Over 100 Western Local Elected Officials Sign-On to Thank the Bureau of Land Management for Final Public Lands Rule

On June 11, 2014, The Mountain Pact, and over 100 Western U.S. county commissioners, mayors, and council members, sent a letter to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) thanking them for the recent finalization or a “Public Lands Rule.” The letter states: As “local elected officials, who represent communities across the Western U.S., are writing to commend you for the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) final Public Lands Rule which will provide a more balanced approach to public lands management for the West. Doing so will protect some of our communities’ important wildlife habitat, treasured recreation areas, critical water resources, and Indigenous cultural sites.”

Arizona

Coconino County, Arizona Vice Chair of the Board of Supervisors Patrice Horstman said,“The BLM’s Public Lands Rule highlights the need for the agency to work with local communities to focus on the conservation of land, water, and wildlife to ensure communities can protect future access to federal public lands while combating the growing impacts of climate change. It also encourages BLM managers to work more closely with Tribal nations to ensure cultural resource protection in Arizona and across the West. I appreciate the BLM for working to better protect our important BLM lands in Arizona and thus improve local economies, preserve tribal cultural sites, and protect natural areas that are essential for the recreation & tourism economy."

California

Town of Truckee, California Mayor and Co-owner of Tahoe Mountain Sports, Dave Polivy said, "Our nation’s protected public lands are tremendous assets to our Western communities. As both a local elected official and outdoor industry business owner, I am thankful that the Bureau of Land Management Public Lands Rule will use conservation mechanisms that will better support outdoor recreation, local economies, and tourism industries as well as provide certainty for rural and gateway communities to make long-term investments. I commend the Bureau of Land Management for recognizing the critical role protected public lands play in our way of life and that they support our outdoor recreation and tourism economies, health, and well-being. They help make the communities where we live what they are while contributing to a healthier and better tomorrow for future generations.”

Nevada County, California Commissioner Hardy Bullock said, “I commend the Bureau of Land Management for prioritizing the conservation of wildlife, natural and cultural resources, and encouraging tribal co-stewardship through the final Public Lands Rule. California offers an incredible diversity of natural landscapes and ecosystems - many on BLM Lands - and these public lands need to be protected for future generations.”

Colorado

Town of Basalt, Colorado Council Member Hannah Berman said, “The new rule elevates recreation and conservation to be on equal footing with resource extraction. It's a big step towards honoring Western communities' contribution to the $11.4 billion generated from outdoor recreation on BLM land and towards combating the threat that climate presents to our way of life.”

Vice Chair of the La Plata County, Colorado Board of County Commissioners Marsha Porter-Norton said, “I look forward to the BLM prioritizing the conservation of our shared public lands and thank the BLM for emphasizing all community values, including increased access to sustainable recreation activities, maintaining excellent user experiences, better protecting wildlife habitat and water systems, and ensuring responsible energy development."

Chaffee County, Colorado County Commissioner Keith Baker said, “I’m thrilled with the final Bureau of Land Management Public Lands Rule. Increasing conservation mechanisms will support our local economies, tourism, and outdoor recreation as well as provide certainty for our rural and gateway communities so we can make long-term investments.”

Eagle County, Colorado Commissioner Kathy Chandler-Henry said, “Our public lands are challenged by the impacts of a changing climate, continued population growth, and increased demand for natural resources, development, and outdoor recreation. The Public Lands Rule empowers BLM to deliver on its multiple use mandate by placing conservation values on equal footing with other uses on our public lands.

The rule will allow the BLM to create management plans that benefit rural economies like ours, while establishing a guiding principle that BLM manage for resiliency in public lands through protection of intact, native habitats, and restoration of degraded habitats. The management of public lands has a significant impact on our local communities.

Having a federal land management partner with clear direction to work with local communities on balancing multiple uses, including conservation, will only strengthen the collaboration we already rely on and will provide our communities with more certainty that our needs will be considered in BLM planning and land management decisions.

I thank the BLM for this strong Public Lands Rule that will better conserve and protect our nation’s important public lands, wildlife, and waters in tandem with locally-led efforts to advance conservation across the west now and into the future.”

Idaho

Blaine County, Idaho County Commissioner Angenie McCleary said, "In Blaine County, we treasure our public lands for many reasons - including conservation. Our communities are known and valued for their beautiful landscapes that offer scenic views and endless recreational uses. Protected public lands support our quality of life, valued wildlife, local economies, tourism, and outdoor recreation. I support the BLM's Public Lands Rule because it puts conservation on equal footing with other uses of public lands for a more balanced "multiple-use" approach."

