|  The
U.S. Department of the Interior and its Bureau of Land Management released a new
proposed grazing rule in the Federal Register on December 8, 2003. rule
text "This proposed rule will help public lands ranchers stay on the land,"
Interior Secretary Norton said. "This proposal recognizes that ranching is crucial
not only to the economies of Western rural communities, but also to the history,
social fabric, and cultural identity of these communities."
The
proposed changes, which are looser regulations on livestock grazing on about 160
million acres of public lands across the West, will reward ranchers who make improvements
to the public lands they graze livestock on, put limits on public comment on grazing
leases and give ranchers one additional year in which to improve their range management
before they must remove animals from damaged public lands. The Bureau of Land
Management is seeking public comment on the proposed rule and the comment period
is extended to March 2, 2004. The
National Grange submitted comments in May, 2003 regarding the BLM's grazing regulatory
amendments last year. In the comments, Grange asked BLM to give permittees some
title to the range improvements that they make and pay for, extend permitted non-use
from 3 to 5 years, and change the definition of "grazing preference" to mean the
amount of forage to which a landowner is entitled to. Click
here to review 5/2/03 National Grange comment submitted to the BLM. The BLM's
new proposed rule reflects these requests. The
proposed rule would revise existing Federal grazing regulations in the following
ways under three categories of action. Improving
Working Relationships with Grazing Permittees and Lessees
In this category, the proposed rule would: -
Ensure that BLM managers consider and document the social, cultural, and economic
consequences of decisions affecting grazing, consistent with the requirements
of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969.
-
Allow the BLM and a grazing permittee to share title of certain permanent range
improvements -- such as a fence, well, or pipeline -- if they are constructed
under what is known as a Cooperative Range Improvement Agreement (as was allowed
prior to 1995).
-
Phase in grazing decreases (and increases) of more than 10 percent over a five-year
period, consistent with existing law and in full recognition of the BLM's authority
to respond as necessary to drought, fire, and other resource conditions.
-
Expand the definition of "grazing preference" to include an amount of forage on
public lands attached to a rancher's private "base" property, which can be land
or water. This expanded definition, similar to one that existed from 1978 to 1995,
when the "Rangeland Reform" rules took effect, makes clear that grazing preference
has a quantitative meaning (forage amounts, measured in Animal Unit Months) as
well as a qualitative one (precedence of position in the "line" for grazing privileges).
Assessing
and Protecting Rangelands In
this category, the proposed rule would: -
Require assessments and monitoring of resource conditions to support BLM evaluations
of whether an allotment is meeting rangeland health standards. Currently, these
evaluations may be supported by documented observational assessments rather than
by the more in-depth information collection procedures used in monitoring.
-
Extend to 24 months, from the current 12 months, the BLM's self-imposed deadline
for initiating an appropriate course of action to make remedial changes in grazing
practices that significantly contribute to an allotment's failure to meet rangeland
health standards.
-
Remove the current three-consecutive-year limit on temporary non-use of a grazing
permit by allowing livestock operators to apply for non-use for up to one year
at a time, whether for conservation or business purposes.
Addressing
Legal Issues and Enhancing Administrative Efficiency Under
this category, the proposed rule would: -
Eliminate, in compliance with Federal court rulings, existing regulatory provisions
that allow the BLM to issue long-term "conservation use" permits.
-
Make clear how the BLM will authorize grazing if a Bureau decision affecting a
grazing permit is "stayed" (postponed) pending administrative appeal.
-
Clarify that if a livestock operator is convicted of violating a Federal, state,
or other law, and if the violation occurs while he is engaged in grazing-related
activities, the BLM may take action against his grazing permit or lease only if
the violation occurred on the BLM-managed allotment where the operator is authorized
to graze.
-
Improve efficiency in the BLM's management of public lands grazing by reducing
the occasions in which the Bureau is mandated to involve the interested public.
Under this provision, the BLM could involve the public in such matters as day-to-day
grazing administration, but would no longer be required to do so. The BLM would
continue to involve the public in all major Bureau planning decisions, such as
grazing allotment plans and land-use plans.
-
Provide flexibility to the Federal government in decisions relating to livestock
water rights by removing the current requirement that the BLM seek sole ownership
of these rights where allowed by state law.
-
Clarify that a biological assessment of the BLM, prepared in compliance with the
Endangered Species Act, is not a decision of the Bureau and therefore is not subject
to protests and appeals.
-
Increase certain service fees to reflect more accurately the cost of grazing administration.
(The fees apply to the BLM's issuance of livestock crossing permits, transfer
of grazing preferences, and cancellation or replacement of grazing bills.)
PLEASE
TRY TO FILE YOUR COMMENTS NO LATER THAN MARCH. 2, 2004
TO SUPPORT THE BLM'S
GRAZING PROPOSED RULE! Send
comments to: Director
(630)
Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States Office,
7450 Boston Boulevard
Springfield, Virginia 22153
Attention: RIN 1004-AD42
Email: WOComment@blm.gov
Click
here for direct Internet response address and follow the instructions there.
To
Whom It May Concern: I
am in favor of BLM's proposed rule to help allow ranchers to stay on public lands
for grazing purposes. I appreciate the agency's efforts for more efficient and
rancher-friendly public lands management. Please implement these rule changes
as soon as possible. Sincerely, (Signature)
(Name)__________________________ (Grange/Grange
name and number) __________________________ |
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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Grange? For all subscription and circulation inquiries, Contact: Jonathan Hill. |
