ORBA Action Alert | BLM Proposed Grazing Rule
ACTION ALERT
Public Comments Needed: BLM's Proposed Grazing Rule Could Affect Future Public Land Management
Comment Deadline: July 13, 2026
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is accepting public comments on its proposed revisions to the federal grazing regulations. While the proposal contains several positive reforms intended to modernize grazing administration and support the Bureau's multiple-use mission, ORBA and SEMA believe one portion of the proposal deserves careful review by the recreation community. The proposal would expand the application of the Fundamentals of Rangeland Health beyond livestock grazing administration and apply those standards across all BLM programs.
Key Language from the Proposed Rule
“This broader application of the fundamentals and standards reflects that all BLM programs should be responsible for managing toward improved rangeland health.”
“The proposed rule would require the BLM to take ‘appropriate action’ where a significant factor in failing to achieve land health is within the BLM’s control...”
“...what constitutes ‘appropriate action’ may vary depending on the resource concern and limitations imposed by law and relevant planning decisions.”
ORBA and SEMA support responsible stewardship and recognize that healthy public lands benefit recreation, conservation, grazing, wildlife, and every other multiple use. Because these standards would extend beyond grazing administration and apply across all BLM programs, we believe the final rule should provide additional clarity regarding how these provisions will be implemented and how they may be considered during future land use planning, travel management, and other BLM decision-making processes.
Take Action
Submit respectful, constructive comments before July 13, 2026. You do not need to write a lengthy comment. A thoughtful, personalized message can make a meaningful difference.
Suggested Discussion Points
Support BLM's efforts to modernize outdated grazing regulations and improve administrative efficiency.
Express support for healthy public lands and responsible stewardship.
Ask BLM to clarify how the expanded Land Health Management framework will be implemented outside of grazing administration.
Encourage the Bureau to explain how the terms 'all BLM programs' and 'appropriate action' will be applied in future management decisions.
Request confirmation that the proposal works within existing statutory authorities and does not establish new or independent criteria affecting recreation, travel management, or public access.
Encourage consistent implementation across BLM field offices while maintaining the agency's multiple-use mission.
Sample Comment
I appreciate BLM's efforts to modernize its grazing regulations and support the proposal's goal of improving public land management. I also support responsible stewardship and recognize the importance of healthy watersheds, soils, habitats, and ecosystems. Because the proposed rule expands the Fundamentals of Rangeland Health beyond grazing administration to all BLM programs, I respectfully request additional clarification regarding how this framework will be implemented outside of grazing. Specifically, I encourage BLM to explain how the terms 'all BLM programs' and 'appropriate action' will be applied and to confirm that these provisions are intended to inform management decisions within existing legal authorities rather than establish new criteria affecting recreation or public access. Clear guidance will help ensure consistent implementation while supporting BLM's longstanding multiple-use mission.
Please personalize your comments. Individual comments generally carry more weight than identical form letters.
Resources
BLM News Release https://www.blm.gov/press-release/department-interior-proposes-modernizing-grazing-regulations-support-ranchers-and
Federal Register Proposed Rule https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/05/12/2026-09387/revision-of-regulations-for-grazing-administration-exclusive-of-alaska