DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WATCHMAN
My brother says dept of ag has no guts. but dept of ag recommended to Resources & Development Committee to withdraw all grazing permits and start anew. RDC has that power. But RDC said it wanted to do that through legislation and this proposed Rangeland Improvement Act is to provide justification for those kinds of actions.
there are pple that feel that they really own the land and they are raised that way. so how do you provide security. this offers how to incorporate public recommendations.
customary use has numerous court rulings and come contradictory. no sense of control results in no economic development. and elected officials do get compromised and trying to move through administrative hearings but not being taken there.
appreicate your comments but for the record the dept of ag recommended to take real strong approach and RDC said no.
Central grazing committee which is RDC is where buck stops. BIA recommended for letter to BIA to reduce livestock amd cancel. Legislation is to cancel based on carrying capacity of range. in eastern, all scientific evidence calls for cancellation of grazing permits which would remove livestock off range.
RDC MEMBER/DELEGATE TSOSIE
You are paid handsomely to get hot under the collar. And I think you were accusing RDC of contradicting themselves and untrue. Put that recommendation that you said that you made to RDC in writing to RDC.
And i believe that you could write letter to BIA for cancellation of permits or to reduce livestock. There will be an outcry.
At one of RDC hearing, elders were the one testifing about how they pick up trash, keep track of rangeland health. They were the ones that also reported that feral horses were ruining their range.
Also 2,000 weekend cowboys who are grazing permit holders need to be addressed.
And I support cancellation/reduction of grazing permits so range would be taken care of, so young pple can come home cuz they know they’ll get homesite lease, so young pple with dreams of of owning business will have their dream realized.
After pass real tough Grazing Act, we may not get re-elected but that’s okay cuz we did the right thing. i encourage colleagues to support tough Grazing Act. And I want Watchman to put his earlier recommendation in writing.
I also agree that there is a huge enforcement problem. We saw 20 mobile homes on one homesite lease which is illegal. And instead of RDC being administrative hearing body, give to Office of Hearings & Appeals along with funding for more hearing officers where their decisions can be appealed to tribal courts.
Why don’t we just start writing and Watchman give me your tough recommendation in writing.
It will be a tough decision and we may not be back if we vote yes.
