No Fee Increases In New Grazing Rules

The Interior Department announced grazing policy changes Friday that it said would improve rangeland management and increase protection of millions of acres of federal land that is used by ranchers.

As expected, the proposal did not include higher grazing fees, although Michael Dombeck, acting director of the Bureau of Land Management, said, “We continue to believe the grazing fee formula needs to be changed.”

In December, Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt abandoned his plans to impose higher grazing fees for the department’s 270 million acres of rangeland. Babbitt said the level of fees ought to be set by Congress.

The new rules would allow substantial involvement of local and state officials in developing rangeland management programs. Conservationists have argued instead for greater federal control.

One particularly sensitive issue involving water rights was resolved by agreeing to generally follow the dictates of state laws. “The role of states in establishing water rights is fully recognized,” the BLM said.