The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently issued an adjusted environmental assessment for a new allotment management plan and a proposed decision that would allow for expanded livestock grazing in the Alvord Desert of southeastern Oregon.
BLM previously released an environmental assessment in July 2021 for the allotment, and a final decision was made in March this year. The decision was appealed by Western Watersheds Project, WildLands Defense and Wild Horse Education. In reviewing the appeals, BLM decided the groups provided comments that were not previously considered for the proposed decision and adjusted the environmental assessment as a result. The new proposed decision is based on the amended assessment.
The Oct. 21 proposed decision allows a 10-year grazing permit renewal, management changes and range developments for the Alvord Allotment. Specific actions include: approval of the allotment management plan, reinstatement of a portion of land that was previously suspended for use, pasture establishment, changes to grazing management, water hauling, fence construction, road closure and trough installation, among others.
The proposed decision would allow about 9,000 animal units months (AUMs) on all pastures in the Alvord Allotment. The decision would allow one pasture that was previously suspended for use to stock 1,415 AUMs. The permittee would also be allowed to drill wells and install troughs within the pasture.
Environmental groups have once again opposed the proposed decision. “The Allotment Management Plan, if implemented, would increase cattle stocking rates, authorize the drilling of seven new wells, increase grazing pressure inside Wilderness Study Areas, further imperil sage grouse, and allow cattle continued access to damage streams that contain Lahontan cutthroat trout, a federally threatened species protected under the Endangered Species Act,” Western Watersheds Project said in a statement.
The group filed a protest with BLM and plans to appeal the final decision when it is released.
Wild horse advocates claim the proposal does not address horse management.
“We keep destroying wild horse habitat, blaming the horse BLM claims to manage, yet the agency makes absolutely zero attempts to create any management plan for wild horses. The paperwork proves wild horses are just being removed to suit livestock,” Laura Leigh, founder and president of Wild Horse Education, said in a statement.
The advocacy group also recommended its supporters back the Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act, which would give a limited number of permittees the option to sell their permit for the purpose of retiring an allotment.
“This legislation represents a fiscally-sound approach to addressing permittees and landscapes (affected) by climate change, increasing conflicts under drought, declining productivity of individual livestock operations, etc.,” the group said. — Anna Miller, WLJ managing editor
