The National Grange

Water Projects
Irrigation and Reclamation Act Rules and Regulations
Klamath Basin Aid
State Authority for Water Rights
Clean Water
Wetlands
Soil Conservation and Non-Point Source Pollution
Toxic and Hazardous Wastes
Mining
Bottle Bills & Recycling
Energy Conservation
Energy Development
Rural Electric Cooperative, Public Power and Rural Electricity Consumers
Public Lands Management Practices
Federal Grazing
Land Withdrawals and Wilderness
Wildlife Management
Preservation of Fishing Resources
Private Timber Land Management
Environmental Regulations and Controls
Privae Land Use, Planning, Zoning, Farmland Protection, and Eminent Domain
Clean Air

POLICY STATEMENT

The National Grange recognizes that the protection of the environment and the conservation of our natural resources are vital national priorities if our country is to remain a pleasant, healthful, and profitable place to live. However, the zealous pursuit of unrealistic and unnecessary environmental and conservation goals can cause not only economic damage to industries that are important to our country, they can also distort the important role that private property rights play in maintaining our liberty. We do not believe that Americans must sacrifice their property or surrender their constitutional rights in order to preserve our environment. Property rights should incorporate greater expectations of fairness and due process for individuals within the context of our relationship with government and society.

We insist that the protection for private property ownership derived from the U.S. Constitution, state constitutions, and the common law be vigorously protected. We believe in limiting the role of the federal government in setting national land use goals and priorities to ensure the preservation of farmland for agricultural purposes. Adequate and full compensation should be paid in all cases of the taking of private property by the government or under the color of government authority, including, but not limited to, government grazing permits, water easements and areas designated as critical habitat for endangered species.

We need to increase our effort to be a source of outreach, leadership, and education by encouraging the support of U.S. agriculture as part of the solution to the energy crisis brought on by the depletion of natural resources.

We need to encourage further protection and support increased efforts to educate the public, and, in particular, children in school, about the continued importance of the right to own property and the responsibility to protect our most vital resource — America’s farmland.

We believe the continued increase in the price of fuels has had an injurious effect on the welfare of the family farm and rural America. Because our dependency on foreign oil presents a fragile, ever-changing dilemma, the increased use of alternative fuels would mean less dependency on foreign oil and increased markets for agricultural crops. There are ways for agricultural commodities to be processed to blend with petroleum to provide cleaner and less expensive fuel. The economic and environmental benefits to society of ethanol and agricultural oil based fuels are being proven. We propose the following action plan to address this crisis:

1. Support legislation to enact tax incentives to manufacturers of blended fuels to expand and develop more refineries for the use of farm commodities.

2. Accelerate any necessary funding for research and development of ample and affordable alternative fuels, with incentives being provided to companies that convert their equipment to the use of blended fuels that will help reduce our dependency on imported petroleum and reduce air pollution.

3. Work vigorously with state and national legislators to advocate on behalf of consumers and to take any steps necessary to maintain reasonable petroleum prices and curb increasing economic inflation.

The Grange, at all levels, also demands responsible stewardship of our natural resources from all who own or use them. Responsible stewardship recognizes a balance between use and preservation. The National Grange supports coordination among federal, state, and local governments when developing land use management plans for federal lands. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the customs, culture and economic stability of the local area must be preserved. Responsible stewardship is just as important as the rights that are protected by the U.S. Constitution in maintaining our liberty, our prosperity, and our way of life.

Recognizing the need for continued opposition of the breaching of dams, The National Grange advocates a process to get information out to the public through national media venues.

The Grange recognizes the importance of and protection of all watersheds. We also recognize that watersheds do not adhere to boundaries of private and public lands. The Grange opposes the “locking up” of watersheds or portions thereof for a single use by any person or agency, especially public lands that have historically been utilized in the growing and harvesting of timber, forage, and other renewable resources.

The National Grange supports respective regional representation in the appointment of qualified individuals to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The 1973 Endangered Species Act is a major impediment to sound environmental and natural resource management. The National Grange must continue to work closely with the National Endangered Species Act Reform Coalition to obtain final passage of Endangered Species Act reform.

We must unite our message of all Americans sharing equitably in the cost of species conservation. Cooperative efforts with states and local governments, businesses and individual landowners must be encouraged and current disincentives in the law must be removed. The National Grange will work to ensure that the cost of preserving species not be allowed to fall unfairly on individuals and communities.

1. The National Grange recommends that federal, state, and local governments work closely with each other and local landowners in the development and construction of watershed projects, dams, and reservoirs for multiple uses, such as flood control, storing and releasing surplus flood water, replenishing underground water, hydroelectric power generation, irrigation, industrial and municipal use, and recreation. Once a project has been authorized, we believe that it should be constructed, even if a moratorium has later been imposed. We urge both Congress and the President to make the necessary funds available in order to complete all planned and feasible federal water development projects and provide cost share assistance for the rehabilitation of dams and other flood control structures that were previously constructed with federal assistance. The National Grange supports efforts to provide state and federal funds to pay the recreational share of impoundment facilities on small water development projects.

2. The National Grange believes that the federal government should compensate any loss or diminution of water rights resulting from the exercise of a federally reserved right.

3. The National Grange supports legislation to consolidate the activities of the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior to eliminate duplication.

4. The National Grange supports local as opposed to government control over state water projects. We support the transfer of the operation/ownership of the Central Valley Project from the federal government to the State of California in addition to an equitable water distribution program within the CAL-FED water transfer complex. We also support local control over the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River, including, but not limited to, designation as a Wild and Scenic River.

5. The National Grange supports a national water policy requiring all alternate sources of water, including full development of desalination plants for urban uses, must be considered before approval of any water diversion project.

6. The National Grange believes that the United States has a sufficient number of federal marine sanctuaries and that more sanctuaries such as the proposed Northwest Straits Marine Sanctuary are not necessary.

7. The National Grangesupports working to prevent all governmental agencies from expending monies for the removal of any multi-purpose dams, creating possible draw downs or transfers of water from productive agricultural lands to waters that could possibly assist in flushing young salmon to the ocean, and urge the use of that money to develop alternative methods of enhancing the fish population including salmon.

8. The National Grange requests the U.S. Corp. of Engineers and all environmental agencies to facilitate restorative dredging of rivers prone to flooding.

9. The National Grange supports the accurate monitoring of water drawn from the Great Lakes Water Basin by industrial and agricultural entities and we believe that agricultural water usage should be exempt from any permits and/or fees resulting from the monitoring of the Great Lakes.

1. The National Grange supports irrigation rules and regulations that prohibit abuse of the Reclamation Reform Act and assure the fullest measure of benefits from federal irrigation projects for family farmers. We support strict adherence to the established methods of the classification of land productivity in determining equivalency, specific and effective land ownership, leasing reporting requirements and truly reasonable time limits for excess landowners to file recordable contracts for the disposition of excess lands, including a definition of excess lands to identify that cropland acres must first be disposed. The National Grange supports the continued development and widespread utilization of more efficient irrigation systems in addition to legislation outlawing the practice of using trusts, partnerships, corporations, and estates to circumvent the 960-acre irrigation subsidy qualification that favors small farmers.

2. The National Grange supports interpretation of the 1986 Reclamation Act or any executive actions by the President, by the Department of the Interior, by the US Department of Agriculture, or by further legislative action by Congress that will maintain a state’s water rights which now allow the use of irrigation water for water spreading, fire prevention, wildlife habitat, municipal use and recreation.

3. The National Grange urge Congress to support a feasibility study by the Bureau of Reclamation of potential increased water shortage within the Yakima River Basin.

1. The National Grange will actively work to reverse the actions of the Ninth Circuit Court and permanently restore the flow of life-giving and life-sustaining water from Klamath Lake to the farmers and farm communities served by the irrigation systems.

2. The National Grange urges Congress to investigate the closure of irrigation facilities for the benefit of a suckerfish in the Klamath Falls Basin and determine the consequences of the loss of irrigation water in the Klamath Falls Basin in Oregon and California.

1. The National Grange vigorously supports the principle that all decreed, appropriated, and adjudicated water rights rightfully belong to the various states for determination and administration. We oppose any federal plan that infringes on states’ water rights. In particular, any water resource planning that is conducted by state or federal agencies must respect both the states’ sovereignties and the agricultural sector in establishing priorities for water allocations. The National Grange firmly opposes the inter-basin transfer of water that would diminish the flow of water into downstream states unless such transfer is in accordance with an approved river basin compact.

2. The National Grange supports maintaining minimum water levels along the Great Lakes in order to continue the current amounts of commerce, hydroelectric production and tourism. We support only allowing those states and provinces that belong to the International Joint Commission on the Great Lakes to remove and use of the waters of the Great Lakes.

3. The National Grange supportsa nationwide grassrootseffort to stop federal government agencies’ taking of individual water and water rights.

1. The National Grange supports federal clean water laws and regulations that are based upon realistic and obtainable goals and are enforced uniformly between the states. We regard a zero pollution standard as being totally unrealistic and unobtainable.

2. The National Grange recommends that adequate state and federal funds be provided for any soil or water conservation program required by the Clean Water Act, including at least 75% of the federal cost share on agricultural best management practices for non-point source pollution abatement administered through local conservation districts. The National Grange urges Congress and the President to clarify Clean Water Act Section 303 (d) so that the Total Maximum Daily Load will be reasonable and attainable without extreme hardships placed on agriculture and other industries.

3. The National Grange supports legislation to provide funds to study water quality regarding groundwater contamination. We support development of health advisories to determine tolerance levels for chemicals that have groundwater contamination potential with the Environmental Protection Agency working with each state to meet existing standards. We further support the creation of groundwater protection and management plans that will limit the amount of toxic chemicals in groundwater realizing that a policy of no degradation is unobtainable. We support local control of groundwater management and management plans and support the enforcement of penalties to cities and towns that improperly dump waste in our streams and waterways.

4. The National Grange supports legislation allowing small drinking water systems serving less than 1,000 households sufficient time to comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act before being fined or forced to shut down.

5. The National Grange supports an organized effort to prevent any reauthorization of the Clean Water Act that will excludeprovisions requiring a state to designate any water with a population of a threatened or endangered species as an Outstanding Resource Water.

6. The National Grange urge the passage of federal legislation that would amend the regulations of the Clean Water Act, to limit the powers of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency over inland waters and wetland, thus preserving States and individuals rights.

7. The National Grange urges the U.S. Government to engage in diplomatic negotiations on the environmental impacts that contribute to air and water pollution before permitting the transfer of electricity across the borders into the United States.

1. The National Grange supports establishing uniform definitions of the physical conditions of wetlands that must be used by all federal, state and local government agencies with jurisdiction over wetlands on farms. All federal, state, and local government agencies should be required to revise their wetland permit procedures to recognize that all appropriate conditions have to be met by a farmer in order to meet the requirements of a permit for one agency. These government agencies should also serve to meet similar conditions of all other agencies as well. We further support allowing each individually defined wetland of less than one and one-half acres a deminimus exemption from any wetland regulations.

