APPENDIX L: 

LIVESTOCK GRAZING 

PERMIT RENEWAL 

PROCESS FOR THE 

JARBIDGE PLANNING 

AREA 
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Jarbidge Draft RMP/EIS Appendix L 

APPENDIX L: LIVESTOCK GRAZING PERMIT RENEWAL 

PROCESS FOR THE JARBIDGE PLANNING AREA 

Background

All grazing permits within the Jarbidge Field Office (FO) are scheduled for renewal after the revised 

Jarbidge Resource Management Plan (RMP) is completed. In accordance with paragraph 18 of the 2005 

Stipulated Settlement Agreement (SSA) in the case of Western Watershed Project v. Bennett et al. (Case 

No. CV-04-181-S-BLW) (D. Idaho) (Appendix A), renewal of livestock grazing permits in the Jarbidge FO 

will be completed by the end of the third full grazing year following signing of the Record of Decision 

(ROD) for the revised Jarbidge RMP. 

“The parties agree that, after BLM completes the final Jarbidge RMP and EIS, it will then conduct 

site-specific NEPA reviews and issue new ten-year grazing permit decisions for all Jarbidge 

allotments, which will be tiered to the revised RMP and EIS This process of issuing new sitespecific reviews and grazing decisions is expected to take three years following 

completion of the RMP and EIS.”

 9 

Based on this statement, Jarbidge FO has established a strategy and timeline for renewing grazing 

permits by the end of the third full grazing year after the ROD for the RMP is signed. 

9

 Emphasis added. 

Strategy

The permit renewal process will follow Bureau of Land Management (BLM) policy outlined in IM-ID-2009-

040 or subsequent policy. Prior to signing of the ROD, the interdisciplinary team (ID Team) will review 

existing data and identify issues and data needed to complete the permit renewal process. New data 

would be collected using existing protocols. Data used for the rangeland health assessment process 

could include, but are not limited to, upland vegetation cover and production, riparian condition, water 

quality, soil condition, and special status species population and habitat condition. 

Allotments will be grouped based on resource issues identified through data review and rangeland health 

field assessments; the grouping will also be consistent with the priorities and management direction 

contained in the approved RMP and consider current management concerns. For example, all allotments 

containing watersheds occupied by bull trout could be grouped to better address management needs for 

that species and streamline ESA consultation. 

The appropriate NEPA process (i.e., environmental assessment, environmental impact statement) would 

be determined later. 

Timeline
 The following reflects BLM’s estimate of a general timeline for completing all necessary components of 

the permit renewal process within the three-year timeframe. The timeline presented here may be modified
 

as the specific details for the permit renewal process are determined. 

Tasks to complete prior to signing of the ROD:
 

 Evaluate existing data and identify data gaps. 

 Perform rangeland health field assessments for allotments with sufficient data for completion of 

assessment document. 

 Begin data collection on allotments without sufficient data for completion of assessment document. 

Tasks to complete within one year after signing of the ROD:
 

 Complete remaining data collection and rangeland health field assessments. 

 Complete assessment documents for allotments where data collection is complete. 

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Appendix L Jarbidge Draft RMP/EIS 

 Initiate NEPA process.
 

 Issue permit renewals for any allotments with completed assessment and NEPA documentation. 

Tasks to complete within two years after signing of the ROD: 

 Complete assessment documents for rangeland health field assessments completed in previous year. 

 Continue NEPA process.
 

 Issue permit renewals for any allotments with completed assessment and NEPA documentation. 

Tasks to complete by the end of the third full grazing year after signing of the ROD: 

 Complete NEPA process. 

 Issue permit renewals for remaining allotments.
 

August 2010 A-118