Senator Daines Questions Energy Nominee on Public Lands Conservation Rule

Public Lands Conservation Rule

• 🎯 Senator Daines expressed concerns that the Biden Administration's Conservation and Landscape Health Rule subverts the BLM's congressionally mandated multiple-use management of public lands.
• 💡 The rule is criticized for negatively impacting livestock grazing, which Daines argues is vital for mitigating wildfire risk, suppressing invasive grasses, improving wildlife habitat, and supporting rural economies in Montana.
• 🗣️ Daines asked the nominee if she would commit to reconsidering this rule, which he described as "overreaching" and detrimental to transparency and public input.

Energy Policy and Development

• ⚡ The nominee affirmed her commitment to following the law, including the multiple-use mandate and FLPMA, if confirmed.
• ⛰️ She supported President Trump and Secretary Bernhardt's actions to roll back "anti-energy" rules, such as the Mile City RMP, and return the BLM to its multiple-use mandate, emphasizing coal's important role in American energy resources.
• 💡 The nominee believes the BLM can balance coal, oil, gas, and renewable energy development with conservation, recreation, and grazing.
• ⚠️ A warning was issued regarding energy policy driven by ideology, referencing events in Spain and Portugal, and highlighting the importance of baseload power alongside intermittent sources.

Water Projects and Tribal Compacts

• 💧 The nominee acknowledged the critical importance of the St. Mary River siphons for the Milk River Project and pledged to work with Senator Daines to ensure the continued success of federal water projects.
• 🤝 She committed to working on resolving Montana's last tribal water compact for the Fort Belknap Indian community, recognizing its significance for infrastructure and economic development for both tribal and non-tribal water users.
• 🏜️ Daines highlighted Montana's semi-arid climate and the critical, life-line role of the St. Mary's project for irrigators, emphasizing the urgency of infrastructure repairs.