2. The National Grange believes that whenever wetlands regulations, restrictions, or reclassifications are imposed on a property owner by federal, state or local governments to substantially restrict the use of private property, that government agency must be required to negotiate with the property owner in order to pay just compensation for the value of the private property taxes that the property owner must continue to pay the restricted use amount.

3. The National Grange supports the following guidelines for determining wetland areas and the use thereof: wetland designation can only apply to those areas that can be shown to be functioning as wetlands and have environmental value; wetland designation can only apply to those areas that can be scientifically shown as readily identifiable by their natural characteristics and should be classified and regulated to significantly show environmental value and; wetland designation shall not apply to areas that are artificially created by irrigation, stock water ponds, or have been cropped for one of the last five years.

4. The National Grange supports legislation to improve the workability of the wetlands regulatory program that would streamline the wetlands permitting process; delineate wetlands by categories based on value, function, and abundance; refine the wetland mitigation system; improve the system of compensation for private landowners; and increase the role of the states in the wetland permitting process.

5. The National Grange requests Congress to put a moratorium on the funding and design of new wetlands to aid in the control of mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus.

1. The National Grange supports voluntary programs to control specific known point sources of pollution, as well as non-point sources of agricultural pollution. We support the concept of conservation tillage practices and other types of sediment control. We encourage broad participation in the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act studies in order to assure that quality, locally designed and controlled conservation programs are developed in order to meet the needs of family farmers. We specifically support the continuation of cost sharing programs to establish grass strips along the boundaries of cropland, fields and waterways to control soil erosion and runoff. We also support programs offering at least 50 percent cost share assistance to correct agricultural pollution and free technical assistance prior to non-income producing practices that require major expenditures.

2. The National Grange supports the privately financed National Endowment for Soil and Water Conservation, the creation of an American Conservation Corps as well as vocational programs to educate and train youths to help in the conservation of our woodlands and other natural resources, using presently established facilities. We believe that all citizens should share in soil conservation costs through tax dollars that support state and federal programs focusing on technical assistance, research, education, loans and cost sharing programs.

3. The USDA should redefine water conservation in the national soil and water conservation programs to include both irrigation and drainage.

4. The National Grange supports locally developed storm water management programs administered through local conservation districts.

1. The National Grange supports Superfund legislation to complete the cleanup of known hazardous waste sites. We urge the Environmental Protection Agency to work in conjunction with local government entities to determine when and if Superfund cleanup is necessary in any specified parcel of land or body of water. Funding should come from an assessment on companies that produce such wastes and from fines resulting from non-compliance. We support increased efforts to inform the public about the innocent landowner provision of the Superfund law that gives relief to property owners who are charged with the clean-up costs for pollution they did not create. We further support efforts to overhaul the Superfund program so it will expedite clean-ups and prioritize the sites deemed necessary for clean up.

2. The National Grange urges the strict enforcement of adequate regulations governing disposal of household, industrial, nuclear, or hazardous wastes to prevent dangers to human health or the environment. We strongly support laws that prohibit the dumping of any medical, toxic, hazardous, and radioactive wastes in any lakes, rivers, streams, oceans, or underground mines. We believe the government should provide adequate incentives for source reduction, recycling, and resource recovery to all hazardous waste management facilities.

3. The National Grange supports levying a fine against any company that is found to be responsible for an oil spill. Such fines should be equal to the costs that the government incurs in cleaning up the oil spill, including the wages of the government and military personnel, and should not be deductible from federal, state or local corporate income taxes.

4. The National Grange supports realistic insurance coverage plans being made available by the federal government at a reasonable cost for existing and future storage tanks and other causes of toxic and hazardous waste pollution.

5. The National Grange supports active enforcement of regulations on unsafe urban sewage wastewater treatment plants. We insist that each plant be designed and operated to adequately treat and properly dispose of wastewater and sludge while maintaining the public’s health and safety.

6. The National Grange supports legislation that would require urban sewer sludge disposal to be strictly regulated, i.e. knifing or ground injection as used in agriculture. We only support the burning of sludge if it meets EPA air quality standards.

7. The National Grange urges the implementation of voluntary nutrient management plans for nitrogen and phosphorus that keep agriculture as a part of the solution to water quality issues.

8. The National Grange urges the United States Legislature to enact laws prohibiting the dumping of waste from foreign countries in the landfills located in the United States and that these laws be enacted to permanently prohibit the shipment of raw sewage from foreign countries to any landfill in the United States.

9. The National Grange requests the Federal Trade Commission to place a warning label on CCA copper pressure treated wood and to continue research on non-toxic materials in preparing wood for building materials.

10. The National Grange supports public education of the dangers of sodium azide and it supports legislation to set guidelines for the proper storage or disposal of all unused airbags.

1. The National Grange urges federal agencies to work with the states to develop surface mining guidelines giving the states the flexibility to control and supervise the surface mining of coal, gravel, and similar materials. To ensure against the destruction of surface mined areas, a performance and a completion bond should be required of the mining companies that would assure the completion of reclamation plans as they are developed. Such plans should require the return of the land where strip mine operations occur to a reasonable topography and fertility level and should be enforced by law. The deposits that are required under Section 402(a) of the Surface Mine Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 should be returned to the states for strip mine reclamation.

2. The National Grange supports changes in the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act that recognize the special conditions of small independent mine operations and provides for greater forbearance in correcting violations.

3. The National Grange supportsany regulation or law that holds thecoal company liablefor subsidence damage to structures caused by underground mining.

4. The National Grange urges passage of legislation that clearly states that gravel and sand are not minerals reserved to the federal government under the 1961 Mineral Reservation Law.

5. The National Grange supports exempting counties from Federal Mining Standards as pertaining to road building materials and maintenance.

