But over its nearly 80-year history, the agency has largely dropped the ball on its stewardship mandate. Today, 90% of BLM land is open to drilling and 60% is leased for grazing, while less than 14% is protected from development. At least 54 million acres — one-fifth of all BLM land — fall short of the agency’s own land-health standards, degradation that is primarily driven by unsustainable livestock grazing, according to a 2022 analysis by watchdog organization Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.
President Joe Biden’s BLM isn’t shying away from this reality, noting in its proposed rule that “public lands are increasingly degraded and fragmented due to adverse impacts from climate change and a significant increase in authorized use.”
