Usfs Crackdown On Grazing Blasted Crapo, Chenoweth Say Agency Overzealous On Permit Violations

Western Republicans accused the Forest Service on Tuesday of trying to run ranchers off national forests by cracking down on violations of livestock grazing permits.

“This is intimidation,” Rep. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, said during a hearing before the House Resources subcommittee on forestry.

“The Forest Service in this case is acting as the police, the judge and the executioner,” he said about new policies in some forests that result in revocation of permits from two-time offenders.

Environmentalists responded by accusing the Republican lawmakers of interfering with the agency’s ability to enforce environmental regulations intended to combat overgrazing.

“Using this guise of oversight, this hearing is in reality a legislative lynching of public servants because these resource managers are trying to do their job,” said Jeff DeBonis, a former Forest Service worker from Hood River, Ore., who is the executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.

Rep. Bruce Vento, D-Minn., also defended the new guidelines, saying, “I’m glad the Forest Service has taken a serious attitude to protect the national forests.”

Rep. Helen Chenoweth, R-Idaho, subcommittee chairwoman, said the new policy appeared to be “the culmination of a pattern by the Forest Service to try to eliminate livestock grazing.”

Penalties for violators range from suspension of 25 percent of grazing days for three years plus payment for unauthorized foraging to permit revocation plus payment for damages.

“This shouldn’t concern those permittees who are following the rules. As far as those who are not following the rules, they should be concerned,” said William Lavere, supervisor of the Sawtooth National Forest in Idaho.