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Doug Burgum Moves To Rein In ‘Oversized’ Buffer Zones On Federal Land
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is proposing changes to the Bureau of Land Management’s rules for conservation zones on federal land, aiming to reduce what the department calls oversized buffer areas. The proposal would revise planning rules in place since 1979 and could affect how land is managed for conservation alongside grazing, mining, energy production and recreation.
The plan is not final; the department says it will allow 60 days for public comment after publication in the Federal Register. As of 30 September 2025, the BLM listed 1,172 conservation sites covering about 24.3 million acres, up from 21.5 million acres a year earlier, though the agency says figures can change as its records are updated. A conservation policy expert suggested the rules may give guidance on setting buffer sizes and require more scrutiny for larger zones, but the proposed text has not been published.
In short
- Burgum proposes revising federal conservation-zone rules.
- BLM sites covered about 24.3 million acres in 2025.
- The proposal will receive 60 days of public comment.
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The case for
Supporters could argue that clearer limits and closer scrutiny for large buffer zones would keep conservation protections proportionate to the resources at risk, while preserving more room for grazing, mining, energy production and recreation. They may see updated planning rules as a way to make federal land management more predictable and ensure competing uses are considered openly.
The case against
Critics could argue that broad buffer zones are sometimes essential to protect habitats and ecological processes that extend beyond a site’s boundary, and that tighter limits could weaken conservation in practice. With the proposed text not yet published, they may also worry that reducing protections before the public can assess the details risks favouring short-term commercial uses over long-term stewardship.