The Department of the Interior (DOI) is rolling back some regulations to enhance domestic energy production, streamline processes and advance work on public lands.
On June 3, the DOI announced the formal rescission of 18 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regulations. The regulations were deemed obsolete or redundant by the department.
The move follows Secretary’s Order 3421, “Achieving Prosperity Through Deregulation.” The order instructs agencies in the DOI to identify and eliminate regulations that are outdated, redundant or cause an unnecessary burden.
According to the order, which follows Executive Order 14154, “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation,” all relevant bureaus and offices must identify at least 10 department regulations to cut for every new regulation they propose.
The 18 BLM regulations that were cut span three key areas.
The first deals with mining and mineral resources, targeting wilderness prospecting restrictions, claim usage limitations, acreage restrictions and more.
The second area involves streamlining geothermal energy production. It involves royalty rate modification procedures, lease application requirements and operational plan amendment protocols.
The last area targets administrative and procedural simplification. The cutting of those regulations eliminates hurdles including public lands hearing procedures, various outdated and redundant fee structures and federal land compliance documentation.
According to the Interior, the deregulation is an effort to modernize rule frameworks and enforce environmental protections while strengthening local economies, encouraging energy independence and relieving excessive burdens.
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