ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL GRASSLANDS

MAY 2015 NEWSLETTER AND ANNUAL MEETING INFORMATION

2015 Officers
President
Mark Tubbs
10891 River Road
Edgemont, SD 57735
President Elect
Bob Harshbarger
1162 Lynch Rd.
Newcastle, WY 82701
Vice President
Dan Anderson
c/o Grand River Grazing Association
P.O. Box 538
Lemmon, SD 57638
Sec-Treas.
Joan Cantrell
23954 Recluse Rd
Philip, SD 57567

Intermingled State and Federal Lands

Ryan Brunner
South Dakota Commissioner of School and Public Lands
The 2015 grazing season is almost upon us. Many of our producers
out there are looking forward to some needed moister the South Dakota
Drought Monitor lists much of our state as Abnormally Dry. Spring also
means that its auction time for the office of School and Public Lands. We
have been busy traveling around the state conducting surface auctions to lease
81,000 acres.
In my conversations with trust land users across the state, I have had
many discussions dealing with intermingled federal and state lands. These issues involve access, grazing allotments, endangered species, and weed and pest management. We are
committed to working with the federal, state, and local agencies to help find solutions for these issues
for South Dakotas ranchers with intermingled state trust lands.
We recently reached an agreement with the US Forest Service to keep open a section line
road that accessed state and private lands. Maintaining access to state trust lands that are leased at
public auction is important for sustaining the value of both public and private lands. We are also willing to work with federal, state, and local agencies to improve access, fencing, or water for state trust
lands.
We also purchase chemical and biological control for weeds and pests on state trust lands.
The lessee is responsible for the application. I would encourage all of our lessees to be good neighbors
by controlling weed and pest issues in a timely manner.
I would like to thank you for your continued good stewardship of our lands. As always, feel
free to contact us at any time with your questions or concerns. Also, take a few minutes to stop in the
office the next time youre in Pierre!

U.S. Senator John Thune Inroduces Prescribed Burn Legislation

Senator John Thune has introduced legislation that prohibits Federal Agencies from starting prescribed fires when the Grassland
Fire Index is high, very high or extreme, unless the Federal Agency obtains approval from the State Government and local fire officials.
Thunes legislation also provides that the Federal Agency authorizing a prescribed fire that causes damages will be liable and shall pay
substantiated claims within 120 days of receipt. Please encourage your member of Congress to support Senator Thunes legislation.

Attend ANGs Annual Meeting

September 14-15, 2015

Fountain InnNewcastle, Wyoming

2 Fountain PlazaNewcastle, WY 82701 1-800-882-8858

To register, call 605-745-3228 or email lance_russell@yahoo.com

Lodging: $69/night for single rooms; $79/night for double rooms.

Call 1-800-882-8858 to make your lodging accommodations!

ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL GRASSLANDS

www.nationalgrasslands.org

APRIL 2015 NEWSLETTER AND ANNUAL MEETING INFORMATIONPAGE 2

National Defense Authorization Act of 2014 Amends the Federal

Land Policy Management Act (FLPMA)
The United States Congress amended FLPMA with the December 2014 passage of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014 (NDAA). President Obama signed the NDAA. Section 3023 of the Act for
the first time includes the National Grasslands in this portion of FLPMA. BLM, National Forest and National
Grasslands permits will all be categorically excluded from the requirements of having an Environmental Assessment or an Environmental Impact Statement prepared prior to re-issuance of a grazing permit as long as the
land is meeting the LRMP grazing objectives.
This amendment to 43 USC 1752 of FLPMA places the National Grasslands on equal footing with the
BLM and National Forest permittees, and prevents environmental appeals designed to stop grazing on allotments during the NEPA appeals process.

Forest Service to Consider Eliminating Grazing in Proposed

Wilderness Area on the Buffalo Gap National Grassland
The Wall Ranger District has started
We have been given definite orders to
the NEPA scoping process for Cheyenne
submit the submarginal land project in
River Allotments in Pennington County,
Jackson and Pennington Counties to
South Dakota.
Washington by November 10th.
The Forest Service scoping notice
states that the action is needed because
existing conditions are not meeting the
LRMP direction for desired diversity of
vegetation structure and vegetation composition.
The Forest Service has identified the purpose of this project also
includes determining if livestock grazing will continue to be authorized
on all, none, or portions of the six federal grazing allotments in the project area, and if livestock grazing is to continue, how to best maintain
or achieve LRMP direction.
ANG made formal comment that
Enclosed is, besides the Offer to Sell, a
the wilderness designation was restricting water development and cre- set of questions and answers which
cover many of the questions commonly
ating harm to the riparian areas.
asked.
ANG proposed alternatives for
NEPA consideration to eliminate the
wilderness management to enhance
management flexibility.
1. Q. What does the government intend
The 1934 USDA letter to a
to do with this land if it is purlandowner near the wilderness manchased?
aged allotments was included in the
A. The land that is purchased will be
comment to demonstrate that landorganized into grazing districts to
owners were induced to sell their
be used by local stockmen. The
land because of the promise of livenumber of stock which will be
stock grazing, and that consideraallowed on this range will be limtion of elimination of livestock was
ited so that the pasture will not be
an inappropriate alternative for
overgrazed.
NEPA consideration.

~ NOTICE TO ANG MEMBERS ~

Original documents, like this 1934 USDA letter above, can be very powerful
evidence in advocating permittees rights. If you have, or know someone
who has, original documents that may be of help to ANG, please consider
providing a copy to our ANG Archives by sending it to:
P.O. 184, Hot Springs, SD 57747

Nov. 5, 1934