1. The National Grange supports legislation that would require a deposit on non-biodegradable beverage containers and urges manufacturers to use recycled materials whenever feasible.

2. The National Grange supports recycling all used containers when feasible and encourages all Grange members to support recycling programs. We strongly urge that all government agencies initiate a recycling program for paper, metal, glass, etc. Government agencies should also be required to use recycled paper.

3. The National Grange supports legislation encouraging an economical, biodegradable, and resource-efficient approach to product packaging. We support the use of biodegradable plastic containers that are made of cornstarch and petroleum and urge all manufacturers to use as little packaging material as possible while still retaining the quality and safety of their products.

4. The National Grange supports restricting the disposal of tires in landfills in addition to supporting all efforts to recycle all used tires. We also urge the U.S. Department of Transportation to utilize recycled materials containing polymers and other man-made materials to build and repair roads.

1. The National Grange supports energy conservation in agriculture, industry, commerce and the home by the use of tax credits and incentives.

2. The National Grange supports making the necessary hardware to adapt vehicles to alternative fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, available to the public as the appropriate technology comes of age.

3. Although we support economic assistance to low-income persons and those who are on small, fixed incomes to assist them in paying for the high cost of energy, we believe thatany national policy that is aimed at equalizing the cost of energy between different regions of the country is not appropriate.

4. The National Grange supports all oil and gas price decontrol as a positive step in reducing our need for foreign oil and gas. However, we also support standby petroleum allocation measures that would insure a timely and reasonably priced supply of petroleum products to agricultural producers, transporters, processors, farm cooperatives, and independent refiners in the event of a nationwide or regional shortage.

5. The National Grange believes that all companies including farm cooperatives should be allowed to sell gasoline at both the wholesale and retail levels without divesting.

6. The National Grange supports the following practices to guard against supply uncertainty and unreasonable high prices: 1) retain one billion barrels of U.S. oil reserve while supplies are adequate; and 2) encourage greater use of natural resources, especially those that are renewable and non-polluting. The National Grange only supports further releases from the U.S. Strategic Oil Reserves in the event of war or interruption of delivery of foreign supplies of petroleum into the U.S.

7. The National Grange supports establishing realistic new fuel economy standards. We support legislation to direct the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to set fuel economy standards at their maximum feasible level, taking into account technical feasibility, safety, and the economic impact to the public. The National Grange urges increased research and development of more fuel efficient, internal combustion engines. We further favor legislation that would prohibit any person or corporation from purchasing a patent with the intent of hindering any inventions that would conserve gasoline and other fuels.

1. The National Grange urges the repeal of laws and regulations that have blocked or discouraged United States’ energy production by private enterprise. We support a national energy policy that will encourage the development of all forms of domestic energy, traditional and alternative, including solar, wind, geothermal, ethanol, surf, shale, tar sands, hydroelectric, agricultural products, wastes, peat, wood, coal, coal gasification, oil, natural gas, nuclear, hydrogen, biodiesel and methanol in an environmentally sound manner without exploiting our parks and wildernesses in order to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

2. The National Grange favors the complete utilization of petroleum and the other mineral resources, including the exploration and production of oil reserves on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and from any outer continental shelf lease sales in accordance with the terms of an environmentally sound development plan.

3. The National Grange supports legislation requiring the nation’s motor fuels to contain a renewable component (Biodiesel and/or Ethanol). We support increased development and use of ethanol and ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE) in gasoline blends with adequate income tax incentives to make the production and use of ethanol and ETBE economically feasible. We further support the goal of at least a 10% blend of ethanol to be used in at least 50% of all gasoline sold for motor fuel to be made available in all states. We further encourage an investigation as to why ethanol blended fuels are raised in price at the same rate as conventional petroleum products. Lastly, the National Grange immediately seeks the passage of legislation banning the use of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) in motor fuels and substituting it with ethanol, biodiesel or other alternative fuels proven to be environmentally safe.

4. The National Grange supports regulated oil and gas production in the United States that protects landowners and allows adequate compensation while allowing production to continue.

5. National Grange urges the following changes to our fuel production and delivery systems:

1. The National Grange supports the continued application of the existing preference concept of the Federal Power Act being granted to public power utilities in the licensing and re-licensing of federal hydroelectric facilities. We further support granting co-preference in the licensing and re-licensing of federal hydroelectric facilities to rural electric cooperatives.

2. In order to assure adequate electric and telephone service to rural areas, the National Grange actively supports continuation and expansion of the existing low interest revolving loan fund to assure the financial stability of rural electric and telephone cooperatives.

3. The National Grange supports continuing electric service to urban areas that are within a rural electric cooperative’s service area. However, rural electric cooperatives that provide electric service to predominantly rural areas should continue to have first priority for low interest federal financing. In addition, we urge the electricity industry to promulgate rates for farmers and small businessmen that are competitive with the large industries.

4. The National Grange supports legislation to establish solid waste-to-energy plants that will produce power that can be accessed by public utility districts, rural electric cooperatives, and municipal utilities in an environmentally safe manner.

5. The National Grange urges Congress to allow the states to draft legislation regarding deregulation of the power industry within their state. We support legislation assuring all classes of consumers be treated equitably and have universal access to electric service, with no exception to rural America. We support maintaining the current structure of rural electric systems without forced deregulation of publicly owned plants or any other action that would be detrimental to rural electric consumers. The National Grange supports reform to the Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act, so that non-utility generating stations operate to sell their output to competitive market rates and eliminate the oppressive rates being passed on to the consumer.

