Page 50 - IAGC The Voice 2017

IAGC Working
to Reduce

Bureaucracy in
BLM Planning

n 25 May 2016, the IAGC
commented on the proposed
Orule BLM Planning 2.0 to
establish the procedures used to
prepare, revise, or amend land use
plans pursuant to the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act 1976
(FLPMA).

Congress passed H.J. Res. 44, a joint
IAGC among more than 80 groups requesting new resolution of disapproval under the
Administration vacate the NOP Executive Order. Congressional Review Act to repeal
BLM's Planning 2.0 Rule. The joint
resolution was signed by President
Trump on 27 March 2017, which
IAGC PART OF 80 GROUPS REQUESTING NOP returned the power and decision-
EXECUTIVE ORDER BE VACATED making authority of public lands to
the local and state entities.

he IAGC and more than 80 use, contradicting long-held For the seismic industry, if Planning
groups representing nearly principles of multiple use of our Rule 2.0 had been left intact, it
Tevery sector of the U.S. public lands, creating potential would have resulted in increased
economy signed two letters on 19 conflicts with congressionally- layers of bureaucracy within the
June 2017, urging executive and authorized conservation and federal government and also
congressional action to address management processes, and increased public involvement in the
former President Obama's National inhibiting opportunities for decision-making process, giving
Ocean Policy (NOP). revenue growth and economic more power to anti-multiple-land-
activity. use environmental organizations.
On 25 May 2017, the National
Ocean Policy Coalition, with IAGC
support, also delivered letters to 13
federal departments and agencies
asking each entity to identify the
NOP as a regulatory burden and
recommend executive action to
vacate the NOP Executive Order.

The NOP has negatively impacted
opportunities for job creation and
economic growth by unnecessarily
increasing federal bureaucracy and
regulatory directives, costs, and
uncertainties with which regulated
entities must contend and attempt
to predict. Moreover, the Policy
creates new obstacles and processes
that could place valuable, taxpayer-
owned marine and terrestrial
resources off-limits to economic

50 THE VOICE