Congressman Pushes Bill to Reopen Public Lands for Energy Development
The Bill Aims to Dismantle Land Protections, Prioritizing Energy Development and Commercial Use.
Image Courtesy of The Bureau of Land Management
In a move that could significantly reshape public land management in the Western U.S., Representative Jeff Hurd (R-CO) has introduced the Productive Public Lands Act, a bill aimed at overturning several Biden-era Resource Management Plans (RMPs) that restricted access to federal lands. The legislation, if passed, would require the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to reinstate Trump-era RMPs, prioritizing energy development, grazing, and other commercial uses over conservation efforts.
Hurd, who represents Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District—home to vast stretches of federal land—said the bill is necessary to "reactivate the resource potential of our public lands." His legislation targets nine RMPs across Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and Oregon, which he claims have imposed "unreasonable restrictions" on activities like oil and gas drilling, mining, and timber harvesting.
"The Biden Administration was hell-bent on locking up public lands, threatening the prosperity of rural economies across the country," said Western Caucus Chairman Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), a co-sponsor of the bill. "Fortunately, a new era has dawned, and we have the opportunity to reverse these lockups and reinstate the multiple-use mandate on America’s public lands."
The legislation has sparked immediate backlash from conservation groups, who argue it would undo years of public planning and environmental protections. Critics say it would sideline local input, ignore environmental assessments, and prioritize industry interests over recreation and wildlife conservation.
“This bill would circumvent all of the public process and public input,” said Jim Ramey, Colorado state director for The Wilderness Society, which participated in planning for four of the targeted RMPs. “It would essentially require the agency to go back and choose a different outcome for these plans.”
Among the key environmental protections that would be reversed are:
- Big Game Habitat Conservation for Oil and Gas Management Plan, finalized in 2024, which increased protections for wildlife migration corridors.
- Gunnison Sage-Grouse Resource Management Plan Amendment, which added protections for the threatened bird species under the Endangered Species Act.
The bill’s impact would be especially significant in Colorado, where 2.3 million acres of public land would see a rollback of restrictions. The Grand Junction, Colorado River Valley, and Eastern Colorado RMPs all placed limitations on energy development, which Hurd’s legislation would remove.
The bill is co-sponsored by several Republican lawmakers, including Cliff Bentz (OR-02), Harriet Hageman (WY-AL), Ryan Zinke (MT-01), Troy Downing (MT-02), and Gabe Evans (CO-08). Supporters argue that rolling back restrictions will boost rural economies and restore balance to public land use.
However, conservation advocates and some local officials argue that the existing RMPs were the product of years of negotiations with local governments, businesses, and tribal nations. They worry that Hurd’s legislation would impose a one-size-fits-all approach dictated by Washington rather than considering regional needs.
With a Republican-controlled Congress and a Trump administration potentially backing the bill, the Productive Public Lands Act could become a central battleground in the ongoing debate over the future of America’s public lands.
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