6. The National Grange urge greater research toward safer disposal of nuclear waste. The National Grange supports requirements for increased accountability and responsibility on the part of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and power companies in the operation of any nuclear power plant. The National Grange supports the careful selection by the Department of Energy of sites for the disposal of low-level nuclear wastes, excluding prime agricultural, forest, and parkland. We urge that the public be involved in the decision to conduct additional research on the long-term consequences to the environment of the disposal of nuclear wastes. The National Grange further urges the Department of Energy to conduct an extensive educational program to inform citizens of the safeguards and hazards that are involved in the disposal of these wastes.

7. The National Grange opposes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s imposition of a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) and Standard Market Design (SMD) on the Northwest Region of the U.S. We support the present cost-based rate system, as determined in the 1937 Congressional Bonneville Power Administration repayment agreement, requiring Bonneville Power Administration to adopt for pricing electricity, instead of a market based repayment pricing system. We support the present federal Power Marketing Administrations. We further recommend the establishment of Power Marketing Administrations in areas of the United States where desired and feasible. We vigorously oppose selling the Western Area Power Administration and Bonneville Power Administration to private power companies. The National Grange also supports the allowance of the Northwest Region to develop an alternate approach to strengthening the transmission system.

1. The National Grange believes that multiple use of non-reserved land should be the cornerstone of the United States’ public land policy in order to achieve the following objectives: energy exploration and development; sustained yield management for food and forest production; recreational uses for all citizens; responsible wildlife management; soil conservation and watershed protection. Since it is important for rural economies to keep public land in food and fiber production, we support any regulation pertaining to water rights, lease improvements and contamination remediation that allows for agricultural production.

2. The National Grange supports the maintenance of appropriate conservation practices on all public lands leased to private individuals yet will continue to support placing a moratorium on the acquisition of private land by the U.S. Forest Service. The National Grange recommends that a user fee be implemented for all commercial and recreational use of federal land requiring a permit.

3. The National Grange urges federal agencies to intensify prescribed burning on national public lands as a forest management technique. We support adoption of forest management programs in national parks that specifically exclude the use of natural uncontrolled forest fires, such as those that are caused by lightning, as a forest management technique. We encourage a public awareness campaign of the national “Let It Burn!” policy, and the lack of structure protection afforded residents of the wildland/urban interface, where many rural Americans live. The National Grange supports the efforts of “Communities for Healthy Forests” in mandating immediate restorative action in cases of natural, uncontrolled fires. All local, state and federal agencies shall promptly conduct an economic impact study once a natural, uncontrolled fire is finally declared controlled and move expeditiously to reforest and restore the catastrophically burned landscapes. However, we support the efforts by the U.S. Forest Service to issue firewood permits for those areas previously restricted in an effort to help prevent further forest fires along with carefully monitored timber harvests in more widespread areas of National Forests with clean up of debris and litter as a priority. The National Grange supports federal legislation to accelerate the salvage harvest of dead and dying timber on public lands while that timber still has a commercial economic value.

4. The National Grange supports appropriations for the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service to adequately carry out an expanded silviculture program, wildlife management, water and soil protection, weed control, recreational needs, protection of natural, historic and cultural resources, to develop additional forest campgrounds and increase the available spaces in existing campgrounds to keep them open year round where economically feasible. We favor full funding of the Forest and Rangeland Planning Act of 1974. We also urge that U.S. Forest Service campground fees be raised to more nearly cover the costs of operating these campgrounds.

5. The National Grange favors the increased planting of lumber-producing trees on both national and state forest lands, including increased funding for federal and state tree nurseries, to produce additional seedlings for lumber. We urge the U.S. Forest Service to permit selected timber stands to reach old growth and be harvested on a sustained yield basis. Furthermore, we support prohibiting states from exercising authority to restrict the sale or export of logs that are harvested from state-owned land.

6. 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.

7. The National Grange supports legislation to require federal and state governments to pay a proportionate share of monies, in lieu of taxes, to those counties, cities, and communities that provide public services to the parks and recreational areas within their boundaries in addition to supporting federal legislation allowing national parks to keep a major portion of entrance fees to be used for the development and maintenance of recreational facilities. The National Grange supports the current version of the National Forest Acts of 1908 and 1911which allows the use of the National Forest receipts in the county of origin for schools and roads.

8. The National Grange calls on federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to investigate incidents of tree and trail spiking and the destruction of logging equipment on federal and state lands. Those persons who are apprehended performing these acts should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

9. The National Grange supports amending the National Antiquities Act to include public comment. The National Grange supports the National Monument Public Participation Act of 1999 or other similar federal legislation that will ensure public and legislative participation and an inventory of the natural resources and economic impact of creating new and expanded monuments, parks and wilderness areas.

10. T he National Grange opposes the proposed alternative D of the White River National Forest revised plan.

11. The National Grange encourages the U.S. Forest Service to amend the National Forest plan to remove the 21-inch Diameter at Breast Height rule (DBH) for any National Forest.

12. The National Grange supports the protection of private property rights and opposes legislation, such as the Get Outdoors Act, that would abuse private property rights.

13. All local, state and federal agencies shall promptly conduct an economic impact study once a fire is declared controlled and move expeditiously to reforest and restore the catastrophically burned landscapes. We support the efforts of “Communities for Healthy Forests” in mandating immediate restorative action.

14. The National Grange supports that any responding agency to a fire, whether it is local, state or federal, be required to notify adjacent landowners and other authorities with jurisdiction, for their own safety, of all wild and grass fires in the area.

15. The National Grange supports the use of State and/or Federal funds for the mitigation of loss of land value due to state and federal logging restrictions on riparian land be available only to small landowners (less than 500 acres in Western Washington and 1,000 acres in Eastern Washington) and not be available to large corporations, landowners, or trusts.

