This document sets forth a new concept for managing the range and grassland
resources of our public lands, administered by the U.S. Forest Service and
Bureau of Land Management. It is the result of a two year effort by
representatives from the livestock industry and environmental community,
meeting with public land policy experts, to discuss challenges to effective
management and long-term stewardship of public lands resources.
The new concept for managing range/grassland resources on our public lands will
ensure the long-term ecological health of the lands, while providing stability
for the users of these resources. The strategy creates a series of incentives
for holders of a new kind of lease to improve and maintain a high quality
resource, including:
- opportunities for investing in, or receiving financial benefits from, conserving land resources through creation of a new market for authorizing uses of our range/grassland resources;
- long-term tenure on the land; and
- increased flexibility in how the lands are, or are not, used and managed.
Equally important, the new strategy takes poor quality range/grassland
areas out of circulation and redirects the efforts of the federal land
management agencies towards assessing and maintaining resource condition.
Under the new concept, a new kind of lease would be available for the public
lands range/grassland resource. This new lease would extend for 30 years and
provide for flexibility in management activities. It could be used for a
variety of activities, including livestock grazing, wildlife management,
endangered species conservation. There would no longer be a "grazing only"
permit. The new lease would grant the holder an exclusive interest in the
range/grassland resource subject to the lease, but will not convey a property
interest in the public lands, and will not restrict other "multiple uses" on
those lands. The lease holder's use of the public resource would be reviewed by
the federal land management agency at 5 year intervals to determine if the
lands are improving or being maintained in such a manner that meets public
lands standards.
Holders of a new lease do not have to be in the livestock industry. They could
be wildlife agencies, private individuals, or conservation organizations. All
lease holders will have long-term tenure, and will be responsible for ensuring
that the public lands resource is improving or being maintained in an
appropriate condition. After acquiring a lease, the lease holder will have the
option of returning the lands under lease to the land management agency to
achieve a conservation objective. The lease holder will be accountable for the
leased area, and changes in land use would have to be achieved through
amendments in the land use plan.
Under the new system, holders of these new leases could purchase and sell them
to a variety of users. The value of the lease would be established by what a
buyer was willing to pay to acquire the lease. Typically, grazing permits are
sold today for $50/"Animal Unit Month," although there is regional variability
in what the market will bear in permit sales.
Existing livestock permittees who are working to improve resource conditions on
public lands will be eligible to participate in the new lease program, and
receive long-term tenure. Eligible grazing permit holders could obtain the new
kind of lease by turning in their existing permits, and willing sellers would
then be eligible to sell that lease to anyone.
Some lands would not be available for lease, and some lease holders would be
ineligible to participate in the new lease system. Allotments that are vacant
under the existing grazing program would be reviewed by the land management
agency to determine whether the land can support management actions under a
lease, and may be made available (through competitive bidding) for the
acquisition of the lease. Once leased, the lease fee for these vacant lands
would be the same as for other leased lands (and not subject to competitive
bidding). Additionally, lease holders who fail to meet the terms of the lease,
or who make false statements about the condition of the land, would lose a
lease and not be eligible for a new lease.
Over the term of the lease, resource conditions would be reviewed in 5-year
increments to ensure that the condition of the land is improving, and the lease
holder is either meeting or making progress towards meeting the goals for land
management on the lands subject to the lease. The lease holder will be
responsible for monitoring resource condition. However, the determination of
the condition and trend of the lands are the responsibility of the land
management agency.
While the new concepts builds on the established rangeland management programs
at the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, it represents a
radical shift in philosophy from these programs. Instead of the work of the
agencies being directed towards the development of management plans and grazing
practices, their resources would be devoted to ensuring that the desired
resource conditions on the ground are being met. This is sometimes referred to
as "outcome based management."
The land management agencies would be responsible for working with the lease
holders and the public to set the standards for public lands health (many of
which are identified in the land use plans) and to determine the resource
conditions expected to meet those standards for different leases. The land
management agencies will also provide opportunities for general public input in
setting standards for the public lands and setting goals for the leases, as
well as in review of conditions during lease terms.
If you are interested in additional information about this new strategy for
range/grassland management, please contact Cathy Carlson at the National
Wildlife Federation (303-786-8001 x16) or Jason Campbell at the Public
Lands Council (202-347-5355). We would be happy to give you additional reading
material, or come discuss this new strategy with you or your organization. Just
give us a call or send a message.
- A new market for buying and selling leases for public range/grassland
resources is created.
- Lease holders will have substantial flexibility in the management of lands
under lease.
- Lease holders will have certainty as to lease terms, and the costs
associated with the lease.
- Willing sellers will be able to dispose of leases without having to sell
their fee title lands.
- Lease holders would be given 30 year leases.
- Lease holders would receive direct economic benefit from the improvement in
resource conditions, through the increased value of the lease.
- The program would retain the current distribution formula for the
state/county share of fee receipts.
- The government's role will be focused on assessing/maintaining the
ecological health of the land.
- Under the new system, land management agencies would not be required to
provide NEPA documentation for private lease older activities.
- The political/legal turmoil over the public lands grazing program will be
substantially diminished.
- Any member of the public can hold a lease to the public range/grass
resource.
- Once acquired, a lease can be used for any purpose, including non-use, or
the lease could be returned to the government.
- Lands that are not meeting minimum requirements for public lands health
would not be eligible for participation in the system.
- The public can acquire lease interests without having to invest in the
associated fee title lands, or "base property."
- A simple, but effective, enforcement system would be created and sustained.
- Fees would be increased to cover the costs of administering the program,
and then remain stable over time.
- Public land conditions will be improved.
- The "Range Betterment" fund would be eliminated.
- The government's role will be focused on assessing/maintaining the
ecological health of the land.
- The political/legal turmoil over the public lands grazing program will be
substantially diminished.
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