7-16 FB Grazing Provisions

 Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson, Chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, moved the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY2013 through committee this week. The bill contains several provisions essential for preserving responsible access to public grazing and may be considered by the full House within the next month.

Here is Congressman Simpson spokesperson Nikki Watts outlining the important parts of the bill: “This bill strikes an appropriate balance between resource management, resource protection, and resource enjoyment. 

Grazing:

·         Makes permanent a provision enabling the BLM and Forest Service to renew expired grazing permits while focusing environmental review on the most environmentally sensitive areas;

·         Includes a provision allowing the trailing of livestock to grazing allotments on public lands without unnecessary environmental review;

·         Includes a provision allowing 20 year grazing permits for the Forest Service and BLM; The bill provides the resources necessary to manage federal lands for a multitude of uses while at the same time providing the funding required to protect our most treasured parks, forests, and refuges. It ensures that agencies have the resources they need to meet their obligations but does so within a reduced budget that reflects the fiscal challenges facing our nation.”

Grazing on public lands has been challenged again and again by so-called environmental lawyers who get paid by you the taxpayer upwards of 800 and $900 an hour to sue the federal government on the basis of a bunch of frivolous thoughts. I’m sure the folks in Colorado could have used livestock grazing on their public lands to reduce fire hazards.