Defining conservation as a “use” of federal land as part of a new Interior Department proposal threatens oil and gas development and indicates a shift in how large swaths of the West are managed, natural resources lawyers say.
“A legal challenge to the rule is almost certain,” said Katie Schroder, partner at Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP in Denver.
The department’s Bureau of Land Management on Monday published its proposed Public Lands Rule, which began a 75-day public comment period, aiming to help land managers respond and adapt to climate change. The proposal would require officials managing ...