Interior plans new wilderness protections, scrapping Bush-era policy

The initiative supersedes a 2003 deal between then-Interior Secretary Gale Norton and the state of Utah that became known as the “no more wilderness” policy.

“The BLM, which manages more land than any other federal agency, has not had any comprehensive national wilderness policy since 2003, when the wilderness management guidance in the agency’s handbook was revoked as part of a controversial out-of-court settlement between then-Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton, the State of Utah, and other parties,” Interior said in a description of the new policy.

Salazar told reporters Thursday that the 2003 agreement Norton struck “should never have happened and was wrong in the first place.”

Under the new plan, BLM will be empowered to “designate appropriate areas with wilderness characteristics under its jurisdiction as ‘Wild Lands’ and to manage them to protect their wilderness values.” Officials pledged to ensure robust public input into their decisions.

It also gives land managers a new tool to protect large areas that are outside of existing Wilderness Study Areas pending before Congress, and official units of the National Wilderness Preservation System that lawmakers have already designated, according to Interior.

While the new policy would allow new limits on future oil-and-gas drilling and other activities, Salazar called it a wise economic decision, noting the millions of jobs tethered to outdoor recreation industries like hunting, fishing and hiking.

“Wise stewardship isn’t just the right thing to do. It is good for business and it is good for jobs,” Salazar said, noting employment generated by hotels, restaurants and outdoor retail shops that are tied to backcountry recreation.

But the plan drew immediate criticism from Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.), who will be chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee when Republicans take over next year.

He called it an end-run around Congress and promised the panel will “fully review” the decision that he said would enable “severe limitations on public access, prohibits motorized and mechanized recreation and severely restricts job-creating and energy producing activities.”

“The Administration clearly knows that the law only allows Congress to designate Wilderness areas, though somehow they hope giving it a different label of ‘Wild Lands’ will pass legal muster. This new policy will have significant ramifications on our economy, jobs, recreational opportunities and American energy production,” Hastings said in a statement.

The Pew Environment Group, in contrast, applauded the plan.

“This improvement in determining which wild lands have important wilderness values and merit interim protection until Congress has the chance to make final decisions is a long time coming. While Congress ultimately decides what is or is not included in the National Wilderness Preservation System, members of Congress benefit from the analysis of field experts in BLM, and the process affords public review and participation,” said Mike Matz, director of the group’s Campaign for America’s Wilderness.

Areas given the new “Wild Lands” designation may include regions in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A), a large area in northern Alaska that’s targeted for oil-and-gas development but is also home to several species of birds and other animals.

But Interior emphasized that it is not abandoning energy development there.

“The BLM must inventory the lands in NPR-A and may designate Wild Lands in NPR-A as part of its integrated activity planning for the area. Consistent with controlling law, the BLM will continue to conduct an expeditious program of competitive oil and gas leasing in the Reserve,” Interior said in a description of the plan.