Monday, April 23, 2012

BLM suspends cattle roundup indefinitely

Recently it was learned that attempts on the part of federal authorities to implement impoundment procedures of Bundy family cattle near Bunkerville was called off. For years, Cliven Bundy and his family have been running livestock within their traditional use area without permit. It all started back in the early 1990s, when federal authorities began kicking families off the public lands claiming that such actions were necessary for the protection of desert tortoise. Upon investigation and inquiry, the Bundy family could learn little. No evidence was found justifying the removal of livestock. What evidence was uncovered indicated that tortoise had been greatly benefitted by the advent of grazing throughout the Southwest. Investigations into the history of the region indicated that desert tortoise were nearly non-existent at the time of first exploration and settlement. It was not until later, after sheep and cattle were placed upon the lands, that desert tortoise began to appear on a regular basis. Other questions arose as well. Why were the Bundys’ rights to graze not being recognized? Why were their rights to the use of waters found upon the public lands not being recognized? Why were the Bundys not being afforded due process? Further investigation raised other questions. No one working for the Bureau of Land Management or Justice Department could quantify jurisdiction. No one seemed to be able to show why it was that the federal government holds unlimited jurisdiction over the vast majority of lands that lie within western states...more

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