A core priority for our office is the removal of federal regulations that hinder active management and restrict public access. In 2025 and early 2026, Utah has seen significant progress in rescinding two major rules that threatened the state’s “multiple-use” mandate.

(5/12/2026): Public Lands Rule Rescinded 

FINAL Update: Through this final rule, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is fully rescinding the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, issued as a final rule on May 9, 2024. This action restores balance to federal land management under the principles of multiple use and sustained yield by prioritizing access, empowering local decision-making, and aligning the BLM's implementing regulations with statutory requirements and national energy policy.

Removing this rule restores the balanced framework of the Federal Lands Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), ensuring that millions of acres remain open to the public rather than being converted into limited- or non-use landscapes.

Finalized in 2024, the Public Lands Rule rule sought to prioritize “conservation” over other multiple uses. Most concerning was the creation of “conservation leases,” which could allow private entities to “lock up” public lands and exclude hunting, grazing, or mineral development. The State led one of many western state challenges to the implementation of the rule causing the current administration to reconsider its viability.