07/17/06 New grazing rule draws lawsuit

American Rancher July 17, 2006 The final rule containing the first revision of Bureau of Land Management grazing regulations since the Babbitt Rangeland Reforms of the Clinton Administration were published by the BLM last week. They are supposed to take effect next month but are already the subject of a lawsuit brought by the Western Watersheds Project. In announcing the final rule last week, BLM Deputy Director for Programs and Policy Jim Hughes said he would be surprised if the agency wasn't sued over the new rule, but; Hughes: "I feel very confident that these regulations will withstand any lawsuit that might be filed." Hughes says the BLM believes the regulatory changes will lead to improved long-term public rangeland health, and while the rule makes significant changes, he says it is an adjustment, not an overhaul of the Rangeland Reform Regulations. Hughes: "For example the new rule leaves intact the Rangeland Health Standards and Guidelines that were developed by the BLM's Resource Advisory Councils under the Rangeland Reform rules. Also makes no changes to the Resource Advisory Council, our RAC system, through which the BLM receives advice and recommendations from 24 citizen based RACs across the West." Tomorrow details on some of the changes the new BLM grazing rule makes. I'm Bob Hoff.