Wyoming County Commissioners Association Natural Resource Counsel Micah Christensen testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee this week, discussing federal land management practices. U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) introduced Christensen at the hearing, which focused on how the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) land use planning under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) affects permitting for energy, mining, grazing, and infrastructure projects on federal lands.
Senator Barrasso praised Christensen’s work with Wyoming county commissioners on natural resource issues. “Micah works closely with Wyoming’s county commissioners every day on federal natural resource issues,” said Barrasso. “Over the past few years, Micah has worked to defend and represent Wyoming’s interests when it comes to federal land management. He has become a pivotal voice for Wyoming and seen firsthand the federal overreach from the previous administration. I am grateful he is here with us today to discuss the Federal Land Management and Policy Act.”
During his remarks, Barrasso noted that nearly half of Wyoming’s land is federally owned and emphasized its importance for activities such as grazing, timber harvesting, recreation, energy production, and mineral extraction. He expressed concern about increasing federal oversight originating from Washington D.C., rather than local offices in Wyoming.
“We have seen an increase in federal overreach, particularly in land management across Wyoming. Many of these designations have originated from Washington D.C. rather than local Wyoming offices. Field staff follow directions from the current administration that could be favorable or not towards locally led initiatives. Ultimately, final approval comes from back East,” said Barrasso. “I continue to rely upon Wyoming stakeholders and look to many in the state for advice. Almost half of the land in Wyoming is owned by the federal government. These are public places that people from Wyoming depend on accessing for their livelihoods. Congress directed grazing, timber harvesting, recreation, energy and mineral production to take place on federal lands.”
Christensen used his testimony to highlight challenges faced by local managers due to shifting administrative priorities that centralize decision-making authority away from field offices.
“Changing administrative priorities that move planning decision authority out of local field offices to Washington D.C. harms our working relationships with local land managers, undermines the planning process, and jeopardizes the use and protection of the natural resources that FLPMA intends to be conserved,” said Christensen. “These landscapes and resources cannot be managed on four- or eight-year terms, but must be grounded in the coordination and cooperative federalism principles that FLPMA and NEPA envisioned and demand.”
He called for greater empowerment of local officials: “We desperately need federal agencies to empower local land managers on the ground, who understand the impacts of management actions on the communities they live in, that prioritize relationships with local governments, and work under the requirements set by Congress in FLPMA and NEPA so that we can cooperatively craft RMPs that can carefully address the moral issue of conservation to the betterment of ourselves and future generations of Americans,” continued Christensen.
The full statement by Christensen as well as Senator Barrasso’s questions are available online.
