Senate Passes the Natural Resources Management Act

Photo courtesy of High Lonesome Ranch, CO.

On Tuesday, February 12, the Senate easily passed S47, the Natural Resources Management Act. This large public lands management and conservation package now moves to the House for their consideration.

What’s in the Natural Resources Management Act?

The package contains several bills from the Senate and took years to develop.  Here are some of the highlights:

• Permanently authorizes the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which expired September 30, 2018. The LWCF program authorizes revenue from offshore oil and gas to be used to conserve and protect land and water, largely through land acquisitions and easements.
• Reauthorizes the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program through fiscal year 2022. This program authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide technical and financial assistance to private landowners restore and enhance fish and wildlife habitats. It is a voluntary partnership program administered by the U.S. Fish and WIldlife Service.
• Over 1.3 million acres designated as wilderness in California, Oregon, New Mexico and Utah
• Places on mineral withdrawal on 30,000 acres north of Yellowstone National Park
• Details a number of land conveyances, acquisitions, boundary adjustments and special management areas
• Highlights the intent of Congress to examine and improve recreational activities on public lands

To read the almost 700-page package and see summaries of the bill, I recommend visiting the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee webpage.

Questions? Please contact WLA’s Policy Director, Jessica Crowder: Jessica@westernlandowners.org.