I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2493
To establish a mechanism by which the Secretary of Agriculture and the
Secretary of the Interior can provide for uniform management of livestock
grazing on Federal lands.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 18, 1997
Mr. SMITH of Oregon (for himself, Mr. STENHOLM, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr.
STUMP, Mr. BARRETT of Nebraska, Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. TIAHRT, Mr.
HASTINGS of Washington, Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Mr. GIBBONS, Mr. POMBO,
Mr. HERGER, Mr. BONO, Mr. WATKINS, Mr. HALL of Texas, Mr. PETER-
SON of Minnesota, Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky, Mr. RADANOVICH, Mr. BISH-
OP, Mr. HILL, Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. RIGGS,
Mr. FAZIO of California, Mr. CONDIT, Mr. DOOLEY of California, Mr.
HAYWORTH, and Mr. MORAN of Kansas) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on 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
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To establish a mechanism by which the Secretary of Agri-
culture and the Secretary of the Interior can provide
for uniform management of livestock grazing on Federal
lands.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘Forage Improvement Act of 1997’’.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of
this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Rules of construction.
Sec. 3. Coordinated administration.
TITLE I—MANAGEMENT OF GRAZING ON FEDERAL LANDS
Sec. 101. Application of title.
Sec. 102. Definitions.
Sec. 103. Renewal of a grazing permit or lease.
Sec. 104. Monitoring and inspection.
Sec. 105. Subleasing.
Sec. 106. Fees and charges.
Sec. 107. Resource advisory councils.
TITLE II—MISCELLANEOUS
Sec. 201. Effective date.
Sec. 202. Issuance of new regulations.
SEC. 2. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.
(a) LIMITATION ON APPLICATION.—Nothing in this
Act shall be construed to affect grazing in any unit of the
National Park System or National Wildlife Refuge Sys-
tem, on any lands that are not Federal lands (as defined
in section 102), or on any lands that are held by the Unit-
ed States in trust for the benefit of Indians.
(b) MULTIPLE USE ACTIVITIES NOT AFFECTED.—
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit or preclude
the use of, and access to, Federal lands (as defined in sec-
tion 102) for hunting, fishing, recreational, watershed
management, or other appropriate multiple use activities
in accordance with applicable Federal and State laws and
the principles of multiple use.
(c) VALID EXISTING RIGHTS.—Nothing in this Act
shall be construed to affect valid existing rights, reserva-
tions, agreements, or authorizations under Federal or
State law.
(d) ACCESS TO NONFEDERALLY OWNED LAND.—
Section 1323(a) of Public Law 96–487 (16 U.S.C.
3210(a)) shall continue to apply with regard to access to
nonfederally owned lands.
SEC. 3. COORDINATED ADMINISTRATION.
To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary of
Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior shall provide
for consistent and coordinated administration of livestock
grazing and management of Federal lands (as defined in
section 102), consistent with the laws governing such
lands.
TITLE I—MANAGEMENT OF
GRAZING ON FEDERAL LANDS
SEC. 101. APPLICATION OF TITLE.
(a) FOREST SERVICE LANDS.—This title applies to
the management of grazing on National Forest System
lands, including the National Grasslands, by the Secretary
of Agriculture under the following laws:
(1) The 11th undesignated paragraph under the
heading ‘‘SURVEYING THE PUBLIC LANDS’’ under the
heading ‘‘UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF THE
INTERIOR’’ in the Act of June 4, 1897 (commonly
known as the Organic Administration Act of 1897)
(30 Stat. 35, second full paragraph on that page; 16
U.S.C. 551).
(2) Sections 11, 12, and 19 of the Act of April
24, 1950 (commonly known as the Granger-Thye
Act of 1950) (64 Stat. 85, 88, chapter 97; 16
U.S.C. 580g, 580h, 580l).
(3) The Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act of
1960 (16 U.S.C. 528 et seq.).
(4) The Forest and Rangeland Renewable Re-
sources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1600 et
seq.).
(5) The National Forest Management Act of
1976 (16 U.S.C. 472a et seq.).
(6) The Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.).
(7) The Public Rangelands Improvement Act of
1978 (43 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.).
(8) The Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act (7
U.S.C. 1010 et seq.).
(b) BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT LANDS.—This
title applies to the management of grazing on Federal
lands administered by the Secretary of the Interior, acting
through the Director of the Bureau of Land Management,
under the following laws:
(1) The Act of June 28, 1934 (commonly
known as the Taylor Grazing Act) (48 Stat. 1269,
chapter 865; 43 U.S.C. 315 et seq.).
(2) The Act of August 28, 1937 (commonly
known as the Oregon and California Railroad and
Coos Bay Wagon Road Grant Lands Act of 1937)
(50 Stat. 874, chapter 876; 43 U.S.C. 1181a et
seq.).
(3) The Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.).
(4) The Public Rangelands Improvement Act of
1978 (43 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.).
(c) CERTAIN OTHER UNITED STATES LANDS.—This
title also applies to the management of grazing by the Sec-
retary concerned on behalf of the head of another depart-
ment or agency of the Federal Government under a memo-
randum of understanding.
SEC. 102. DEFINITIONS.
In this title: