Biden proposal would let conservationists lease public land much as drillers and ranchers do

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News/AP

BILLINGS, Mont. — The Biden administration wants to put conserving vast government-owned lands on equal footing with oil drilling, livestock grazing and other interests, according to a top administration official who defended the idea against criticism that it would interfere with industry.

The proposal would allow conservationists and others to lease federally owned land to restore it, much the same way oil companies buy leases to drill and ranchers pay to graze cattle. Companies could also buy conservation leases, such as oil drillers who want to offset damage to public land by restoring acreage elsewhere.

Tracy Stone-Manning, director of the Bureau of Land Management, said in an interview with The Associated Press that the proposed changes would address rising pressure from climate change and development. While the bureau previously issued leases for conservation in limited cases, it has never had a dedicated program for it, she said.

“It makes conservation an equal among the multiple uses that we manage for,” Stone-Manning said. “There are rules around how we do solar development. There are rules around how we do oil and gas. There have not been rules around how we deliver on the portions of (federal law) that say, ‘Manage for fish and wildlife habitat, manage for clean water.’”

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/biden-rule-let-conservationists-lease-restore-land-rcna84428

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Link to original presser for today's initial meeting about the Rule - https://www.blm.gov/press-release/update-blm-releases-public-meeting-information-proposed-public-lands-rule

Link to draft of Rule in the Federal Register - https://www.regulations.gov/document/BLM-2023-0001-0001

[Freethinker65]

1. Ooh, I like it.

Can conservationists lease the land for far less than it is worth like the corporations and ranchers do? Will taxpayers provide subsidized infrastructure like they sometimes do other private entities? If the land gets returned in worse condition than it was leased out, can the conservations walk away to let US taxpayers deal with any remediation efforts like other private entities sometimes do?

[sybylla]

2. Brilliant!

Though I dislike the idea of just making it so, if we have to force the capitalists to compete I'm in.

Just want to be on record saying that this should be a thing the government does/pays for.

[KPN]

15. BLM is actually the only profit-making agency in the federal

government last I knew. Annual receipts returned to the US Treasury from leases (oil and gas, land leases — transportation corridors, communication sites) and sales (timber on the stump, saleable minerals like gravel, etc) and other fees (grazing, recreational, special use events, and sundry others) exceed the annual operational budget of the BLM. Leases for conservation purposes will do likewise. You are right; one thing this likely will do is make extractive, commercial uses compete economically with conservation (non-extractive) use. Commercial uses may wind up costing a whole lot more than they do currently.

To me, this is an interesting if not exciting concept. Conservation and recreation have always had to compete as unpriced values economically with extractive and commercial uses of land. The dollar is the common denominator, but there’s never been a dollar value that can be placed on, say a desert tortoise or desert tortoise habitat except in the case of private reserves on privately owned lands (the price of the land, for example).

[sybylla]

18. Yes, I knew that.

And I'm sad that we are in a position to have to spend dollars protecting things that are priceless if lost.

OTOH, the idea of supporting a non-profit buying away all the leases for cow pasture and returning that land to the buffalo? Yes, please.

[Torchlight]

3. That is slick.

Kinda brilliant in its ubiquitous, all-interests-are-equal approach, cutting off at the knees a hundred different counter-arguments.

[montanacowboy]

4. Hell Yeah!

Why not? what a great idea.

[Bayard]

5. Would conservationists get to lease it for pennies,

Like the big ranches do? I also don't see anything in the article about whether the leases would be ongoing.

Still, this would be a BFD if it happens.

[dclarston13]

6. I only know about offshore leases

Those go up for bid in a public-ish auction. I assume the same goes for the land, so if you own acreage that is adjacent to BLM land and the public land goes up for lease, you may indeed get it for the minimum bid, if there are no other bidders. I cannot remember what that minimum is. There are also conditions associated with maintaining the lease.
I think its great plan, and like most other govt plans it may be tricky to navigate the process. My first thought was to get some near shore leases in the Gulf of Mexico to protect sport fishing habitats.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. You might recall the drilling leases in Alaska

recently in the news - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143045391

ConocoPhillips had obtained those leases in the National Petroleum Reserve years ago and DOI eventually approved drilling on 3 of the 5 pad sites, which would be the bare minimum for development.

So that is where you'll see those "land leases" - up in Alaska.

[groundloop]

8. I love it...... I bet some right wing brains are gonna' be bursting.

[WestMichRad]

10. Yeah, what insane reasons will they invent...

… to oppose this? They won’t want conservation interfering with their ability to use that land for their own profit.

[dlk]

9. Makes perfect sense

Go Joe!

[housecat]

11. Makes too much sense for fascists to go along with

[Duppers]

13. That's the truth.

[calimary]

12. I like it!

Either he’s thinking up these interesting ideas or he’s surrounded himself with people who do.

Either way, it’s a WIN!

[Evolve Dammit]

14. Maybe Nature Conservancy can take most of it

[KPN]

16. I suspect they'll continue to focus on conservation easements

on private lands; oftentimes private adjoining public lands and reserves. But they may just Wade into highly controversial public land areas like the Arctic Refuge.

[Evolve Dammit]

19. great organization

[Raine]

17. Sounds really good! 👍 nt