Today is the last chance for the public to weigh in on how 245 million acres of public land across the American West — including much of the area surrounding Moab — are managed. The Bureau of Land Management is accepting comments until 11:59 p.m. ET tonight on its proposal to rescind the so-called Public Lands Rule, formally the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule — with almost 70,000 comments already submitted.
The rule was finalized on May 9, 2024, after more than a year of public review and over 216,000 comments, according to the Federal Register. It took effect on June 10, 2024, marking one of the most significant overhauls to BLM policy in decades.
The Public Lands Rule directed the agency to treat conservation and landscape health as formal “uses” of federal lands—on equal footing with grazing, mining, energy development, and recreation. Supporters, including groups such as the Conservation Lands Foundation, said the rule recognized that healthy ecosystems sustain Western economies and communities.
Just fifteen months later, however, the Department of the Interior moved to reverse course.
In April 2025, officials announced plans to rescind the rule, citing legal concerns and industry complaints that it exceeded the agency’s authority under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. The formal rescission proposal was published Sept. 11, 2025, with the department stating that the 2024 rule “placed an outsized priority on conservation” and “may curtail grazing, energy development, recreation, and other traditional land uses.”
Local divisions
In Grand County, the rule and public lands management in general has been a recurring flashpoint. In 2023, the Grand County Commission voted 5–2 to send a letter supporting the Public Lands Rule after a contentious debate. After the vote, Commissioner Bill Winfield asked that his name be removed from the letterhead, emphasizing he did not support the message.
Two years later, in August 2025, the commission again split over the issue. A resolution introduced by Commissioner Trish Hedin to reaffirm the county’s support for federal public-lands management failed on a 4–3 vote. Winfield, McCurdy, Brian Martinez, and Melodie McCandless opposed the measure.
Nearly 87 percent of Grand County’s land is federally managed, according to a 2015 Headwaters Economics report. Decisions made in Washington directly shape what happens on the ground—from grazing leases and mineral exploration to restoration work and outdoor recreation access.
The outcome of the rescission debate could influence future development near places like Labyrinth Canyon and the Canyonlands-Dead Horse Point region, where lithium and potash projects have been proposed or reviewed in recent years.
Supporters of the rule’s conservation framework say ending it remove a tool for protecting intact landscapes. The Interior Department and industry groups counter that the 2024 rule created uncertainty for grazing, energy, and recreation operations by over-emphasizing conservation.
How to participate
Public comments must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET tonight at Regulations.gov. The BLM invites feedback from all perspectives—whether in support or opposition. Locals are encouraged to cite specific examples: nearby trails, grazing allotments, or landscapes that matter personally.
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