New Mexico

City of Albuquerque, New Mexico City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn said, “The lands that are overseen by the Bureau of Land Management within New Mexico include some of the most stunning in the country and play a critical role in helping New Mexico remain the “land of enchantment." I commend the Bureau of Land Management on the final Public Lands Rule that prioritizes the health of public lands and places conservation at equal footing in their management. This is the direction we must pursue to maintain our vital public lands in the future.”

City of Santa Fe, New Mexico Mayor Alan Webber said, “The climate crisis continues to have a severe and ongoing impact on Western communities. The Bureau of Land Management is the largest land manager in the nation, and its final Public Lands Rule will play a leading role in protecting our public lands for the future and mitigating the impacts of climate change."

City of Las Cruces, New Mexico Council Member Becky Corran said, “As a Las Cruces City Councilor, I am committed to protecting our Bureau of Land Management lands like National Monuments, National Scenic and Historic Trails, Wild and Scenic Rivers, and Wilderness Areas because they are important to all aspects of life within New Mexico. Our BLM lands provide so much to communities like Las Cruces and Doña Ana County. Our desert, mountains and river are the heart of Las Cruces and deserve protection. I am encouraged that the BLM has prioritized the conservation of our shared public lands that emphasizes ecological integrity, preservation of vulnerable resources, and maintaining access to outdoor recreation through the finalized Public Lands Rule.”

Taos County, New Mexico County Commissioner Darlene Vigil said, “Bureau of Land Management lands hold cultural significance, provide recreational opportunities, contribute to the economy, and sustain the natural ecosystems that support a healthy environment in New Mexico. In Taos County, Bureau of Land Management lands like RÍo Grande del Norte National Monument are so important to residents and visitors. The mighty river and dramatic gorge often welcome many visitors to our community. New Mexico’s public lands will continue to benefit from increased protections and the BLM’s final Public Lands Rule will accelerate the scope and pace of conservation.”

Nevada

City of Reno, Nevada Council Member Devon Reese said, “Our public lands are the foundation of Reno’s vital outdoor recreation economy; provide clean water, clean air, recreation opportunities including fishing, hunting, hiking and birdwatching; and moderate the impacts of climate change by capturing and storing carbon in roots, plants and soils. I’m excited by the Bureau of Land Management’s Public Lands Rule and commitment to aligning the management of our public lands with forward looking climate, clean energy, and conservation goals. These meaningful reforms will ensure that our public lands are managed in the public interest.”

Nevada State Assemblyman Howard Watts said, “Many of our communities are located near Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands, which include traditional homelands of Indigenous populations, vital watersheds for downstream communities, and outstanding fish and wildlife habitat. They also provide outstanding opportunities for outdoor recreation, including camping, hiking, paddling, hunting and fishing, and picnicking. I am encouraged that the BLM and the administration are doing more through the Public Lands Rule to protect these important places.”

Utah

Town of Bluff, Utah Mayor Ann K. Leppanen said, “Some of the Bureau of Land Management lands in Utah include our wildest red rock wilderness; iconic public lands that Americans dream of when they think about Utah’s canyon country. I commend the Bureau of Land Management for listening to the voices of westerners - including Utahns - who are praising the Public Lands Rule. The details laid out in the Rule will positively impact the incredible BLM lands we love and enjoy in the Beehive state - for our communities now and for future generations.”

Anna Peterson, Executive Director of The Mountain Pact said, “We have worked with hundreds of local elected officials from western states over the past few years who have been calling on the Biden administration to better conserve and protect our nation’s important public lands, wildlife, and waters in tandem with locally-led efforts to advance conservation across the west. We thank the Bureau of Land Management for listening to so many Westerners asking them to protect more BLM lands. We celebrate the Public Lands Rule guidance that will create opportunities for people to engage and support decision-making about the lands and waters they care about close to home by considering conservation, including watershed and land health, restoration, mitigation, and the protection of critical natural resources. These efforts at the national level will positively impact BLM lands in our communities and across the West.

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MEDIA RELEASE

The Honorable Debra Haaland, Secretary of the Interior
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C St. NW Washington, D.C. 20240
CC: Tracy Stone-Manning, Director, Bureau of Land Management
Nada Culver, Deputy Director of Policy and Programs, Bureau of Land Management

Dear Secretary Haaland,

The below listed local elected officials, who represent communities across the Western U.S., are writing to commend you for the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) final Public Lands Rule which will provide a more balanced approach to public lands management for the West. Doing so will protect some of our communities’ important wildlife habitat, treasured recreation areas, critical water resources, and Indigenous cultural sites.

Protected public lands are tremendous assets to Western communities. They play a critical role in our way of life and help make the communities where we live what they are, while contributing to a healthier and better tomorrow for future generations. Yet, many of these areas have been left open to extraction and other commodity driven development, and unprotected.

