This week, the U.S. Senate approved three Congressional Review Act resolutions aimed at reversing resource management plans established during the Biden administration. These plans had restricted access to millions of acres of land in Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota.
House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) responded to the Senate’s action. “Congressional Republicans are reopening public lands that were locked away during the previous administration. The legislation will promote energy development and economic growth in rural communities and strengthen American energy security, ensuring access to reliable, affordable energy for all Americans. Thank you to the entire Alaska, Montana and North Dakota congressional delegations for leading these efforts. I look forward to seeing these resolutions sent swiftly to President Trump’s desk and signed into law.”
The three resolutions target specific land use policies:
H.J. Res. 104, introduced by Rep. Troy Downing (R-Mont.), seeks to repeal the Miles City Field Office Resource Management Plan Amendment. This amendment had restricted over 2.75 million acres of land and 11.7 million acres of mineral estate in Montana, affecting coal deposits in the Powder River Basin, a region that accounts for about 30 percent of the nation’s coal resources.
H.J. Res. 105, from Rep. Julie Fedorchak (R-N.D.), aims to overturn the North Dakota Resource Management Plan, which limited access to more than four million acres in North Dakota. The plan prohibited coal leasing on most of the state’s coal deposits and stopped mineral leasing on nearly half of its oil and gas acreage.
H.J. Res. 106, introduced by Rep. Nick Begich (R-Alaska), focuses on repealing the Central Yukon Resource Management Plan in Alaska. This plan had placed restrictions on more than 13.3 million acres and affected potential projects such as the Ambler Road and Alaska LNG Pipeline.
Each resolution is aligned with executive orders from President Trump that prioritize expanding domestic energy production and increasing access to natural resources.
