SW Arkansas Times

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has announced the withdrawal of its proposed Biological Integrity, Diversity, and Environmental Health (BIDEH) rule. The decision was met with approval from several members of Congress who had opposed the proposal.

House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman expressed relief at the decision, stating, "Today's announcement proves something we knew from the beginning, the BIDEH Rule was a terrible idea and should have never been proposed in the first place." He also thanked Congressman Bentz for his efforts against what he termed as radical policies from the Biden administration.

Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Chairman Cliff Bentz criticized the rule's approach to managing the National Wildlife Refuge System. He said it would have imposed "bureaucratic nightmares" on refuge managers by requiring extensive reviews for management activities like grazing and planting crops. Bentz welcomed the rule's withdrawal and committed to opposing policies that prioritize politics over practical management.

U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman commended the decision to withdraw the rule, thanking Americans who voiced their opposition. He stated that local conservationists' authority should not be undermined by Washington bureaucrats.

U.S. Rep. David Kustoff also praised the move as a victory for wildlife conservation efforts nationwide. He described the BIDEH rule as an "out-of-touch" policy that would burden the National Wildlife Refuge System.

The USFWS had initially proposed changes that would require refuge managers to conduct comprehensive analyses before implementing management practices like native predator control or cooperative agriculture. Critics argued this would lead to management paralysis within refuges.

The House Committee on Natural Resources conducted oversight and legislative efforts since February when the rule was proposed. This included hearings where representatives from state agencies, agriculture producers, and conservation organizations testified against it. In June, a bipartisan letter led by Chairman Westerman called for rescinding the rule, followed by a legislative hearing in September on H.R. 8632—the BIOSAFE Act—sponsored by Congressman Grothman.

The announcement marks a return to what some see as commonsense policy, allowing land managers more discretion in managing wildlife refuges effectively.