The Bureau of Land Management Extends Comment Period on Proposed Land-Use Planning Rule

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“In response to requests from the public, the Bureau of Land Management will extend the comment period on a proposed land-use planning rule by 30 days. The proposed rule aims to improve the planning process by making it more collaborative, transparent, and effective.
The comment period will be extended by 30 days, from April 25 to May 24. The proposed rule was made available to the public two weeks prior to its publication in the Federal Register on February 25, 2016. With this extension, the BLM has effectively provided a public comment period of 104 days. A notice formalizing this extension will be published in the Federal Register.
Implementation of the proposed rule would enable the BLM to apply the best practices that it has identified over the past 30 years of land-use planning. Continuing the BLM’s longstanding tradition of working closely with communities and local partners, the proposed rule would create increased opportunities for public involvement and transparency in the management of the 245 million acres of public lands that the BLM administers.
The rule would also establish an upfront assessment of baseline conditions in the planning area using the best available science and other relevant information, like traditional ecological knowledge and public views.
The project website, www.blm.gov/plan2, contains the proposed rule, recordings of the past public webinar and meeting, and other resources.
Comments on the proposed rule can be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal (http://www.regulations.gov), personal or messenger delivery, or mail. For more detailed information on how to submit comments, visit the project website, www.blm.gov/plan2.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield.