Help Keep Public Lands Wild

Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act

Domestic livestock grazing on America's public lands is a leading cause of conflict with other uses, including wild horses and burros. Permitted livestock grazing occurs on over 200 million acres—by far the most pervasive use of federal public lands. Many of these landscapes are impacted by changing climatic conditions, including prolonged drought and an increase in invasive annual grasses. Reducing livestock on public lands will help restore the health of the environment, decrease litigious battles, and allow for native wildlife to reach thriving population numbers throughout Western states.

If passed into federal law, the Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act (VGPRA) would provide permit holders the option to relinquish their contractual agreements in exchange for a fair market price. Help protect America's public lands, wild horses, and other wildlife by reaching out to your federal lawmakers. Urge them to support this vital legislation by becoming a cosponsor!

+ FIND YOUR U.S. REPRESENTATIVE

+ CURRENT COSPONSORS OF THE VOLUNTARY GRAZING PERMIT RETIREMENT ACT

The Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act is expected to be reintroduced in the first quarter of 2021

+ SUGGESTED SCRIPT FOR CONTACTING YOUR LEGISLATORS

As a constituent, I urge (your U.S. Representative's name) to cosponsor the Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act to aid in the protection of public lands and wildlife, including our nation's wild horses and burros. Occurring on 200 million acres of federal public lands, domestic livestock grazing is the most pervasive and damaging use of America's public lands. Across the West, millions of non-native sheep and cattle destroy vegetation, contaminate watersheds, spread invasive weeds, deprive native wildlife of forage and shelter, accelerate desertification and even contribute to global warming.

Livestock grazing on federal public lands can lead to conflicts with other multiple uses including impacts to wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities. In many cases, simply removing livestock is the best solution to reduce or resolve these conflicts. The voluntary retirement of grazing permits authorized by the VGPRA is the most cost-effective and equitable way to address this issue. Current law and regulations either do not allow for the retirement of grazing permits or make the process unnecessarily difficult and uncertain.

Please cosponsor and support the Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act without delay.

Thank you

+ ADDITIONAL TALKING POINTS

Congress has authorized the permanent closure of grazing allotments when the permits or leases are voluntarily waived in specific areas including; Death Valley National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Arches National Park, Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve, and Wilderness Areas in the Owyhee Canyonlands and Boulder-White Clouds. Expanding this authority to all public lands managed by the Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture in the 16 Western states will enhance conservation efforts and provide additional flexibility for livestock producers grazing on federal public lands.

The VGPRA also preserves existing conservation gains from permit retirement agreements that have occurred without legislative authority by ensuring that these allotments are permanently off limits to grazing. Once thought to be secure, recent actions by the BLM to reauthorize grazing in retired allotments within the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument demonstrate the need for Congress to provide specific direction to the agencies and honor these agreements.

Many scientific studies indicate that long-term rest from livestock grazing can lead to significant improvements in the capacity of soils to sequester carbon. This is especially true in arid and semi-arid landscapes that make of the bulk of lands currently permitted for grazing. Voluntary grazing permit retirement can create opportunities for restoration and facilitate a market-based mechanism to improve climate resiliency on western public lands.

Some species of iconic wildlife such as wild bighorn sheep suffer from disease outbreaks due to contact with domestic sheep that graze on federal public lands. The VGPRA creates an equitable opportunity to resolve these conflicts when there is no other solution but to remove livestock in order to protect wild sheep.

Native predators such as cougars, grizzly bears, wolves, and coyotes are often targeted for removal and killed as a result of conflicts with domestic livestock on public lands. In some cases, the best solution for the permittee, the land managers, and the public is to retire the grazing permits associated with chronic depredations. The VGPRA can lead to solutions that help restore the natural balance between predators and native prey species on our public lands.

Connective corridors for wildlife migrations are gaining recognition as an essential element of climate resiliency. Livestock grazing allotments can create barriers to movement for some wildlife species due to the presence of livestock related infrastructure such as fences and handling facilities. Opportunities to protect and enhance wildlife migration corridors can result as through the voluntary retirement of grazing permits authorized by the VGPRA.