1. The National Grange supports basing decisions on federal grazing regulations, such as increasing grazing fees and reducing allotments, 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.

2. The National Grange strongly supports considering the economic impact that restrictions on grazing in riparian areas (areas between the stream banks) may have on farmers before legislation is passed.

3. The National Grange supports restricting the selling ofgrazing permitsby the Bureau of Land Management 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.

4. The National Grange encourages the Bureau of Land Management and National Forest Service to carry out an aggressive program to fill all grazing allotments on Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service lands.

1. The National Grange supports releasing all public lands not currently designated as wilderness or wilderness study areas to multiple uses. The establishment of any additional national forest wilderness preserves or any large-scale government land acquisition should be prohibited. All land that is capable of producing commercial timber, farm and grazing lands or commercially-valuable minerals should be prohibited from inclusion into any established park or wilderness area that would erode a county’s tax base. The National Grange recommends that in national recreational areas classified other than primitive, the broadest possible range of activities compatible with a forested area be permitted, subject to user fees. The National Grange supports legislation to significantly restrict acreage set aside for parks, wilderness, and wildlife preserves in Alaska in addition to providing access through federal lands.

2. The National Grange supports regulations governing the management of federal wilderness areas should allow for controlled access roads for emergency use as well as the salvage of timber, using modern harvesting techniques where natural disasters such as blow-downs or insect infestations have occurred. We oppose the destruction or obliteration of any Forest Service roads and further oppose designating any roadless areas of the National Forest System as permanently off limits to logging, mining or other development.

3. The National Grange believes any extension of the federal Wild and Scenic River System should not include private property. Should there be a proposed change in the designation of rivers and streams, we favor a vote by the citizens of the jurisdiction.

4. The National Grange supports the property rights of all farmers and ranchers and demands that the owner’s consent be given before any action is taken by the Federal Government to acquire private land.

5. The National Grange supports legislation directing mitigation of identified losses of public and private lands from the state tax base due to federal acquisition through transfer of an equivalent acreage from federal land to public or private ownership, or by providing an annual payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILT), based on an independent economic impact analysis to be adjusted annually for inflation.

6. The National Grange supports maintaining the management of all federal facilities, like the National Bison Range, by the United States federal government and not by any other sovereign nation or international entity.

1. The National Grange encourages Congress to amend the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to restore proper perspective by requiring public hearings and economic impact statements on the impacts to the affected areas before a species may be listed. We support changes to the ESA to require that only a pure biological and numerical definition of an endangered species be used without being based on sub species, distinct populations, or hybridization. We believe that only those species actually threatened with extinction should be listed in the ESA, taking into consideration total populations, available habitats, and recovery areas on the North American continent. We further support a review of the ESA with the following guidelines: focus on keystone species (organisms critical to the stable functions of entire habitats and ecosystems), not minor or reduced species; rely on public lands for preservation; encourage voluntary protection by individuals and corporations; curtail taking of private lands for ESA; balance human costs with ecological benefits; compensation for private property owners for loss of usage of their property due to the ESA. The National Grange insists on the strictest possible interpretation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) on public and private development projects in cities and urban areas. The National Grange supports legislation legally allowing people to defend themselves or their property from an attack by any animal listed as an endangered species without concern of retribution from government authorities. The National Grange reaffirms its call for complete and comprehensive reform of the ESA so that it shall no longer take total precedence over property rights, energy development, and fire suppression. The Eastern Oyster should not be listed as an endangered species.

2. The National Grange opposes any legislation to create a government agency to study and catalog the existence of every possible endangered species in this nation or to broaden the power of the federal government to infringe on private property rights.

3. The National Grange supports legislative and regulatory measures to prohibit further implementation of any Wolf Recovery Plan. We further support the passage of legislation to outlaw the propagation of wolves or wolf hybrids. Anyone who owns, breeds, sells, exchanges, gives away, turns loose, or causes to be set free wolves or wolf hybrids on private or public lands should be held liable for the damages that wolves or wolf hybrids may cause.

4. The National Grange believes it is the responsibility of the federal government to control the expanding populations of legally protected plants and animals where those plants or animals pose a threat to human life or health, or where those plants or animals pose a threat to established economic activity. We encourage state and federal wildlife conservation agencies to assist farmers in all cases of crop and property damage by wild game.

5. The National Grange is opposed to any Grizzly Bear recovery plan. We support legislation requiring government agencies to notify property owners when they relocate park bears or other potentially dangerous animals. The property owners to be notified are those who are within the normal range of the animals that are being released.

6. The National Grange strongly supports the continuation of licensed hunting of game animals, waterfowl, and game birds. However, we favor the levying of stiff penalties for poaching of wildlife for the purpose of selling body parts for profit.

8. The National Grange believes thatwildlife management areas should not be used for recreation or any other development ifthat developmentwould diminish the value of the lands for wildlife management purposes.

9. The National Grange supports legislation to expand the hunting season of Canadian and Snow geese from November 1 st - April 1 st. We also support increasing the daily bag limit for Canadian and Snow geese.

10. The National Grange supports any Prairie Dog management plan that allows people to control the prairie dog population through shooting and toxicants, without the need for a special license.

11. The National Grange opposes the listing of the Eastern Oyster on the Endangered Species Act.

1. The National Grange urges the Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission to support the designation of only those marine sanctuaries that guarantee fishery usage and recognize the fishery management authority of the current sanctuary boundaries.

2. The National Grange supports legislation to reauthorize the Magnuson Fisheries Conservation Management Act. The National Grange goes on record to request extension of the territorial sea to not less than 50 miles and request and enforce foreign commercial fishing not be performed within these limits to aid in salmon recovery.