As the largest land manager in the nation and with nearly 40% of all U.S. federal public lands being overseen by the Bureau of Land Management, the agency must play a leading role in protecting our public lands for the future. We see the Public Lands Rule as being a key tool to help conserve and restore more of our nation’s lands and waters for residents, wildlife, and future generations while increasing equitable access to nature.

As the world faces staggering nature loss and disappearance of biodiversity, BLM lands are vital “connective tissue” across the Western United States providing essential core habitat and migration corridors that enable wildlife species and entire ecosystems to survive and thrive. These lands between wilderness areas; national parks; national monuments and refuges; and smaller private, state, county, city, and town lands; are integral to an intact ecosystem that make it easier for species to adapt to climate change. Interconnected landscapes that allow species to reach new habitat areas is an important aspect of preserving ecosystems.

These lands also support a diverse array of outdoor recreation activities and create jobs through the tourism sector that are the backbone of many of our communities. Access to Bureau of Land Management Lands for recreational activities contributes about $11.4 billion to the national economy—critical fiscal certainty for our rural and gateway communities situated near to these lands and waters. Outdoor recreation on public lands creates 5 million jobs across the United States and BLM lands located in our region are favorites for visitors and residents alike for camping, fishing, mountain biking, and hiking.

The Public Lands Rule and new guidance will create opportunities for people to engage and support decision-making about the lands and waters they care about close to home by considering conservation, including watershed and land health, restoration, mitigation, and the protection of critical natural resources. These efforts at the national level will positively impact BLM lands in our communities and across the West.

We applaud the BLM for listening to the voices of our communities and the public with 92% of public comments submitted during the robust comment period being in support of the rule. 82 percent of voters in the west support a national goal of conserving America’s lands and waters in the next decade, including bi-partisan support from over 2/3 of conservative Republican voters. We join the overwhelming support for this once-in-a-generation opportunity to put conservation, recreation, and access to nature on equal footing with extractive uses on public lands.

