Noem Testifies On Public Lands Rule

(Washington, D.C.) — Governor Noem is speaking out in D.C. about the new public lands rule proposed by the Federal Bureau of Land Management. The agency is proposing placing the conservation of millions of acres of public lands under the agency’s control on equal footing with uses such as grazing, mining and recreation. She says it’s a move of government overreach and it would be harmful to South Dakota ranchers. They use public lands to lease for grazing, and Noem says they would lose that economic stake. The South Dakota Wildlife Federation disagrees with Governor Noem’s recent testimony. Bureau of Land Management says the proposed rule will ensure that the public lands people use to hunt, fish and hike will remain healthy and resilient. With Noem’s support, there’s currently a bill in the U.S. House that would require the director of the BLM to withdraw the agency’s proposed rule on conservation of public lands.