Grazing Improvement Act

Bill: 113-s-258
Sponsor: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
Introduced: 2013-02-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Department of Agriculture
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Forests, forestry, trees
Land use and conservation
Licensing and registrations
Livestock

Summary:
action_date: 2013-02-07
text: 
Grazing Improvement Act - Amends the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (the Act) to double from 10 to 20 years the period of a term for grazing permits and leases for domestic livestock grazing on public lands or lands within national forests in 16 contiguous western states. Permits the issuance of permits and leases for a period shorter than 20 years (under current law, shorter than 10 years), including where the Secretary concerned determines that the initial environmental analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) regarding a grazing allotment, permit, or lease has not been completed. 
 
Directs that grazing permits or leases issued by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) that expire, are transferred, or are waived after this Act's enactment be renewed or reissued, as appropriate, under the Act, the Granger-Thye Act, the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, or the California Desert Protection Act of 1994. 
 
Excludes the renewal, reissuance, or transfer of a grazing permit or lease by the Secretary concerned from the NEPA requirement to prepare an environmental analysis if: (1) such decision continues to renew, reissue, or transfer current grazing management of the allotment; (2) monitoring indicates that such management meets objectives contained in the land use and resource management plan of the allotment; or (3) the decision is consistent with the policy of the Department of the Interior or USDA regarding extraordinary circumstances. 
 
Makes NEPA inapplicable to domestic livestock crossing and trailing authorizations and transfers of grazing preference.

action_date: 2014-05-22
text: 
Grazing Improvement Act - Amends the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to revise provisions related to grazing leases and permits.
 
Extends the maximum period of a term for grazing permits and leases for domestic livestock grazing on public lands or lands within national forests in 16 contiguous western states from 10 years to 20 years, if the Secretary of Interior with respect to land administered by Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to National Forest Service System land (the Secretary concerned) has assessed and evaluated the grazing allotment and determined that the grazing allotment meets applicable standards or objectives. 
 
Requires a permit or lease to be continued until the Secretary concerned completes any environmental analysis and documentation for the permit or lease required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and other applicable laws. 
 
Instructs the Secretary concerned to seek to conduct environmental reviews on an allotment or multiple allotment basis, if the allotments share similar ecological conditions for purposes of compliance with NEPA and other applicable laws. 
 
Permits the exclusion of grazing permits or leases from environmental assessment or environmental impact statement requirements under NEPA if: (1) the issued permit or lease continues the current grazing management of the allotment, and (2) the Secretary concerned has determined that the allotment meets applicable standards or objectives. Permits the exclusion of the trailing and crossing of livestock across public land from such requirements. 
 
Gives the Secretary concerned sole discretion to determine the priority and timing for completing each required environmental analysis based on environmental significance and available funding. 
 
Establishes in the Departments of the Interior and of Agriculture (USDA) a pilot program that: (1) authorizes the voluntary relinquishment of grazing permits or leases in New Mexico and Oregon, and (2) provides that grazing permits or leases voluntarily relinquished shall be permanently retired from further grazing authorization. 
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 392.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Landrieu with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 113-166.
action_date: 2014-05-22
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Landrieu with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 113-166.
action_date: 2013-11-21
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
action_date: 2013-04-25
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 113-28.
action_date: 2013-02-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2013-02-07
text: Introduced in Senate