3. The National Grange favors all reasonable measures to save the Pacific Salmon in the Columbia and Snake Rivers as long as the first priorities for these river systems is power generation, water use, and navigation. We support securing the passage of a treaty between Canada and the United States to govern the operation of the salmon industries in each respective nation. We support uniform regulation of all net fishing in the Columbia River, Puget Sound, and the Pacific Ocean before drastic economic measures to reestablish wild runs of Pacific Salmon are enacted. The National Grange recommends that fish ladders be included in the planning of any future dam construction on streams or rivers where fish migration may be affected. We favor the transport of juvenile fish, the hatchery propagation of salmon stocks, flow control, and control of the salmon harvest until a final Pacific Salmon recovery plan is in place. We support the establishment of a program to audit the harvest of salmon on the lower Columbia River. We further believe that all salmon fishing on the Columbia and Snake Rivers should be restricted to hook and line methods only. We recommend to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service that spawned out salmon carcasses be planted near remote site incubators for smolt releases as a food source for the young fish.

4. The National Grange urges the federal government to continue funding the National Marine Fisheries at the current levels to enable them to continue the biological studies that will lead to the elimination of drift net fishing by all nations.

5. The National Grange supports adequate funding of the Marine Mammal Protection Act for use by the various states in developing appropriate marine mammal management plans and policies. In addition, we urge Congress to exclude Harbor Seals and California Sea Lions and place them under the control and protection of the states. We also support amendments to the Marine Mammal Protection Act to provide for permanent control of California Sea Lions and Harbor Seals, including a controlled harvest season for Harbor Seals and California Sea Lions, until the yearly run of the Pacific Salmon increases to the point where the salmon will no longer be considered for protection under the Endangered Species Act. We further support efforts to utilize harvested Harbor Seal and California Sea Lion carcasses to avoid waste.

6. The National Grange supports the ongoing research of Pfisteria and the effects it has on major waterways.

7. The National Grange favors the regulated harvesting of fresh water clams and mussels.

8. The National Grange supports legislation to eliminate the Zebra Mussel from all U.S. waters. We further support legislation requiring all shipping lines to change their ballast water in the open ocean to curtail the further introduction of foreign species, such as the Zebra Mussel, into our domestic waterways.

9. The National Grange supports legislative and regulatory measures to prohibit the National Marine Fisheries Service from taking control of private lands, breaching of dams, and killing of hatchery salmon under the authority of its 4 (d) Rules. The National Grange urges Congress to order the National Marine Fisheries Service to reconsider the proposed setbacks on private property along all bodies of water or to pay for the taking of the property. We further urge Congress to intervene and formulate a true scientific basis for establishment of buffers/setbacks and buffer/setback restrictions along all bodies of water. We encourage the National Marine Fisheries Service do more to start identifying corrective measures beyond licensing and regulation to save the fish off our nation’s coasts that include avoiding by catch, single-species management, ocean sanctuaries, eco-friendly gear, and consumer alertness. We further believe that alternative sources of fish production i.e. aquaculture, should be encouraged where appropriate.

10. The National Grange supports working with all states to maintain a sustained yield by regulating sport and subsistence fisheries to allow for the adequate return of fish into many areas where fish yields have declined. We further support the United States working with all countries to regulate commercial fishing and by catch to maintain a sustained yield of fisheries to allow for the adequate return of fish into many areas where fish yields have declined.

1. The National Grange supports the voluntary use of good conservation practices and sustained yield management practices on private forestlands. The National Grange endorses the work done by the Arbor Day Foundation and urges cooperation with the Extension Service, National Wildlife Foundation, and the Soil Conservation Districts in the promotion of tree planting by individuals, Granges and community organizations.

2. The National Grange believes that in return for public benefits resulting from improved forest management on individually owned forest lands, a portion of the expenses that are involved in management should be borne by the public through assistance programs and cost-sharing incentive payments. Any forest management assistance programs should recognize the multiple use aspects of private forest lands, including timber production, watershed protection, wildlife habitat, recreation, and scenic values. In order to meet the need, present national and state assistance programs such as the Forest Incentives Program, should be enlarged.

3. The National Grange supports efforts to establish forests or pastures on appropriate marginal farmland.

4. The National Grange requests Congress to control arbitrary appeals of US Forest Service timber sales assessing penalties to the appellant to cover the costs of failed appeals.

5. The National Grange supports legislation to require each appeal of timber sale to post a security bond.

1. The National Grange supports requiring instigators of court actions brought against properly approved and financed federal, state, or municipal construction projects to post an adequate bond with the court that is sufficient to pay all costs that are incurred due to the delay caused by such action if the action fails.

2. The National Grange seeks legislation to clarify that national environmental impact statements must equitably weigh economic, social, and environmental impacts to reduce the delay these statements impose on many worthwhile and needed projects. We further urge that knowledgeable local people be consulted before environmental impact studies are made. Such studies should include the full economic impact on the local, state or national economy.

3. The National Grange supports the EPA’s standards on the use of dangerous trace metals. We further support continued EPA programs to monitor the industrial and farm uses of materials that contain dangerous trace metals.

4. The National Grange supports new “Right to Farm” laws at the local, state and federal levels. This would not only protect farmers against civil nuisance suits, it would further protect them against charges of civil or criminal violation of environmental regulations when those charges apply to normal activities that are essential to a farm operation that are in accordance with the recommendation of appropriate government agricultural officials, product manufacturers, and academic or private scientific experts.

5. The National Grange urges Congress to keep the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at its current status as an independent federal agency, and not elevate the agency to a Cabinet level.

6. The National Grange supports the coordination of policy to establish the local Conservation Districts as the lead agencies regarding the use of land and water.

