BLM’s Conservation and Landscape Health Rule Locks Out the Mining and Minerals Industry

Arlington, Va., April 18, 2024 – The Essential Minerals Association (EMA) issued the following statement in response to the final Conservation and Landscape Health rule issued by the Bureau of Land Management today:

“Our nation’s federal lands exist to serve many purposes, as are specified in federal legislation. Mining essential minerals that we depend upon for our everyday lives is one of those purposes,” said Chris Greissing, EMA president. “It is extremely disappointing that the political officials at BLM are issuing a rule that not only exceeds their lawful authority, but also essentially blocks off large swaths of federal lands for responsible use by the minerals industry.”

The rule issued today elevates conservation as an eligible use and expands designations of Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, going against the multiple use concept laid out in the Federal Land Management Policy Act. Going even further, the rule instructs BLM offices to refrain from authorizing activities that it believes could affect “landscape resilience,” including mining, which the rule specifically lists as such an activity despite its long history of coexistence with other land uses on BLM lands for decades.

“Clearly, this is an effort to lock up federal lands from historically legal and purposeful uses. It goes against the Biden Administration’s stated goals of transitioning to a green energy economy, which is dependent upon domestically sourced minerals. And it is a threat to the minerals industry and the economic contributions of many EMA members,” Greissing said.

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The Essential Minerals Association (EMA) is the representative voice for companies that extract and process a vital and beneficial group of raw materials and minerals, which are the essential ingredients for many of the products used in everyday life. EMA ensures that the voices of its member companies and the socio-economic benefits they provide – from mining to end-use products – are heard by government leaders as well as the general public. Visit essentialminerals.org to learn more.