Overhaul of public lands grazing regulations seeks to cut public involvement
Summary
The U.S. government is updating rules that control grazing by livestock on 155 million acres of public lands in the Western states. The new rules would increase grazing limits and reduce public input on decisions about grazing permits.Key Facts
- The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is rewriting grazing rules for public lands, the first update since 1995.
- The changes would allow more cattle, sheep, and other animals to graze on federal lands in the West.
- Public participation in decisions about grazing permits would be limited under the new rules.
- The updated rules require studying environmental impacts for all public land uses, not just livestock.
- The proposed rules aim to make it easier to manage low-level violations and speed up decisions.
- Ranching groups support the changes, saying they offer more flexibility and reflect modern science.
- Critics say the rules favor ranchers too much and could harm the environment and tribal grazing rights.
- Currently, ranchers pay significantly less than market rates for grazing on public lands, costing taxpayers about $284 million annually.
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