Biden proposes leasing land for conservationists to graze cattle and drill oil.

Biden Administration Proposes Conservation Leases on Federal Lands

The Biden administration is proposing a new rule that would allow conservationists and others to lease federally owned land to restore it, putting conserving government-owned lands on equal footing with oil drilling, livestock grazing, and other interests. The proposal would also allow companies to 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 the proposed changes would address rising pressure from climate change and development. The pending rule would also promote establishing more areas of “critical environmental concern” due to their historic or cultural significance, or their importance for wildlife conservation.

Opposition and Debate

The conservation idea is stirring debate over the best use of vast government-owned property, primarily in the West. Opponents, including Republican lawmakers, are blasting it as a backdoor way to exclude mining, energy development, and agriculture from land controlled by the Bureau of Land Management. U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican who tried to block Stone-Manning’s 2021 Senate confirmation, says the proposed rule is illegal. Environmentalists have largely embraced the idea of conservation leases, characterizing the proposal as long overdue.

Public Meetings and Virtual Events

Senior agency officials were scheduled to host the first virtual public meeting about the conservation proposal on Monday night. Another virtual event is scheduled for June 5, and public meetings are planned for May 25 in Denver; May 30 in Reno, Nevada; and June 1 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Final Thoughts

The conservation proposal has sparked debate over how much development should be allowed on government-owned property. While critics argue that the proposal is illegal and would exclude mining, energy development, and agriculture, environmentalists have embraced the idea of conservation leases. The Biden administration remains under intense pressure from many Republicans to allow more drilling, but the proposed rule would put conserving government-owned lands on equal footing with other interests.