Rule Change to Give
States, Counties and
Tribes Active Role in Land-use Planning Decisions
Washington D.C. (March
16, 2005) - In remarks today before the
opening session of the 70th Annual North American Wildlife and Natural
Resources Conference in Washington, D.C., Interior Secretary Gale
Norton announced that she is taking two important steps to ensure
local, state, counties, and tribal governments and other agencies with
a stronger, more active role in determining how public lands should be
managed.
“Local communities, states and tribes all have
a tremendous stake
in the land-management issues that confront the Interior Department,”
Norton said. “They should be at the table when these issues are
addressed, so they can voice their concerns and provide their input
during the decision-making process.”
Norton took action to finalize a Bureau of
Land Management rule that
will be published later this week in the Federal Register. The BLM rule
impacts only land-use decisions and establishes uniform eligibility
criteria for federal and state agencies, and tribal and local
governments to apply for and become cooperating agencies.
“This is an important change in the way we do
business,” Norton said.
“It affirms that America’s lands should be managed in partnership with
the public.”
Second, DOI has also sent to the Federal
Register, a proposed amendment
to the Departmental Manual. The amendment will require all DOI bureaus
to invite qualified government entities to participate as cooperating
agencies when the bureau is developing environmental impact statements.
The Departmental Manual is the guidance document that outlines in
detail how each agency of the department will operate.
“We look forward to our land managers working
with local, state and
tribal governments, so these entities will have a seat at the table
during the planning process,” Norton said. “It will promote broader
public participation in resource management decisions and will
ultimately generate more effective on-the-ground solutions,"
Norton noted that the BLM proposed rule change
and amendment to the DOI
manual supports an Executive Order on Facilitation of Cooperative
Conservation, signed by President Bush on August 26, 2004. That order
directs the Department of the Interior and other federal agencies to
implement laws that relate to the environment and natural resources in
a manner that promotes cooperative conservation of natural resources
through collaboration
The Interior Department has long recognized a
distinct role for state,
local and tribal government in land-management planning activities,
which is consistent with Secretary Norton’s 4C’s, communication,
consultation and cooperation — all in the service of conservation. The
practice has never been formally recognized or required in DOI
regulations, until now. The DOI bureaus will have the responsibility to
reach out to their partners by encouraging them to collaborate in
preparation of environmental impact statements required under the
National Environmental Policy Act and in the land-use planning process.
