DENVER — The U.S. House of Representatives’ votes to cancel three land management plans in Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota undermine a system of balanced multiple use, ignore the work of local stakeholders, and could throw public lands management into disarray. The Congressional Review Act effectively declares management plans null and void and prohibits similar proposals from ever being proposed again.

“Using the Congressional Review Act to nullify resource management plans that were carefully crafted with the input of diverse stakeholder groups could jeopardize effective and balanced  public land stewardship, set a terrible precedent, and may actually be illegal. More importantly, it creates immediate uncertainty for ranchers, outdoor recreation businesses, and rural communities that depend upon public lands,” said David Willms, associate vice president for public lands at the National Wildlife Federation. “If members of Congress don’t like elements of certain management plans, the appropriate approach is to work with Secretary Burgum to make changes, rather than removing his and his successors’ authority to do so.”

“The North Dakota Resource Management Plan established important safeguards for wildlife and recreation while identifying suitable locations for energy development, grazing, and other commercial activities. Overturning this plan through the Congressional Review Act will completely hamstring any future planning to ensure that our lands are managed in a way that safeguards all interests on public lands, including wildlife, hunting, and recreation,” said John Bradley, executive director of the North Dakota Wildlife Federation. “A poll released this spring showed that 75% of North Dakotans are opposed to Congress taking this action. Why isn’t Congress listening?”

“Congress just jumped head first down a slippery slope that creates a dangerous precedent that will surely backfire. Using the Congressional Review Act not only repeals the current management plan, which was carefully crafted by local leaders and stakeholders, but it puts at risk future efforts to responsibly manage public lands. It’s not just wildlife habitat and hunting and fishing access at risk here; it’s all decisions made at the local level,” said Frank Szollosi, executive director of the Montana Wildlife Federation. “At a time when Montana’s public lands are facing numerous threats, land managers need flexibility and tools to respond, not more interference from Washington.”