Key Takeaways
- •The hearing reviewed 23 bills on federal land management, highlighting the Grasslands Grazing Act (S. 2787) to ensure permit certainty for ranchers on national grasslands.
- •Ty Checketts testified that S. 2787 is crucial for ranchers' financial stability and long-term land stewardship, as current 30-day permit cancellations create immense stress.
- •Senator Heinrich (D-NM) pressed Jon Raby on BLM's opposition to the Buffalo Tract Protection Act, arguing the agency ignored local community opposition to a gravel mine.
- •Republicans emphasized bills supporting grazing and mineral development, while Democrats championed conservation bills and local input, often clashing with the administration's anti-withdrawal stance.
- •The committee plans to advance many of the discussed conservation and land management bills to markup, with Chairman Barrasso (R-WY) and Senator Heinrich (D-NM) expressing intent to move them forward.
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Hearing Analysis
Overview
On February 12, 2026, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining held a legislative hearing to consider 23 bills related to federal land management, conservation, and resource development. Chaired by Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), the hearing focused on balancing the multiple-use mandate of federal lands with local conservation efforts, tribal land claims, and the economic needs of Western communities.
Key Testimony
A primary focus of the hearing was S. 2787, the Grasslands Grazing Act, introduced by Sen. Barrasso. Witness Ty Checketts, President of the Association of National Grasslands, testified that ranchers operating on national grasslands currently lack the same due process protections and permit certainty enjoyed by those on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or National Forest lands. Checketts argued that the current system allows for permit cancellation with only 30 days' notice, creating financial instability for ranching families. He emphasized that S. 2787 would provide 10-year permits and priority for renewal, which is essential for securing bank loans and ensuring long-term stewardship. Christopher French, Associate Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, agreed that there should not be two different standards for grazing permits and expressed support for the bill’s goal of creating a uniform framework.
The subcommittee also discussed S. 1981, the Strategic Grazing to Reduce Risk of Wildfire Act. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and witnesses highlighted how livestock grazing serves as a critical tool for wildfire mitigation by reducing "fine fuels" like invasive cheatgrass. Both the Forest Service and the BLM, represented by Nevada State Director Jon Raby, supported the use of grazing as a strategic risk-reduction tool, noting that many Western ecosystems evolved with grazing as a natural component.
Policy Proposals
Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) advocated for the Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act, which seeks to release approximately 100,000 acres across three Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs)—Hoodoo Mountain, Wales Creek, and the Middle Fork Judith—back to general management. Sen. Daines argued that these areas were deemed "unsuitable" for permanent wilderness designation decades ago but remain in "limbo" due to congressional inaction. Mr. Raby confirmed that the WSA designation complicates multiple-use management and limits hazardous fuels reduction. Conversely, Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) promoted conservation-heavy legislation, including the Buffalo Tract Protection Act and the establishment of the Cerro de la Olla Wilderness. Sen. Heinrich engaged in a sharp exchange with Mr. Raby regarding the BLM’s opposition to mineral withdrawals in the Buffalo Tract area. While Mr. Raby cited the administration's priority to unleash domestic mineral production, Sen. Heinrich argued that the BLM was ignoring local community opposition to gravel mining in residential neighborhoods.
Key Testimony
Sen. Cortez Masto highlighted S. 3695, the Santini-Burton Modernization Act, supported by witness Julie Regan, Executive Director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA). Regan testified that while the original 1980 act focused on land acquisition, the modernization is necessary to allow funds from federal land sales in Clark County to be used for the *management* and *maintenance* of acquired lands in the Lake Tahoe Basin. She noted that increased tourism and social media-driven visitation have placed new stresses on the environment that require active management, such as wildfire defensible space and trail maintenance.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) discussed S. 2554, the Alaska Native Landless Equity Act, which aims to resolve a 50-year-old injustice where five Southeast Alaska communities were omitted from the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA). The bill would allow for the formation of urban corporations and the conveyance of approximately 115,000 acres of land. Sen. Murkowski noted that major conservation groups, including The Nature Conservancy and The Wilderness Society, have shifted from opposition to support for the bill. Mr. French stated the Forest Service does not oppose the bill but noted it could impact planned timber sales in the Tongass National Forest.
Overview
The hearing also touched on S. 1349, the Ruby Mountains Protection Act, which would prohibit oil and gas development in a specific area of Nevada. Sen. Cortez Masto questioned why the administration opposed the bill despite a 2019 Forest Service determination that the area had low mineral potential. Mr. French responded that while the agency stands by its 2019 decision, the administration generally opposes legislative withdrawals that limit future management flexibility.
Key Testimony
The industries and sectors most affected by the discussed legislation include livestock ranching, timber, hardrock mining, oil and gas, and outdoor recreation. Organizations mentioned during the testimony included the Public Lands Council, the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, and various county commissions in Montana and New Mexico.
Overview
Partisan dynamics were evident in the disagreement over land withdrawals and wilderness designations. Republican members generally favored "releasing" land for multiple use and energy production, while Democratic members focused on codifying protections for specific landscapes valued for recreation and tribal heritage. However, there was a shared emphasis on the importance of local input and the need for the federal government to be a more responsive "landlord."
Chairman Barrasso concluded the hearing by requesting that witnesses return answers to follow-up questions for the record within one week. No specific deadlines for markups were set, though several senators expressed a desire to see their respective bills advanced to the full committee quickly.
Transcript
[Gavel sounds.] Call this hearing to order. Good morning and welcome all of you to the hearing today. Appreciate all of you making the trip to be with us. We have a number of bills on today's agenda, priorities across the West. This morning's hearing will look at many pieces of legislation that impact our federal lands. Families and communities in Wyoming and throughout the West depend on federal lands for energy and mineral development, for grazing, for forest management, and for recreation. Included in the agenda is a bill of my own that's important to those who graze on federal lands. I would like to take a moment to highlight the importance of this legislation, S. 2787, the Grasslands Grazing Act. Livestock grazing on federal lands has a strong tradition in Wyoming and across the West. Federal grazing is a necessary tool for wildfire prevention and for promoting rangeland health. It's widely used by both the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. The U.S. Forest Service manages both national forests and national grasslands. Livestock grazing is done on both national forest land and grasslands. Obtaining a federal permit for grazing on national forest land is common practice. However, there is a lack of federal certainty and clarity for obtaining the same permits for grasslands. In Wyoming, cattle graze on the Thunder Basin National Grassland, located in northeastern Wyoming in the Powder River Basin between the Big Horn Mountains and Black Hills. It encompasses little over half a million acres. That's a lot of land. My bill helps bring regulatory clarity for grazing permits from the U.S. Forest Service. Ranchers across the West depend on access to grazing on our national grasslands. They deserve to have certainty that their grazing permits will be approved in a timely manner. The Grasslands Grazing Act will give Wyoming's ranching families the stability that they need to keep their operations running strong. And I'd like to welcome all four of our witnesses here this morning, especially Ty Checketts, who is always wonderful to have him here. He's one of the wonderful Wyoming ranchers who's been back to D.C. to testify, speaking on behalf of the important work that they do each and every day on their operations. I look forward to hearing your testimony and from all of you. But first, I'd like to turn to Senator Cortez Masto for opening remarks.
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