Bureau of Land Management's Public Lands Rules

The Federal Bureau of Land Management has released its long-awaited final Public Lands Rule that aims to reconcile a perceived imbalance between mineral extraction and habitat conservation. The new rule prioritizes the protection of landscapes, wildlife habitat, clean water and decision-making on the nation’s public lands based on data and science.

Jerry Otero with the group Next 100 Years says when you look at BLM lands in Colorado and the West, they are all linked together. He says, "When it comes to sports, people outside hunting and angling are connected to both of those industries, any of the access to water, mountain biking, and the history and cultural values of these places that stretch far beyond a modern economy."

The Biden administration sees the change as a long-overdue policy shift for an agency that has too often favored ranching, oil and gas drilling and mining. However, critics—including the National Mining Association—blasted the final rule as an effort to block energy production and mining.