House advances Curtis’ WEST Act to void proposed Bureau of Land Management rule

The U.S House of Representatives on April 30 passed a bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) that would require the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to withdraw a proposed rule related to conservation and landscape health.

The House voted 212-202 to approve the Western Economic Security Today (WEST) Act of 2023, H.R. 3397, which also would prohibit the BLM from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing the proposed rule or any substantially similar rule, according to the congressional record bill summary.

“I am pleased that the House voted in a bipartisan manner to pass my bill revoking its implementation,” said Rep. Curtis after the vote advancing H.R. 3397 to the U.S. Senate for action.

H.R. 3397 would require the BLM director to withdraw the April 3, 2023, proposed BLM rule, entitled “Conservation and Landscape Health,” which proposes new regulations that BLM says would advance its mission to manage public lands for multiple use and sustained yield by prioritizing the health and resilience of ecosystems across those lands. 

“The rule the BLM recently finalized undermines the very people who rely on our federal lands for ranching, grazing, recreation, and beyond,” Rep. Curtis said. “Utahns know the true value of these lands and they should remain open to everyone.

“Instead,” he added, “this rule favors wealthy individuals and environmental groups, allowing them to lock up land that belongs to all Utahns.”

Rep. Curtis proposed H.R. 3397 in May 2023 alongside 13 Republican original cosponsors, including U.S. Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Pete Stauber (R-MN), Blake Moore (R-UT), and Mark Amodei (R-NV). 

Rep. Newhouse, who chairs the Congressional Western Caucus, pointed out that the Biden administration’s rule is a direct attack on the western way of life.

“By elevating conservation as a qualified multiple-use, the BLM is acting outside of the law and is intentionally locking up America’s public lands from intended purposes like resource development, mining, grazing, recreation, and timber harvesting,” said Rep. Newhouse. “The Western Caucus staunchly opposes the final rule and applauds Rep. Curtis’ leadership on overturning yet another blatant overreach from this administration.”