What: On May 12, 2026, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published a proposed rule that would change how it manages livestock grazing on federal public lands.
Why: The rule would apply land health standards to all BLM programs, not just grazing, so that ranchers are not unfairly blamed when other land uses cause environmental problems. It would also give ranchers more flexibility in how they operate, make it easier for BLM to update land health standards without going through as many approval steps, and change the appeals process so that a BLM grazing decision is automatically put on hold when a permittee files an appeal.
The BLM acknowledges that the proposed rule may significantly affect small ranching and livestock operations that hold grazing permits or leases on federal public lands. These businesses may be affected by changes to how the BLM evaluates land health, how much operational flexibility they have under their permits, and how quickly they can challenge BLM decisions that affect their livelihoods
Small entities are encouraged to submit detailed comments describing how the proposed changes would affect their operations. The comments should include quantitative information on expected compliance costs, operational challenges, and suggestions for regulatory alternatives. The suggestions should be flexible approaches that would achieve BLM’s accountability objectives while minimizing disproportionate impacts on small businesses.
Action: Review the proposed rule and submit comments before the July 13, 2026, deadline.
PROPOSED RULE:
Revision of Regulations for Grazing Administration, Exclusive of Alaska
CONTACT:
Shanerika Flemings
EMAIL:
Regulatory Alerts
Is your small business or entity being impacted by a proposed rule? If yes, write a comment letter to the proposing agency.