7. The National Grange urges federal, state, and local agencies to work together to provide a more comprehensive approach to educate citizens, provide technical assistance for riparian buffers, provide adequate funding and urge that the use of riparian buffers along streams remain voluntary.

1. The National Grange urges the USDA, in conjunction with land grant universities, to provide assistance to local governments and citizen groups in educating the public on the importance of keeping land in agricultural production and in developing farmland retention programs which protect the rights of landowners and the prerogatives of local governments. The National Grange supports land use planning and zoning remaining a function of local and state governments. The National Grange urges federal, state and local governments to assess their activities which may jeopardize agricultural lands, including decisions which address the location of airports, highways, other transportation facilities, water systems, sewer systems, and waste disposal sites that are funded with public taxes and which can lead to urban sprawl. Of additional concern is the location or expansion of parks, wilderness areas, and wildlife preserves that remove land from agricultural production.

2. The National Grange urges that the transfer of development rights be used to protect family farms. Whenever land is designated for permanent agricultural use, farmers should receive adequate compensation for the loss in land value. We call for the immediate enactment of regulations or legislation that will require and facilitate the timely payment of fair compensation to private property owners for property losses they have sustained as a result of oil and/or gas explorations on their property so they are not forced to obtain such compensation through costly litigation and support legislation prohibiting any implementation of the American Heritage Rivers Initiative that would infringe upon private property rights.

3. The National Grange urges the Farm Service Agency or any other agency to notrelinquish the use of any farmlands, wetlands, or other lands to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or any other government agency.

4. The National Grange will continue to work to improve locally controlled site-specific resource and environmental management in the Columbia Basin

5. The National Grange supports legislation reaffirming congressional power over international agreements concerning disposal, management and use of lands owned by the United States and also protects state powers, from federal actions designating lands to international agreements. The National Grange further supports legislation protecting private interests in real property from any federal actions designating lands to international agreements.

6. The National Grange seeks legislation specifying when property is acquired by a federal agency through condemnation or negotiated price for a specific public purpose yet not used for that purpose, the original owner shall have first right of repurchase at the original price or at a lesser price if the value of the property has been decreased. We support legislation that eminent domain be used only for public purposes, such as rights of way for transportation and utilities.

7. The National Grange urges the federal government to replace, whenever possible, condemned private land with public land of equal value/productivity, and to maintain a balance between public and private lands throughout the nation.

8. The National Grange supports changing laws so that, in points of controversy, private property rights take precedence over environmental regulations.

9. The National Grange supports legislation to prohibit the Federal Government or any agency or authority of the Federal Government from exercising its power of eminent domain to be used for private economic development unless there is an immediate danger to the health and/or safety of citizens. Furthermore, the National Grange supports Federal legislation to require that no State, political subdivision of a State or any person or entity to which such power has been delegated shall exercise its power of eminent domain, for the purpose of private economic development or over property that is subsequently used for economic development unless there are situations of immediate danger to the health and/or safety of citizens. Any State or political subdivision that exercises the power of eminent domain for private economic development shall be ineligible for any Federal economic development funds for any purpose for a period of at least two years.

1. The National Grange supports a clean air policy that will best protect agricultural interests, relieve automotive passengers, freight users and carriers of costly and unnecessary restrictions, and will protect the physical and economic health of industry and the general public. The National Grange supports the efforts of private sector groups, such as state clean air groups, to bring about a better balance among clean air objectives, economic considerations, energy needs, and public health.

2. The National Grange proposes that Congress determine state compliance to the Clean Air Act by statute and not by administrative regulations. Until then, we urge state and national administrative flexibility in deadlines for meeting Ambient Air Quality Standards. The National Grange opposes the creation of buffer zones around cities where no building would be permitted and should not be incorporated into the Clean Air Act.

3. The National Grange urges the EPA to raise the permitted level of visible emissions on grain elevators or to allow them to be set through individual hearings, which would make allowances for local conditions.

4. The National Grange believes thatEPA regulations concerning unsubstantiated dust blowing attributed to agricultural operations are ill advised, inappropriate and should not be adopted.

5. The National Grange opposes any national mandatory motor vehicle emission inspection and maintenance programs. We oppose any national law or regulation that would require the use of “stand alone” vehicle emission testing facilities. The National Grange supports exempting agricultural equipment and machinery manufactured prior to January 1, 1993 from the current Clean Air Act.

6. The National Grange favors the repeal of the ozone provisions contained in the Clean Air Act to allow the use of Freon for refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners.

7. The National Grange supports the enforcement of stricter regulations on chemically produced ozone. The National Grange favors reducing sulfur and nitrogen oxide emissions from coal-burning plants. The National Grange encourages more research into clean technology and revision of EPA standards for use of coal and gas in building new generating plants.

8. The National Grange urges the President and Congress to delay implementation of the PM 2.5 regulations until scientific data and peer reviews clearly define the sources of these minor pollutants.

9. The National Grange supports changes in the United Nations Climate Change Treaty before it is ratified by the United States. We urge the Kyoto Protocol to include uniform standards for all major countries, developed and developing. In the meantime we support the following measures: expansion of voluntary efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions; scientific research and educational programs on climate; investing in the development and deployment of new technologies and urging utilities to update their older plants bringing them into compliance with the current Clean Air Act.

10. The National Grange supports a program of government incentives that will reduce commuting by private vehicle, increase subsidies for mass transportation or car pooling, and sponsor more research to make alternative energy cars viable. We support new requirements for all auto manufacturers receiving federal funding to develop vehicles under the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles Program to be compatible with biodiesel derived from domestically produced agricultural feed stocks, such as soybean oil and corn oil.