More than half of the Bureau of Land Management's rangelands fail to uphold environmental health criteria, revealing a systemic neglect of land management.
Jimmy Tobias reports for High Country News.
In short:
- According to PEER, 56.7 million acres of BLM land across Western states do not meet required health standards, with severe impacts in Nevada.
- The BLM often skips mandatory environmental reviews for grazing permits due to a legal loophole, risking further degradation.
- Retired BLM manager Melissa Shawcroft criticizes the agency's indifference to enforcing standards and addressing illegal grazing practices.
Key quote:
"There are millions and millions of acres that are not meeting the BLM’s own health standards. That is the big takeaway here."
— Chandra Rosenthal, director of PEER's Rocky Mountain office
Why this matters:
The Bureau of Land Management, tasked with overseeing millions of acres of public land, is increasingly bypassing required environmental reviews for grazing permits—a practice that taps into a legal gray area and poses risks to diverse ecosystems. This loophole allows the continuation of grazing without a thorough assessment of its impact on soil health, water quality, and biodiversity.
