Source: Courthouse News Service
photo: USDA
Greens Say BLM Caved to Nevada Ranchers
RENO, Nev. (CN) – Illegally placed fences in northern Nevada will kill endangered sage grouse and promote overgrazing on badly damaged federal land, the Western Watersheds Project claimed Tuesday in Federal Court.
The Bureau of Land Management plans to build a series of permanent barbed-wire and jack-rail fences along six sections of stream in the Battle Mountain area to help local ranchers, Western Watersheds says in the lengthy complaint.
It claims the BLM violated the National Environmental Policy Act and Administrative Procedures Act by failing to properly evaluate the environmental impacts of the fences, which are part of the bureau’s fencing and grazing-management efforts that are “being improperly evaluated in piecemeal fashion.”
If the BLM builds the fences, Western Watersheds says, the fences will reduce recreational opportunities and threaten endangered sage grouse, which often are killed when they fly into fences. Fence posts also make good perches for raptors and ravens, which feed on the birds and destroy their nests, and fencing often promotes the growth of non-native weeds.
Building the fences also will promote additional grazing on land that already is badly damaged by overgrazing by livestock and drought, Western Watersheds says.
Five of the six planned fences are in areas designated as priority habitat for the endangered sage grouse, and several would be near the birds’ breeding grounds. Overgrazing in recent years badly damaged the stream banks, which need a break to recover from livestock grazing, but the BLM plan to build permanent fences would have the opposite effect, the group says.
Western Watersheds said in a statement that northern Nevada ranchers resisted the BLM’s drought closures and bullied it into considering a slew of proposals for new livestock infrastructure to justify more grazing on badly degraded public lands. Rather than insist upon needed rest periods, Western Watersheds says, the BLM caved to ranchers’ demands to let their herds back onto the parched landscapes, and enabled that use by approving the contested fencing.
“New infrastructure is not the answer to fix problems caused by livestock overgrazing,” Western Watersheds Project attorney Paul Ruprecht said in the statement. “The answer is to take a comprehensive look at the various ways protection could be accomplished without entrenching livestock grazing any further. “There are less damaging ways to keep cows out of sensitive areas, including getting rid of the cows. We want to see the BLM explore a range of options when it completes its allotment analysis next year.”
Idaho-based Western Watersheds is a regional nonprofit dedicated to protecting and conserving public lands and resources in the West.
It seeks declaratory judgment and an injunction.
BLM officials did not respond to an email request for comment sent after hours Tuesday.
Categories: Uncategorized
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
The Blm doesn’t care about the American people beloved wild mustangs.
Nothing will be done to severely punish these devils.
LikeLike
What can be done to address the problems associated with public lands livestock grazing? There is a simple answer: end it. Get the cows and sheep off, let the wild creatures reclaim their native habitat, and send the ranchers a bill for the cost of restoration.
LikeLiked by 1 person
All true! And those “protesters” from the Malfleur Wildlife Center need to pay for the damage THEY did! Apparently it was pretty substantial. Hope there is some kind of consequence for them – its past time for that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Become vegetarian or vegan
LikeLike
Agree
LikeLike
Blm “caves” in to the ranchers… Of course! It’s a fiefdom!!
But BLM cannot “cave” in to the public’s wishes to EVER accommodate horses in miserable holding pits with shelter and bring humane standards and an extreme weather protocol up to speed. Oh how ironic. Blm….choosing its pressure buddies carefully…as ever. And facilitating grants to Oregon State University- to undertake barbaric sterilization experiments on wild mares- what another BLM pearl- they have their ducks in a row when it comes to anything but integrity, moral responsibility and ethical duties. Thank you, WWS !!
LikeLike
I’m glad someone managed to bust them even if it wasn’t for the mustangs. The more various protectors be it for wildlife, or the environment come together to stop them the more the mustangs win.
LikeLike
It’s election year and way past time for reform
Check the voting record of your congressman
Americans will no longer know which country their meat has come from after Congress votes to scrap labelling laws on packaging
Congress has voted to scrap laws requiring red meat to have origin labels
Came after a decade of wrangling in Congress and the courts over labels
But consumer groups have slammed the move saying it doesn’t help customers
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3383520/Consumers-wont-know-meat-origin-US-ends-labeling-law.html
It’s a major victory for the meat industry, which has fought the law in Congress and the courts since early 2000.
LikeLike
From Moab Sun News:
Has Bundy insurection bitten the dust
http://www.moabsunnews.com/opinion/article_8dbb6b8a-f755-11e5-914a-b7ce8f52c676.html
LikeLike
Forest Service increases rogue ranchers allotment by 70% for 2016
http://www.thewildlifenews.com/2016/03/28/forest-service-increases-rogue-ranchers-use-by-70-for-2016
LikeLike
Yes I can
Great work
As a mustang owner rider with several placed in appalled by the BLM and it’s horrible self serving propaganda .
It’s clear to me they want these wonderful horses to become extinct
Sad part is most Americans have no idea they belong to all of you . Wasn’t till I came West that II became aware of the atrocities . I’m British so have no say since not a citizen therefore banned from any voice far as voting for government etc
LikeLike