The Central Yukon Resource Management Plan (CYRMP) covers 56 million acres in northern Alaska—13.3 million managed by the Bureau of Land Management. This is not just empty ground; it’s the Yukon River watershed, the Dalton Highway corridor, and lands that sustain local communities, hunters, anglers, and Alaska’s economy. It also includes areas tied directly to national energy infrastructure and military readiness. In short, it matters.

For decades, management here was guided by outdated plans from the 1980s and early ’90s. After more than ten years of work, extensive consultation, and $6.7 million in taxpayer investment, the new plan was finalized in late 2024. The CYRMP balances habitat necessary for hunting, fishing, and trapping, subsistence, recreation, and responsible development. It gives certainty to communities, businesses, and agencies operating in one of the most remote and challenging landscapes in America.

Now, Congress is considering rolling it back using the Congressional Review Act (CRA). That may sound like a quick fix, but in practice it would waste millions of dollars, undo years of public engagement, and throw Alaskans back into regulatory limbo. Worse, under the CRA, BLM couldn’t issue a “substantially similar” plan in the future without a new act of Congress. That’s not efficiency—it’s paralysis.

Alaskans deserve better. If there are genuine concerns with the CYRMP, the Bureau of Land Management already has a process to revise or amend these plans. That system requires public input, tribal consultation, and coordination with state and local governments. It’s not perfect, but it’s the right way to ensure all voices are heard and tax dollars aren’t wasted.

Scrapping the plan through the CRA would set a dangerous precedent, politicizing land management and sidelining Alaska’s interests in favor of Washington gridlock. The CYRMP may not please everyone, but it provides clarity and balance. At its core, it reflects Alaskan values: responsible use of resources, respect for tradition, and passing on healthy lands and strong opportunities to the next generation.

Alaska needs durable land management, not political whiplash.

 

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