As August draws to a close, we are preparing for yet another attack on public lands. When Congress returns after Labor Day, lawmakers will attempt to use a dubious legislative maneuver to rescind public land management plans—which could send shockwaves across the country.
This has never happened before. If successful it will cast aside years of work studying the science and ignore reams of public comments and expertise from local communities, Tribes, and other stakeholders. It may end up throwing public lands across the West into chaos.
Resource Management Plans are drafted by experts at the Department of the Interior over the course of years—with broad input from the public—to guide responsible and sustainable use of public lands. These are the documents that guide conservation of beloved recreation areas, critical wildlife habitat, clean water sources and more.
Certain lawmakers—apparently believing that they know better than both professionals and local communities—are attempting to use a complex and radical legislative tool, the Congressional Review Act, to unilaterally overturn these plans and prevent Interior from issuing them in the future. This could wreak havoc for years to come—we have to fight tooth and nail to prevent it.
Thank you for your advocacy and support.
Sincerely,
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