BLM cites Western Watersheds Project chief

The founder of Western Watersheds Project, a Hailey-based organization that seeks to end grazing on public lands in the West, has been cited by the Bureau of Land Management for allegedly providing a false statement on a grazing permit application. As a result of the alleged violation, the BLM has proposed canceling the permit, which covers three grazing allotments tied to property near Clayton. The nonprofit conservation group was originally founded by Jon Marvel in 1993 to bid for expiring grazing leases on Idaho state school endowment lands. Groups that represent ranchers say the development marks the unraveling of Western Watersheds. The organization has been so successful in its efforts to curtail public lands grazing that many ranchers refer to Marvel as “the most hated man in the West.” “This could unravel everything they’ve done over the past 15 years,” said Jake Putnam, broadcast services manager for Idaho Farm Bureau Federation. Western Watersheds attorney Laird Lucas said the claims by the BLM and ranching groups are false and defamatory. “We are vigorously contending it,” Lucas said of the violation notice and proposed cancellation of the grazing allotments...read more