THE WESTERNER: Idaho sheep ranchers retire grazing allotments

Lava Lake Land & Livestock of Hailey, Idaho, has permanently retired four of its sheep grazing allotments on more than 88,000 acres of U.S. Forest Service land north and northeast of Ketchum. Those allotments include the North Fork Boulder and Trail Creek allotments in the Big Wood River watershed in the Sawtooth National Forest and the Park Creek and Northfork allotments in the Big Lost River watershed in the Salmon-Challis National Forest. The permanent retirements were facilitated by the Sagegrouse Habitat Conservation Fund, a nonprofit organization founded by Western Watersheds Project and the El Paso Corp. in 2010 to encourage and accomplish voluntary retirement of public lands grazing permits. Lava Lake Land & Livestock currently runs two bands of sheep — roughly 1,800 ewes and their lambs — on 24,000 acres of private land and 787,000 acres of public land in Idaho — not including the retired allotments...In 2010, the Payette National Forest issued a final decision reducing domestic sheep and goat grazing by nearly 69,000 acres to mitigate the risk of disease transmission to Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. Idaho Wool Growers Association said the ruling would shut down 70% of sheep grazing in the Payette. The association, other industry groups and individual ranchers sued the Forest Service, but the decision was upheld in court...MORE

Technically, I guess this was voluntary. However, Forest Service decisions and court rulings put the future of these allotments in jeopardy. That's a great way to create a "willing seller". The rancher involved referred to this as "risk mitigation." The federal statute encouraged allotment donations, “We had an opportunity to do that, and we did,” the rancher said.

Now if federal lands and resources benefited from this action, why didn't the feds pay for it? Because they will do nothing that would set the precedent that these permits have value. As far as the feds are concerned the allotments were donated. Look what this does for the enviros: they accomplish their goal of removing livestock from federal lands, they get a corporate shill to pay for it, and set no precedent that grazing permits have value. A pretty sweet deal set up by our friends in the U.S. Congress.

The Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Jerry Peak Wilderness Additions Act of 2015 requires the Forest Service and BLM to accept permit donations of allotments that are at least partially within an area established by the act, which includes the allotments waived by Lava Lake.

In 2015, the Republicans controlled both the House and the Senate. Here is the language in the act, as written and passed by the Republicans:

(2)

Donation of grazing permits and leases

(A)
Acceptance by secretary

(i)
In general

The Secretary shall accept the donation of any valid existing leases or permits authorizing grazing on public land or National Forest System land, all or a portion of which are within the area depicted as the Boulder White Clouds Grazing Area on the map entitled Boulder White Clouds Grazing Area Map and dated January 27, 2010.

(ii)
Partial donation

A person holding a valid grazing permit or lease for a grazing allotment partially within the area described in clause (i) may elect to donate only the portion of the grazing permit or lease that is within the area.

(B)
Termination

With respect to each permit or lease donated under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall—

(i)
terminate the grazing permit or lease or portion of the permit or lease; and

(ii)
except as provided in subparagraph (C), ensure a permanent end to grazing on the land covered by the permit or lease or portion of the permit or lease.

(C)
Common allotments

(i)
In general

If the land covered by a permit or lease donated under subparagraph (A) is also covered by another valid grazing permit or lease that is not donated, the Secretary shall reduce the authorized level on the land covered by the permit or lease to reflect the donation of the permit or lease under subparagraph (A).

(ii)
Authorized level

To ensure that there is a permanent reduction in the level of grazing on the land covered by the permit or lease donated under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall not allow grazing use to exceed the authorized level established under clause (i).

(D)

Partial donation

If a person holding a valid grazing permit or lease donates less than the full amount of grazing use authorized under the permit or lease, the Secretary shall—

(i)
reduce the authorized grazing level to reflect the donation; and