Opinion ID: 177029
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Taylor Grazing Act of 1934

Text: The Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to issue federal grazing leases to qualified applicants. 43 U.S.C. § 315m. BLM, an agency within the Department of Interior, implements the Act and, since 1995, has required ranchers grazing cattle on federal land to obtain a grazing permit. 43 C.F.R. § 4140.1(b)(1). BLM also monitors rangeland health (i.e., environmental issues within a given grazing allotment) and, based on its evaluation of a particular allotment, may determine that corrective actions are necessary. See 43 C.F.R. § 4180.2(c). These permitting and monitoring functions overlap because permittee actions may affect rangeland health. Accordingly, when a party seeks a new or renewed grazing permit, BLM considers what terms, if any, are necessary to include in the permit to improve rangeland health. 43 C.F.R. § 4160.1. To determine the necessary terms, BLM considers the permit against the standards and guidelines for the relevant geographical area, which in turn requires consideration of issues such as water quality and habitat for endangered or threatened species. 43 C.F.R. § 4180.2(d). Once BLM has identified terms for the permit, it issues a Proposed Grazing Decision. 43 C.F.R. § 4160.1. An applicant, permittee, or other interested party may protest this decision. 43 C.F.R. § 4160.2. Absent a protest and reconsideration, the proposed decision becomes a Final Grazing Decision, which an interested party may then appeal. 43 C.F.R. §§ 4160.3, 4.470. If no appeal is taken, or if a decision on appeal affirms an agency decision, the Final Grazing Decision's terms become the terms of the new grazing permit or renewal. 43 C.F.R. § 4130.3-1(a). Thus, agency action results in either the grant or denial of a permitor its renewal or non-renewal which includes consideration of rangeland health and provides opportunity for interested parties to object.