMPs could pave the way for an increase in coal mining, triggering a number of environmental concerns such as land degradation and habitat destruction. An uptick in coal mining operations could also increase gas pollution, a major factor in rising global temperatures.
What’s being done about public land use?
The passing of H.J. Res. 104 may also weaken the operating power of the Bureau of Land Management. The agency manages public lands while working to balance conservation efforts and resource development and creating RMPs that serve as a blueprint for land management purposes.
While speaking to Field & Stream, Joel Webster, chief conservation officer of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, explained that putting outdated RMPs in place could ultimately limit what the BLM is able to achieve. “This burns down the ability of the BLM to do its job,” said Webster.
“Imagine the BLM trying to manage these lands in 2050 and being stuck with a land use plan from 1988. That is the trajectory we are on if this passes. Oil and gas, land exchanges, grazing, recreation — everything would be stuck in place. It doesn’t matter if you’re an oil and gas developer or an environmentalist, everybody loses with this outcome.”
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