Wyo. ranchers complain about Western Watersheds Project influence on local grazing decisions

Wyoming ranchers say an Idaho-based environmental group has too much influence over how local grazing allotments are managed on public lands, but a representative of the group says it's only making sure that laws and regulations are being followed. Ranchers complained about the Western Watersheds Project to federal land managers at last week's Wyoming Stock Growers Association annual convention. There are about 2,400 grazing permits on Bureau of Land Management land in Wyoming, and more than 400 on land administered by the U.S. Forest Service in the state. Jim Magagna, executive vice president of the Stock Growers Association, said Western Watersheds actively intervenes in many grazing permit renewals in Wyoming. "One of the things that we find bothersome is that Western Watersheds tends to get themselves in a position as an 'interested party' so they're sitting at the table when I visit with my range professional in the agency about how I'm going to graze my livestock," Magagna said. "They're often there, and we don't believe that's an appropriate role for the public." It's more appropriate for Western Watersheds and others to be involved when federal agencies are reviewing the overall grazing program, he said...more