BLM opens public comment period for proposed grazing regulation revisions 

In Protect The Wolves by TwowolvesLeave a Comment

It is time to comment folks, Every Single Follower Please. It is past time for Taxpayers to take a stand and Speak out against this terrible Welfare Program! Instead of grazing prices increasing, they have been reduced with the end result putting a larger burden on Taxpayers. It is time that these allottments without a current NEPA are closed to begin with, But it is also time for the public to complain about Ranchers like McIrvin in Washington State whos cows walk right through campgrounds while leaving their piles of poo….

Comments on the proposed regulation revisions may be submitted in writing until Feb. 28 they claim, on the federal register it extends 15 days past the last public meeting which is Feb 20th in Casper Wyoming. We have emailed Seth and requested that the correct information be released, along with the contact information for whom released inaccurate info, as well as their comment link not working: https://go.usa.gov/xyMqb which  forwards to: https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/planAndProjectSite.do?methodName=renderDefaultPlanOrProjectSite&projectId=1500093&dctmId=0b0003e88145caa9

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments related to scoping for the BLM Grazing Regulation Revision EIS to the following weblink: https://go.usa.gov/​xyMqb. Documents pertinent to this proposal may also be examined at this same weblink.

If you do not have web access and wish to submit a written comment, you may mail it to the Bureau of Land Management, Attn: Seth Flanigan, 3948 S Development Ave., Boise, ID 83702.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Seth Flanigan, Project Manager, telephone 208-384-3450; email: blm_wo_grazing_email@blm.gov. If you do not have web access, please contact Mr. Flanigan for help in obtaining copies of documents that are pertinent to this proposal. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-Start Printed Page 3411877-8339 to contact Mr. Flanigan during normal business hours. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

ST. GEORGE — The Bureau of Land Management has announced its intent to prepare an Environment Impact Statement to consider proposed revisions on grazing regulations.

Stock image, St. George News

Currently, the agency oversees livestock grazing on 155 million acres of public land and administers almost 18,000 grazing permits. The proposed revisions would update grazing regulations in a way that administrators expect would provide flexibility and more efficient management over public lands and resources.

In 2018, the agency received $81 million for various rangeland management programs, spending $34 million — about 42% — on livestock grazing administration. Likewise, the BLM collected $17.3 million in grazing fees, which state and local governments received portions of in accordance with legislative requirements.

In the process, the BLM is looking to promote land conservation while working to improve existing land use planning and grazing permit procedures. The entity also hopes to improve its management efforts over national rangeland resources by preventing unauthorized grazing, enhancing environmental protection and improving public input opportunities.

As a part of the BLM’s outcome-based grazing authorizations initiative, the agency is managing 11 demonstration projects across six states to provide the entity, ranchers and other partners with the opportunity to improve management practices when issuing grazing permits. Throughout the process, the BLM will also be developing cooperative monitoring plans and land health evaluations that may be incorporated into the regulatory process.

“We continue to seek ways to improve and streamline the grazing permit process to achieve greater efficiencies and service to permittees,” Casey Hammond, assistant secretary of land and minerals management, said in an emailed statement. “This rulemaking effort is designed to strengthen and improve our administration of grazing permits across the West, and we welcome public and stakeholder ideas and perspectives.”

To succeed in the agency’s endeavors, the BLM has listed a number of potential improvements in two categories: streamlining opportunities and management of flexibility opportunities. To streamline opportunities, the entity will be considering different billing schedules, taking advantage of existing coordination requirements to reduce decision issuance time and eliminating a protest period, and increasing the use of targeted grazing authorizations for vegetation management.

The BLM is also considering reducing permit renewal processing workloads by issuing permits without a decision when the only change is the name on the permit or requiring a 10-year minimum over the current 3-year minimum term on the permit. Other permit opportunities, like crossing authorizations or issuing non-renewable leases, might also be subject to immediate decisions.

Stock image, St. George News

To improve flexibility in areas of land and resource management, the agency is considering issuing authorizations without additional analysis and decision time to address permittee needs for livestock movement, or in concert with changing environmental conditions when it comes to issuing crossing authorizations or non-renewable permits.

Other potential changes include providing limited flexibility in season of use for permittees to manage livestock in concert with management needs and creating a consistent approach to documentation, billing and settlement, especially of incidental, and non-willful occurrences.

Comments on the proposed regulation revisions may be submitted in writing until Feb. 28. Those interested in sharing their comments can use the “comment on document” tool on the BLM’s Grazing Regulation website, attend one of the four public open houses, or mail written comments to 3948 S. Development Avenue in Boise, Idaho.

Scoping meetings will be held in February in four locations to further inform the public. The meetings will be held in Miles City, Montana, on Feb. 6; Las Cruces, New Mexico, on Feb. 11; Elko, Nevada, on Feb. 18; and Casper, Wyoming, on Feb. 20.

 

 

Source: BLM opens public comment period for proposed grazing regulation revisions – St George News

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