H.R. 1997: Productive Public Lands Act

This bill, titled the Productive Public Lands Act, is designed to instruct the Secretary of the Interior to reissue specific Records of Decision and Resource Management Plans (RMPs) that pertain to various field offices managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). These reissued documents must align with certain preferred alternatives as dated in various resources from late 2024 to early 2025. The bill outlines a requirement that this reissuance occur within 60 days after the legislation is enacted.

Key Components of the Bill

The main actions mandated by the bill include:

• Reissuing the Buffalo Field Office Record of Decision (ROD) and RMP Amendment, selecting alternative B.
• Reissuing the Grand Junction Field Office ROD and RMP, selecting alternative A.
• Reissuing the Colorado River Valley Field Office ROD and RMP, selecting alternative B.
• Reissuing the Miles City Field Office ROD and RMP, selecting alternative A.
• Reissuing the Rock Springs Field Office ROD and RMP, selecting alternative C.
• Reissuing the Eastern Colorado Resource Management Plan for the Royal Gorge Field Office, selecting alternative A or C.
• Reissuing the Resource Management Plan Amendment for Big Game Habitat Conservation for Oil and Gas Management in Colorado, selecting alternative A.
• Reissuing the Lakeview Record of Decision and RMP Amendment, selecting alternative A.
• Reissuing the Gunnison Sage-Grouse Record of Decision and RMP Amendment, selecting alternative A.

Legal Compliance and Environmental Analysis

The bill states that the reissued documents and preferred alternatives will meet the legal requirements set by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Importantly, it specifies that no additional environmental analysis will be required for these reissuances, implying a streamlined process for approving these plans.

Implications

By enabling the reissuance of these decisions and plans, the bill aims to facilitate management and use of public lands in a manner that aligns with specified alternatives. This could impact various stakeholders, including government agencies, land management entities, and groups involved in activities affected by these documents.

Relevant Companies

None found