Thank you,

Chair-Board of Supervisor, District 2 Jeronimo Vasquez, Coconino County, Arizona
Board of Supervisor Patrice Horstman, Coconino County, Arizona
City Council Member Gary Gardner, City of Desert Hot Springs, California
Council Member John Wentworth, Town of Mammoth Lakes, California
Council Member Amanda Rice, Town of Mammoth Lakes, California
Commissioner Hardy Bullock, Nevada County, California
Former Mayor Devin Middlebrook City of South Lake Tahoe, California
Mayor Dave Polivy, Town of Truckee, California
Council Member & Former Mayor Courtney Henderson, Town of Truckee, California
Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives Julie McCluskie
Mayor Torre City of Aspen, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Tamra N underwood, Town of Avon, Colorado
Mayor David Knight, Town of Basalt, Colorado
Council Member Kirk Dieter Schindler, Town of Basalt, Colorado
Council Member Hannah Berman, Town of Basalt, Colorado
Former Council Member William Infante, Town of Basalt, Colorado
County Commissioner Marta Loachamin, Boulder County, Colorado
Mayor Aaron Brockett, City of Boulder, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Nicole Speer, City of Boulder, Colorado
Council Member Taishya Adams, City of Boulder, Colorado
Council Member Matt Benjamin, City of Boulder, Colorado
Mayor Kelly Owens, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Dick Carleton Town of Breckenridge, Colorado
Town Trustee Colin Laird, Town of Carbondale, Colorado
County Commissioner Keith Baker Chaffee County, Colorado
County Commissioner P.T. Wood, Chaffee County, Colorado
County Commissioner Randy Wheelock, Clear Creek County
Council Member Gabi Prochaska, Town of Crested Butte, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Gilda Yazzie, City of Durango, Colorado
Kathy Chandler-Henry, Eagle County, Colorado
County Commissioner Matt Scherr, Eagle County, Colorado
County Commissioner Jeanne McQueeney, Eagle County, Colorado
Council Member Geoff Grimmer, Town of Eagle, Colorado
Council Member Ellen Bodenhemier, Town of Eagle, Colorado
Mayor Rick Ihken, Town of Frisco, Colorado
Council Member Daniel Kibbie, Town of Frisco, Colorado
Council Member Lisa Holenko, Town of Frisco, Colorado
Mayor Ingrid Wussow, Ward 2 Representative, City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado
City Councilor At-Large Shelley Kaup, City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Mayor Abram Herman, City of Grand Junction, Colorado
Former Mayor Anna Stout, City of Grand Junction, Colorado
Council Member Jason Nguyen, City of Grand Junction, Colorado
Council Member Scott Beilfuss, City of Grand Junction, Colorado
County Commissioner Laura Puckett Daniels, Gunnison County, Colorado
County Commissioner Jonathan Houck, Gunnison County, Colorado
County Commissioner Matt Salka, La Plata County, Colorado
County Commissioner Marsha Porter-Norton, La Plata County, Colorado
County Commissioner Clyde Church, La Plata County, Colorado
Mayor Hollie Rogin, Town of Lyons, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem Scott Pearson Town of Mountain Village, Colorado
Mayor Billy Giblin, Town of Nederland, Colorado
Council Member Caitlin Carey, New Castle, Colorado
Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Greg Poschman, Pitkin County, Colorado
County Commissioner Francie Jacober, Pitkin County, Colorado
County Commissioner Steve Child Pitkin County, Colorado
Mayor John Clark, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
Council Member Terry Schuyler, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
Council Member Polly Kroger, Town of Ridgway, Colorado
Council Member Kevin Grambley Town of Ridgway, Colorado
Mayor Sean Strode, City of Rifle, Colorado
County Commissioner Timothy V. Corrigan, Routt County, Colorado
County Commissioner Sonja Macys, Routt County, Colorado
County Commissioner Scott Fetchenhier, San Juan County, Colorado
Mayor Dan Shore, City of Salida, Colorado
County Commissioner Lance Waring, San Miguel County, Colorado
County Commissioner Anne Brown, San Miguel County, Colorado
County Commissioner Kris Holstrom, San Miguel County, Colorado
Retired Town Councilor Bob Sirkus, Snowmass Village, Colorado
County Commissioner Eric Mamula, Summit County, Colorado
County Commissioner Tamara Pogue, Summit County, Colorado
County Commissioner Nina Waters, Summit County, Colorado
Former County Commissioner Karn Stiegelmeier, Summit County, Colorado
Mayor Pro Tem J. Meehan Fee, Town of Telluride, Colorado
Council Member Elena Levin, Town of Telluride, Colorado
Former Councilperson and Mayor Pro-Tem Todd Brown, Town of Telluride, Colorado
Former Mayor Kim Langmaid, Town of Vail, Colorado
Council Member Jonathan Staufer Town of Vail, Colorado
County Commissioner Angenie McCleary, Blaine County, Idaho
County Commissioner Bob Heneage Teton County, Idaho
President, City Council Kaz Thea, Hailey, Idaho
Mayor Neil Bradshaw City of Ketchum, Idaho
Retired Mayor Chuck Tooley, City of Billings, Montana
Chair County Commission Tick Segerblom, Clark County, Nevada
Councilmember At-Large Devon Reese, City of Reno, Nevada
Assemblyman Howard Watts III, District 15, Nevada
City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn, Albuquerque, New Mexico
County Commissioner Shannon Reynolds, Doña Ana County, New Mexico
Mayor Pro Tem Johana Bencomo City of Las Cruces, New Mexico
Council Member, District 5 Becky Corran, City of Las Cruces, New Mexico
Supervisor - DASWCD State of New Mexico, and Former City Council Member Gill M Sorg, Las Cruces, New Mexico
County Commissioner Anna Hansen, Santa Fe County, New Mexico
Mayor Alan Webber, City of Santa Fe, New Mexico
County Commissioner Darlene Vigil, Taos County, New Mexico
Council Member Darien Fernandez, Town of Taos, New Mexico
Council Member Genevieve Oswald, Town of Taos, New Mexico
Council Member Corilia Ortega, Town of Taos, New Mexico
Mayor Tonya Graham, City of Ashland, Oregon
Mayor Melanie Kebler, City of Bend, Oregon
City Councilor Barb Campbell, City of Bend, Oregon
Mayor Pro Tem Megan Perkin, City of Bend, Oregon
Council Member Anthony Broadman, City of Bend, Oregon
Councilor Ariel Méndez, City of Bend, Oregon
Council Member Megan Norris, City of Bend, Oregon
Council Member Mike Riley, City of Bend, Oregon
Former Mayor Harris Sondak, Town of Alta, Utah
Former Council Member Margaret Bourke, Town of Alta, Utah
Mayor Ann K. Leppanen, Town of Bluff, Utah
Former Council Member James Sayers, Town of Bluff, Utah
Council Member Pamela Gibson, Town of Castle Valley, Utah
Council Member Tory Hill, Town of Castle Valley, Utah
County Commission Chair Jacques Hadler, Grand County, Utah
County Commissioner Kevin Walker, Grand County, Utah
Council Member Michael Lilliquist, City of Bellingham, Washington
Mayor Carl Florea, City of Leavenworth, Washington

FULL LETTER