BLM accused of micro-managing livestock operations in new NCA

Representatives of the Bureau of Land Management heard hot opinions voiced by ranchers regarding its draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area. Owners of both sheep and cattle ranches voiced their protests of RMP recommendations that include closure or partial closure to motorized vehicles of over 500 miles of roadway. The purpose of the meeting between representatives of the BLM, the federally appointed 10-member advisory council and stakeholders was to provide opportunity for the public to provide further input on the RMP. It attracted a packed room. Stakeholders spoke their minds in protest of what was frequently termed 'micro-management' by the BLM of movements of sheep and cattle on and over the roads. Ranchers, representatives of Delta, Montrose and Mesa counties, various conservation groups as well as the advisory council had plenty of suggestions for altering the draft RMP, though all of them participated in its preparation. The draft includes five alternatives and the discussion was about the best choices among those suggestions for each aspect of conservation concerns. One BLM concern is the degrading sagebrush population. More than 350 plant and animal species depend on sagebrush for habitat. The RPM suggests that no routes be developed through non-fragmented patches of sagebrush 60 acres or more in size. The rationale was that fragmenting allows introduction of invasive species. Most of this area is in Cactus Park North, near Highway 141. Another suggested protective measure is to require livestock operators who have grazing permits on federal lands to acquire special permits for what is termed 'trailing,' which is defined as movement across BLM land from one area to another, with the action taking place within an assigned number of days. Commissioner, rancher and advisory council member Doug Atchley said, “According to a study made by CSU in 2011, the economic estimate is that sales of livestock bring $36 million. If you use multipliers, you can see the importance of grazing in Delta County. Grazing is part of the culture. It has been happening here for the last 130 years since the Utes were forcibly removed. We ask that grazing not suffer more than other uses. County administrator and rancher Robbie LeValley asked that the BLM make a long term evaluation of trends with a monitoring of why and how the resources are degrading before making decisions. She said, “They didn't put in the cause of degradation. It is just going straight quick and dirty to a solution with livestock. The cause needs to be better spelled out. Utilization is spelled out but that is for the short term.”...more