In 2015, the Obama administration pulled the rug out from underneath local stakeholders by imposing a blanket regulatory approach for managing sage grouse in 11 states across the West.
For countless stakeholders—conservationists, ranchers, and politicians, to name a few—the move came as an unwelcome surprise, as they spent years developing comprehensive state-based plans to manage sage grouse populations, only to see their input largely disregarded in the 2015 federal sage grouse plan amendments.
However, we did not go silently. We consistently spoke out against a one-size-fits-all approach to species conservation. The new administration seems to have finally heard the calls of cattle and sheep producers, taking an important step toward correcting the flawed 2015 plans by opening a public comment period on six enhanced state-based management plans. While this new amendment process is great progress, our work is far from done. The public comment period leaves the door open for positive permanent modifications—but only if livestock producers can convincingly make their case.
To help our industry achieve lasting impact and restore power to states and local land managers, our organizations are joining together to launch a “grouseroots” comment campaign. The goal is simple: Provide decision-makers at the Department of Interior with the data they need to finalize and implement state-focused management plans that protect the sage grouse and rural economies.
Each and every producer’s voice matters in the process. All of us understand the diversity across operations in our industry, and we know all too well the need for outcome-based land management plans in our states. Now we all need to do our part to ensure these realities are reflected in federal policies.
The benefits of our shared vision for our environment and our communities has been proven time and time again. From installing wildlife-friendly infrastructure to tackling invasive species, voluntary efforts helped account for sage grouse habitat gains totaling millions of acres. The risk of losing that habitat to wildfire—which science has proven to be the single greatest threat to sage grouse—is also significantly reduced wherever grazing is permitted to occur. Without the conservation contributions of ranchers and local land managers, agencies would be out countless dollars and resources trying to implement similar safeguards.
Serving as stewards of the land is our heritage and shared responsibility. That means addressing the needs of all species, not just livestock. It means managing for optimal soil, water, and grasses on the range. And it means working with agencies, outside conservation groups, and neighbors to get the job done.
Today, that shared responsibility should also mean picking up a pen and voicing our support for state-based sage grouse management plans. We must use the public comment period to reiterate the benefits of active, outcome-based management and illustrate how these practices create a thriving community for cattle, sheep, sage grouse, and the entire western ecosystem.
Unfortunately, history suggests this public comment period will favor the extremist groups that ignite their activists with form letters and a misguided agenda. These letters result in hundreds of thousands of identical comments on the record from individuals who have no knowledge or understanding of the local impacts.
However, under the National Environmental Policy Act, deference is given to substantive comments from impacted stakeholder groups with local knowledge of the issue. When it comes to sage grouse, it is hard to find a better example than ranchers. While the manufactured support from outside interests is inevitable, it is a clear reminder of how our industry must respond. There is no substitute for original and on-the-ground stakeholder support. We know we will be outnumbered, but we do not have to be silent.
To that end, we are asking you to take step up and be counted in this process. Talk to your county, state, and national organizations; get up to speed on the biggest issues in your state; and get your comments on the record. Make sure your comments reflect your involvement in this issue (e.g., “I am a rancher with federal grazing permits and sage grouse habitat, and this is how the plans impact my operation…”) and make sure your neighbors do the same.
This time of year, we always have more pressing issues to attend to on our operations, but we promise that the time you spend making your voice heard will pay dividends for your ranch for years to come. — Presidents Kevin Kester, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association; Dave Eliason, Public Lands Council; Mike Corn, American Sheep Industry
“We know we will be outnumbered, but we do not have to be silent.”
