I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 657 
To amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to improve 
the management of grazing leases and permits, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 13, 2013 
Mr. LABRADOR (for himself, Mr. AMODEI, Mr. COSTA, Mr. GOSAR, Mr. 
MCCLINTOCK, Mrs. NOEM, Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. TIPTON, 
Mr. SIMPSON, and Mr. WALDEN) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the 
Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976 to improve the management of grazing leases 
and permits, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Grazing Improvement 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. TERMS OF GRAZING PERMITS AND LEASES. 
Section 402 of the Federal Land Policy and Manage-
ment Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1752) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘ten years’’ each place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘20 years’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end of each of 
paragraphs (1) and (2); 
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) the initial environmental analysis under 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) regarding a grazing allotment, 
permit, or lease has not been completed.’’. 
SEC. 3. RENEWAL, TRANSFER, AND REISSUANCE OF GRAZ-
ING PERMITS AND LEASES. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Title IV of the Federal Land Pol-
icy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 405. RENEWAL, TRANSFER, AND REISSUANCE OF 
GRAZING PERMITS AND LEASES. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) CURRENT
GRAZING
MANAGEMENT.—The 
term ‘current grazing management’ means grazing 
in accordance with the terms and conditions of an 
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existing permit or lease and includes any modifica-
tions that are consistent with an applicable Depart-
ment of Interior resource management plan or De-
partment of Agriculture land use plan. 
‘‘(2) SECRETARY CONCERNED.—The term ‘Sec-
retary concerned’ means— 
‘‘(A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with re-
spect to National Forest System land; and 
‘‘(B) the Secretary of the Interior, with re-
spect to land under the jurisdiction of the De-
partment of the Interior. 
‘‘(b) RENEWAL, TRANSFER, REISSUANCE, 
AND 
PENDING PROCESSING.—A grazing permit or lease issued 
by the Secretary of the Interior, or a grazing permit issued 
by the Secretary of Agriculture regarding National Forest 
System land, that expires, is transferred, or is waived shall 
be renewed or reissued under, as appropriate— 
‘‘(1) section 402; 
‘‘(2) section 19 of the Act of April 24, 1950 
(commonly known as the ‘Granger-Thye Act’; 16 
U.S.C. 580l); 
‘‘(3) title III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Ten-
ant Act (7 U.S.C. 1010 et seq.); or 
‘‘(4) section 510 the California Desert Protec-
tion Act of 1994 (16 U.S.C. 410aaa–50). 
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‘‘(c) TERMS; CONDITIONS.—The terms and condi-
tions (except the termination date) contained in an ex-
pired, transferred, or waived permit or lease described in 
subsection (b) shall continue in effect under a renewed or 
reissued permit or lease until the date on which the Sec-
retary concerned completes the processing of the renewed 
or reissued permit or lease that is the subject of the ex-
pired, transferred, or waived permit or lease, in compli-
ance with each applicable law. 
‘‘(d) 
CANCELLATION; 
SUSPENSION; 
MODIFICA-
TION.—Notwithstanding subsection (c), a permit or lease 
described in subsection (b) may be cancelled, suspended, 
or modified in accordance with applicable law. 
‘‘(e) RENEWAL
TRANSFER
REISSUANCE
AFTER 
PROCESSING.—When the Secretary concerned has com-
pleted the processing of the renewed or reissued permit 
or lease that is the subject of the expired, transferred, or 
waived permit or lease, the Secretary concerned shall 
renew or reissue the permit or lease for a term of 20 years 
after completion of processing. 
‘‘(f) COMPLIANCE WITH NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL 
POLICY ACT OF 1969.—The renewal, reissuance, or trans-
fer of a grazing permit or lease by the Secretary concerned 
shall be categorically excluded from the requirement to 
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