Rep. Hageman Praises Interior Secretary Burgum for Return to Rule of Law and Policy Changes

Resource Management Plan Revisions

• 🎯 Secretarial Order 3418 directed the review and revision of Buffalo and Rock Springs resource management plans, aligning with President Trump's 'Unleashing American Energy' order.
• 💡 The BLM has been notified of opportunities to discuss amendments to the Rock Springs RMP, a development welcomed by the committee.
• ⚠️ Hageman criticized previous resource management plans under the Biden administration for violating the multiple-use doctrine and creating regulations not grounded in law, impacting local economies.

Sage Grouse and Endangered Species Act

• 🌾 Previous RMPs were criticized for being built around the sage grouse, which is not listed as endangered or threatened, leading to significant encroachment on surface activities.
• ⚖️ The current administration is focused on returning to the rule of law and enforcing FLPMA as written, emphasizing consultation with impacted parties.
• 🐻 Regarding the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem grizzly bear, Hageman noted it has been fully recovered for over two decades.
• ✅ Hageman secured a commitment from Secretary Burgum to work on delisting the grizzly bear from the Endangered Species Act.

Wind Turbine Development and Environmental Impact

• ⚡ Hageman raised concerns about the review of 3,000 new wind turbines in southeastern Wyoming, questioning the BLM's reliance on brief environmental assessments instead of comprehensive impact statements.
• 💨 The administration is reviewing how offshore wind projects were permitted and has concerns about adding more intermittent and unreliable energy to the grid.
• 🦅 Wind turbines account for a significant percentage of eagle deaths in Wyoming, highlighting a failure in mitigation measures.
• 🔬 The Secretary agreed to work on ensuring meaningful eagle protection measures and exploring technology to better understand bird strike impacts.