10/19/05 Grazing review

Grazing Review Grazing federal lands can be a real challenge with all the agencies and regulations to work through. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll talk about them right after this. Senator Larry Craig, Idaho Republican and leader of the Senate's Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests called a hearing to review grazing programs of the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service. Dr. Richard Knight, Colorado State University Professor of Wildlife Conservation and Mike Byrne, California cattle rancher and President of the Public Lands Council were called to testify. Dr. Knight stated public lands could support more livestock grazing but critized both ranchers and environmentalists for conflicts that have slowed solutions to problems. Dr. Knight is probably correct. I know radical environmentalists see only one solution  end all livestock grazing but that does little for sustainability of the land or communities and families dependent on the use of those lands. Livestock producers understand limits on grazing time and livestock numbers but get very frustrated with the procedure and paperwork involved. Mike Byrne testified on concerns with various acts that are sometimes used improperly to curtail or eliminate grazing. These include the National Environmental Policy Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Wild and Scenic Rivers, Endangered Species Act and Wilderness Study Areas plus separate regulations from the BLM and Forest Service. You would think something as natural as livestock grazing should be a simpler process. I'm Jeff Keane. Western Livestock Reporter 10/5/05 Capital Press 10/7/05