Support the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM)'s Grazing Rule Changes Plan!

03/04/2003

• The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is Considering Changes to Grazing Regulations In an Effort to Improve Public Rangeland Management
• The Changes Would Encourage Partnerships in Public Land Stewardship and Establish New Options for BLM and Rangeland Users in the Management of Public Lands.
• Please Support the BLM's Grazing Regulations Changes Plan and Provide Suggestions to Help them Clearly Define Needed Changes to the Grazing Administration Program.

Yesterday, The Bureau of Land Management published notices in the Federal Register that officially announced its consideration of grazing rule changes aimed at improving the agency's management of the public rangelands. The current regulations, issued in 1995, require amendment to comply with court decisions, provide greater flexibility to managers and permittees, and improve existing administrative procedures and business practices, and promote conservation of public lands.

Grazing Regulation Changes the BLM is considering include:

• Clarifying the permit renewal performance review requirements when grazing permits are pledged as security for loans.
• Clarifying who is qualified for public lands grazing use and who will receive preference for a grazing permit or lease.
• Clarifying the provisions addressing grazing preference transfers.
• Reinstating an earlier provision that BLM and the permit holder may share title to certain range improvements if the improvement was constructed under a Cooperative Range Improvement Agreement.
• Clarifying that BLM will follow state law with respect to the acquisition of water rights.
• Examining whether BLM should authorize temporarily locked gates on public lands in order to protect private land and improve livestock operations.
• Clarifying which non-permit related violations BLM may take into account in penalizing a permittee. · Considering ways to streamline the grazing decision appeal process.
• Extending the time period that BLM may approve nonuse of forage from 3 to 5 years for resource improvement, business, or personal needs.

New provisions the BLM is considering adding to the regulations:

• Establishing and administering a new concept called "Reserve Common Allotments" (RCA), RCAs would be managed as reserve forage areas for use by permittees whose allotments are undergoing restoration treatments and require rest from grazing. RCA forage would be allocated on a temporary non-renewable basis to permittees participating in restoration on their allotments.
• Adding a fee schedule for preference transfers, crossing permits, applications for nonuse, and replacement/supplemental billing under existing service charge authority. (They do not intend to address grazing fees in this rulemaking)

"The changes under consideration would enhance community-based conservation and promote cooperative stewardship of the public rangelands," said BLM Director Kathleen Clarke. "The potential changes would also improve BLM business practices and provide greater flexibility to managers and grazing permittees in the administration of public rangelands."

The National Grange policies on this issue you may refer to are:

• The National Grange recognizes the states' rights to own and/or manage Bureau of Land Management (BLM) unreserved lands, not including national forest lands, and supports legislation to assign control of lands in the 13 western states to respective state governments. Revenues that are now received by counties should be protected when control of any federal land is assigned to state governments.
• The National Grange opposes increasing grazing fees and reduc­ing allotments until it can be demonstrated that any proposed increase in grazing fees or reduction of grazing allotments is based upon solid economic principles and good conservation practices. We favor legislation that would further limit any overall reduction in grazing to 10 percent or less on any given allotment except in the case of emergen­cies such as drought. We strongly believe that grazing permittees on federal lands should be consulted as grazing plans are devel­oped.
• The National Grange opposes any legislation that restricts cattle grazing in riparian areas (areas between the stream banks) that fails to give adequate consideration to the economic impact that such restrictions have on ranchers.
• The National Grange opposes allowing the Bureau of Land Management or the U.S. Forest Service to sell grazing permits to anyone other than someone using the permit for grazing purposes. We also request the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Interior to change the current grazing fee pricing formula and, annually establish grazing fees that are based on current livestock market prices.

Action Plan --- The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requests comments and suggestions to assist them in amending their regulations governing how the BLM administers livestock grazing on public lands. Please express your support for the BLM's proposed grazing rule changes and provide suggestions you may have for the changes in the Grazing Administration Program. You must submit your comments electronically or by mail by May 2, 2003.

Direct Internet Response
Mail: Director (630), Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States Office
7450 Boston Boulevard
Springfield, Virginia 22153
Attention: RIN 1004-AD42

If you have any questions or comments please contact Legislative Research Analyst Chil-Sook Hwang by fax: 202-347-1091 or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext 109. Thank you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative program.

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