Federal Push to Expand Livestock Grazing on Western Public Lands

In May 2024 the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released a draft regulatory package that would replace the agency’s 1995 grazing framework. The proposal would increase the number of cattle, sheep and other livestock permitted on roughly 155 million acres of federal land in the West—an area twice the size of New Mexico. It also narrows public participation by redefining “interested public,” removing the requirement for public consultation during permit decisions, and allowing low-level violations to be handled informally. Appeals by ranchers would automatically pause agency rulings, permitting continued grazing while disputes are resolved.

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Current regulations stem from the early-1990s “cattle-free by ’93” movement and from interior-secretary Bruce Babbitt’s policies enacted during the Clinton administration. Those rules limited grazing permits and required ecological reviews of livestock use. The 1995 overhaul was the last major revision until the present draft, which the Trump administration frames as a return to “Ronald Reagan-era” standards.

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• Karen Budd-Falen, senior Interior official who received an ethics waiver to work on grazing policy.

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• Tim Canterbury, president of the Public Lands Council, a ranching trade association.

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• Josh Osher, public policy director of the Western Watersheds Project (conservation group).

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• OJ Semans Sr., executive director of the Coalition of Large Tribes, representing more than 15 Native American tribes.

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• Mark Squillace, natural-resources law professor at the University of Colorado.

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• Nada Culver, former BLM deputy director (Biden administration).

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• The draft would affect 155 million acres of public land.

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• Federal grazing fees in 2024 were $284 million below market rates, according to ProPublica and High Country News.

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• Existing assessments have identified “tens of millions of acres” of damage from overgrazing.

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• The proposal would allow “production-oriented” permits, potentially eliminating permits for bison herds used in ecosystem restoration.

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The BLM’s June news release stated the revisions “reflect the Trump administration’s priority to reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens, promote productive working lands and strengthen local economies.” The agency also noted that the new rules would require ecological impact studies for all public-land uses—not only livestock—and would streamline enforcement of low-level violations.

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Conservation groups argue the changes will expand grazing footprints and harm wildlife. Josh Osher warned that “considerably more places where cows and sheep are going to be and more damage” are expected. Mark Squillace described the automatic stay on appeals as “a disaster.” OJ Semans Sr. expressed tribal concern that the revisions could jeopardize bison grazing permits essential to cultural practices. Legal scholars note that the narrowed definition of “interested public” could restrict input to parties with direct business interests.

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Sources differ on whether the draft explicitly mandates “production-oriented” permits; the BLM has not clarified the precise language. The agency also declined to define “cognizable interest,” leaving uncertainty about how public-comment eligibility will be applied.

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• “They’re clearly trying to reduce involvement of anyone other than ranchers,” — BLM employee, rangeland management

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• “I am so excited about these regulations,” — Karen Budd-Falen, Interior Department official

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• “You want to know what put the public ranchland out of business — it was Bruce Babbitt’s regulations,” — Karen Budd-Falen

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• “That effectively invites everyone to appeal to avoid the decision,” — Mark Squillace, University of Colorado Law School

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• “The most text in this regulatory proposal is devoted to explaining why the public no longer gets to participate in pretty much every step of the process,” — Nada Culver, former BLM deputy director

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The draft will remain open for public comment until mid-July, after which the BLM will review feedback and issue a final rule. Budd-Falen has indicated that “by the end of next year, every single vacant allotment will be filled by a rancher.” Implementation of the final rule could reshape grazing patterns across the West for the coming decade.

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