The Livestock Grazing Act provides for a cooperative working agreement between the permit holder and the agency charged with oversight. This is a relationship that has been stressed in recent years, due to the regulations that the federal government has targeted in enforcement. Regulations that, as many times as not, have hampered the efforts of the permit holder to manage the permit property. This act provides the permit holder and the federal government to work together to verify the range conditions and the efforts of the permit holder in improving those conditions. The language in this bill will move to redevelop the historic excellent working relationship that has previously existed between the federal government and the private landowner and grazer. Livestock grazing is an issue that is extremely important to the people throughout the state of Montana. This is re-enforced by the numbers of Montana citizens that are interested in serving on the Resource Advisory Councils that this bill will establish. This brings the citizens of a diverse interest together to work to maintain the health and vitality of the land. The Livestock Grazing Act takes into effect the knowledge of local landowners, grazing permit holders and various groups which have an interest in the land. This is an approach that the livestock producer and the environmental interests have agreed upon for the well-being of the land and the future of the industry. This act sets out the steps required to either challenge the land use practices of the permit holder. It also establishes the standards that one must prove to challenge the permit holders rights to graze and improve his allotment. Actions that may be necessary will need to meet the criteria that the Resource Advisory Councils establish for the lands within their regions of governance. This bill takes the central authority for the land from those within the boundaries of the Washington Beltway, and places them in the hands of those that are aware of, concerned with, and in touch with, the problems which must be faced. Numerous questions and concerns with the way that the land is managed and the fees are charged are answered in this bill. This is a bill that puts the people on the ground in charge of the land, and in charge of the future of the land. Their love and attachment to the land will allow these people to carry the land into the future. The land and the health of the land are important to them, they are directly tied to the land and the future the land will provide for them. As I have previously mentioned, they are the best stewards the land can have working for it's future and well-being. The Livestock Grazing Act will allow for a uniform system of operations throughout the state, and the nation. Mr. Chairman, I thank you for holding this hearing as soon as you have. It is imperative that we move forward with this legislation to provide for the economy and stability of rural America and Montana. I now look forward to hearing from the panels that we assembled here today. Senator CRAIG. And now Senator Craig Thomas of Wyoming. STATEMENT OF HON. CRAIG THOMAS, U.S. SENATOR FROM WYOMING Senator THOMAS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will be very brief, and we will file a statement. Let me just thank you for this, the work that you all have done and we have done together on this. I think it is a good piece of legislation. I think it is one that will do a lot of-make a lot of-will finally resolve the issues that have been going on now for a very long time and more particularly in the last 22 years. I think it is a multiple-use bill that is designed. When you live in a State that 50 percent belongs to the Federal Government, then the decisions that are made by Federal land managers have a lot to do with our future and our economy and our jobs. And their needs to be some balance in it. I am a little surprised to see a news release from the administration that says this will deny the public a voice in the process. Let me tell you that the Governor of Wyoming supports this. The county commissioner supports this. I think they have some impact and some insight into what the public is talking about. We talk a little bit about having spent 22 years at 40 meetings in the West. Yes, that is true. But the projected idea of the Department at the end of those meetings was the same as it was when it began. And that is not what you heard out there. So I think this is an effort that has gone will go a long ways towards resolving this issue and let us move forward with multipleuse management. And I support it fully. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Senator CRAIG. Senator, thank you very much. [The prepared statement of Senator Thomas follows:] PREPARED STATEMENT OF HON. CRAIG THOMAS, U.S. SENATOR FROM WYOMING Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you for holding this hearing today to discuss S. 852, the "Livestock Grazing Act." I also want to congratulate Senator Domenici for all of the hard work he has put into this important issue. The "Livestock Grazing Act" is a great step forward because it provides a viable, practical, solid solution regarding the issue of grazing on federal rangelands in the West. The measure is fair and will allow livestock producers in the West to continue to operate on public lands and protect the public range for multiple use purposes. This legislation establishes a careful balance between the need to ensure that western livestock producers can continue to work on public lands and the need to protect rangelands across the West. Unfortunately, for too long the debate in Congress regarding grazing on public lands has revolved around the issue of grazing fees. Many folks here in Washington simply refuse to acknowledge that this issue is much deeper than simply the fee charged for grazing on federal rangelands in the West. This issue is about jobs, about supporting western economies and allowing hardworking families to be able to continue to operate without forcing them to go bankrupt. The ranchers in Wyoming and across the West are not looking for special treatment or government handouts. They expect to pay a fair price for the privilege of grazing their livestock on federal land and have always worked to be good stewards of this resource. In turn, they expect to be treated fairly and have the knowledge that if they are good stewards of the land they can continue to graze their livestock on these areas. Unfortunately, Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt and others in the Clinton Administration are working to completely change this idea and have proposed regulations that will destroy rural communities across the West. The legislation before us today is designed to reverse this disturbing trend. This legislation will provide western livestock producers with a lifeline to survive the Clinton Administration's efforts to destroy their way of life. The measure is a reasonable attempt to solve longstanding disputes over grazing fees, water rights and the need to give grazing permittees the assurance they must have to continue operating on federal rangelands. In addition, S. 852 provides a more reasonable approach to the application of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regarding the management of federal rangelands. These are just a few examples of the benefits that will be achieved through enactment of the "Livestock Grazing Act." The time has come for Congress to assert itself regarding the issue of grazing on public lands in the West and to stop Secretary Babbitt's unending assault of western communities and our western way of life. The livestock community in Wyoming and throughout the West has been forced to continually compromise and face further erosion of its ability to graze livestock on public lands for many years. S. 852 gives us the opportunity to finally resolve this matter and allows ranchers to continue to make a living and raise their families. Mr. Chairman, thank you again for holding this hearing today. I strongly support this legislation and look forward to hearing the testimony of the witnesses. Senator CRAIG. Let me also add to the record the statement by Senator Dirk Kempthorne of Idaho and Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona. [The prepared statements of Senators Kempthorne and Kyl follow:] PREPARED STATEMENT OF HON. DIRK KEMPTHORNE, U.S. SENATOR FROM IDAHO Ladies and gentlemen, I thank my colleagues for agreeing to old this hearing, and especially for agreeing to hold it in such a timely manner. The Idaho Cattle Association and the Idaho Wool Growers both agree that S. 852, the Livestock Grazing Act, is the vehicle with which to begin discussions and move forward to set federal rangeland management policy. Idahoans have communicated to me that they have outstanding concerns with this bill. Among these concerns are the fee formula structure, and the rights associated with grazing permits. I am an original co-sponsor of S. 852 with the understanding that these concerns will be heard here in this Senate debate. I look forward to hearing those concerns discussed and considered. I will work with the members of this committee, and my other western colleagues to resolve these questions in a timely manner as the debate moves forward. PREPARED STATEMENT OF HON. JON KYL, U.S. SENATOR FROM ARIZONA Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First, let me commend you for moving so promptly to convene this hearing. Rangeland reform is vital for the Western states, and it is equally vital that we act on this reform legislation in a timely manner. We all know there is a time bomb ticking in the form of the Bureau of Land Management's rangeland regulations, which will take effect on August 21 unless we take action otherwise. I also want to commend Senator Domenici for his outstanding efforts to bring together the various industry interests and craft the compromise bill before us. The history of rangeland reform in the Congress clearly shows that this is not an easy issue, but no one has a better grasp of the problems and of the solutions than my colleague from New Mexico. We have many witnesses before us today, and we are all anxious to hear their views on the Livestock Grazing Act. Before we embark on a discussion of the details of this bill, however, I would like to take a step back from those details and make a few general observations on this legislation. The primary theme behind this is that the best resource decisions are made by those who live closest to the resource. Therefore, we want to return more decision-making authority to the state and local governments, and, especially, to the users themselves. We want to realize a fair return for the use of federal lands. That entails a new formula for calculating grazing fees, but it also requires reducing the amount of tax dollars the federal government expends on range management. Therefore, we want to minimize red tape for private citizens and businesses, streamline agency procedures, and reduce unnecessary costs. For those who make their living from the land, and who put food on the table for all of us, we want to offer some certainty for the future. We must protect their private property rights, provide stability on grazing allotments, and offer sufficient incentives for sound long-term resource management practices. If all of these points sound familiar, it is because the same themes form the foundation for our approach to the management of natural resources and to the reform of federal environmental regulations. I believe that Senator Domenici's bill reflects these important themes and represents a reasonable solution for rangeland reform. I am sure that many interests will quibble with some of the specifics in this legislation, but let's look once more at the alternative-either we reach a sensible compromise on rangeland reform legislation, or come August 21, we live with the Secretary of the Interior's vision of range management as contained in the BLM regulations. I also believe that we should have a consistent set of rules for grazing on federal lands. I intend to offer an amendment within the Committee to apply the same guidelines as contained in the Domenici bill to grazing on Forest Service lands. will reserve further comments and questions until after I have heard from Chief Thomas and the other witnesses before us today. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Senator CRAIG. We have a very full list of witnesses today, five different panels. And so we will operate under the 5-minute rule. And I would ask my colleagues to also be as direct as you can be in your questioning so we can move this through and complete it by 12 noon, or a little thereafter if we can. So, at this time, let us ask our first panel to come forward from the administration, Michael Dombeck, the Acting Director of the Bureau of Land Management; Jack Ward Thomas, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service; Floyd Horn, Deputy Under Secretary of Research, Education, and Economics, U.S. Department of Agriculture. And, again, gentlemen, we would ask you to adhere to the 5minute rule. [Pause.] Senator CRAIG. Okay. And Director Dombeck is accompanied by Michael Penfold-is it-from the BLM. All right. Director Dombeck. STATEMENT OF MIKE DOMBECK, ACTING DIRECTOR, BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ACCOMPANIED BY MICHAEL PENFOLD, BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Mr. DOMBECK. Good morning, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the opportunity to testify on the Livestock Grazing Act this morning. Over the past 22 years, the Bureau of Land Management has worked with lots of people in the West. As Senator Thomas has said, we have had numerous meetings, and we have listened. And our proposals have changed from the initial proposals of some few years ago. After all of our meetings in the West, I think we are wellequipped to speak on the issue and would be happy to provide you with our input. The bill-your bill would change many provisions of existing law and regulations and essentially replace the BLM's new regulations and grazing administration rules. And I speak to you today in opposition to the Livestock Grazing Act and not in opposition to livestock grazing. And I am here in defense of BLM's strategy. As stated many times, and as Senator Campbell mentioned, the public rangelands are regaining their health. In many places, they are in better shape today then they were 50 years ago. And this is, in part, due to a deeper understanding of range ecology and improved grazing practices implemented by many ranchers and Federal agencies working together on public lands. We must continue this effort to improve the resources for all Americans. But we must do more because our children depend upon sustainable resources. The fact remains that we have made lots of progress, but millions of acres still remain in poor condition. Many watersheds are not producing the full range of benefits. Poisonous, exotic weeds are a biological nightmare, reducing the land's ability to produce the full range of benefits. And many streams and riparian areas are still degraded. We must continue to work together to give the public rangelands a chance to improve and to produce more clean water, better quality fish and wildlife habitat, and more quality forage. The BLM's strategy to improve rangeland health is built on the collective wisdom of 60 years of applied science. It was shaped by 2 years of public discussion, resulting in some 20,000 letters and 38,000 comments. We have prepared a detailed comparison and analysis of BLM's old livestock grazing regulations, our new regulations, and the provisions of the Livestock Grazing Act. And I am submitting those as part of my written testimony. I am also including for the record a piece entitled "Just the Facts," to clarify several misunderstandings about our new regulations.* I would like to speak on two principal differences between the bill and BLM's healthy rangeland strategy. First, the bill appears to focus on rangeland allocation and management to a single use of livestock grazing, de-emphasizing other uses and values such as mining, hunting, recreation and wildlife. By comparison, our strategy focuses on maintaining the health and productivity of all resources and values of the public lands. Where S. 852 concentrates exclusively on livestock production, our approach encourages collaborative management to sustain the land's overall productivity. Second, the bill appears to limit public involvement in the management of public lands. Over the past 20 years, it has become clear that the most effective stewardship for natural resources and people occurs when many interests are involved, working together, as President Theodore Roosevelt called, "common solutions to common problems for the common good." We must move beyond public land users sitting at opposite ends of the table arguing over shared resources, waiting for court-ordered solutions. If we regress to such management, the public lands and the people who depend upon them will suffer the most. BLM's approach is not one-size-fits-all. In fact, it is the opposite. We intend for local citizens to be in the lead. Our Resource Advisory Councils are tailored to best meet the needs of all of those who use and appreciate the public land, whether they be families on outings, ranchers, anglers, miners or oil and gas developers. The health of our watersheds is what ultimately provides stability and sustains livestock production in the West. And BLM's program will improve watershed health and reduce erosion, increase the quality and quantity of forage, increase water quality and groundwater recharge, and enhance streamflows. We do not want lawsuits, judicial injunctions, a one-size-fits-all remedy. It is good stewardship that we want. And that is what I stand for. After 20 years as a resource professional, I assure you that if we limit the tools available to managers and ranchers, if we narrow peoples' ability to participate in public land management, and if we emphasize a single use on public land at the expense of other values, we will have failed as stewards of the public lands. For these reasons and those set forth in the analysis I am submitting to the committee, the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management strongly oppose the Livestock Grazing Act. ing I thank you for the opportunity to comment, Mr. Chairman. * Retained in subcommittee files. |