An Idaho legislative committee that was created to be a check on federal power met Tuesday, taking testimony against a proposed federal rule on conservation and public land management.
The Idaho Legislature’s Committee on Federalism heard from a prepared lineup of witnesses that included Idaho agriculture and business groups.
The Idaho Capital Sun reports, the Bureau of Land Management and the Biden administration published the new public land rule last month.
BLM officials in a press release say the new proposed rule on conservation and land health is necessary to better manage public lands in response to climate change, historic droughts, large wildfires and severe storms that are being experienced across the West.
Speakers who opposed the rule told Idaho’s GOP-controlled federalism committee at Tuesday’s meeting the rule could prioritize conservation over grazing, recreation, motorized vehicle usage and mining.
