HomeMy WebLinkAbout94-319
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RESOLUTION KO. 94-319
RESOLUTION ON LOCAL INVOLVEMI~NT IN THE DESIGN OF A NEW
POLICY FOR FEDERAL LANDS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF
THE UNITED STATES BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WHEREAS, the United States Department of the Interior is proposing to
change its policy on managing Fed,:!ral lands under the jurisdiction of the United
States Bureau of Land Management and, if that policy is successfully changes, the
policy on managing United States forest service land should also be changed; and
WHEREAS, the Secretary of the Interior, Bruce Babbitt, held numerous
hearings to get input on how a new policy for managing Federal lands should be
designed; and
WHEREAS, Interior Secretary Babbitt is proposing that there be more input
from local concerns on how Federal lands are managed than was originally proposed
and is further proposing that the Federal government only specify general principles
for managing Federal lands; and
WHEREAS, the Federal Code of Regulations, 36, 40, 43 and others require
federal agencies to coordinate, cooperate, consult, resolve, and be consistent with
local (County) governments land use plans; and
WHEREAS, under the new proposal, important decision making responsibilities
would be shifted from Federal government land managers to local "Multiple
Resource Advisory Councils" composed of environmentalists, a rancher, a miner, a
timberman, a recreationalist, and local elected officials, which needs to be changed
to an equal basis, and
WHEREAS, under the new proposal, a local citizen board called "Rangeland
Resource Teams" would be authorized to administer specific tracts of land and to
spend n percentage of grazing feef' on the improvement of such local lands: and
WHEREAS, the cattle incltlf't.v genern tes billions of dollars: and
WHEREAS, ranchers utilize Federal lands for grazing purposes and ranchers
provide and important component in the economy of the County; and
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Resolution No. 94-319
Page 2
WHEREAS, an unrealistic increase in grazing fees will contribute to the
financial failure of ranches which Olre the best hope of the West for maintaining
open space; and
WHEREAS, the conservation and improvement of the quality of Federal
lands is a goal of the users of Federal lands and such conservation and
improvement of quality can best he realized t.hrough input and control by local
concerns, if: County land use plans., and not through a unilaterally imposed increase
in grazing fees:
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED t.hat since the National Association of
Counties (NACO) and its Western Interstate Region (WIR), approved the adoption of
a similar resolution, August 3, 1994l, the Mohave County Board of Supervisors:
1)
Would support the use of local "Multiple Resource Advisory Councils" if all
membership is on an equal basis, t.o design a new policy for the utilization
and conservation of public lands under l~he jurisdiction of the United States
Bureau of Land Management in concert with local land use plans and
recognizes that the use of such councils is also appropriate to the
management of lands within the National Forest System; and
2) Supports the use of equal footing citizen boards called "Rangeland Resource
Teams" to administer specific land tracts and to spend a percentage of
grazing fees on the improvement of local lands; and
3) Asserts that. incentives to local ranchers should be considered, including
financial incentives in the form of using a portion of grazing fees for
improvements to t.he rangelands throu?,h the efforts of local ranches: and
4)
Asserts that a unilatera]]v imp"sed increase U1 grazing fees such as those
proposed in the 19~4 fisC8l ."'=.~11' hudlZet f(1!' the Department elf the Interior
will hurt ranchers throughout the County and will negatively impact businesses
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Resolution No. 94-319
Page ~l
which rely upon ranching directly and indirectly curtailing the ability of
ranchers to be good rangeland stewards, and encouraging the loss of open
space; and
5)
Asserts that retention of permanent viable rangeland livestock industry is
essential to the economy and quality of life; and
6)
Asserts that it is imperative for Federal agencies to comply with the intent
of the Federal Code of Regulations pertaining to public lands, County land use
plans, the custom, culture, and community stability when Federal land use
plans are being considered, and that this intent of equal footing be
administered.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copIes of this resolution be sent to the
United States Secretary of the Interior, the United States Secretary of
Agriculture, the United State:3 Hour Committee on Natural Resources,. the
United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and the
United States Committees on Agriculture.
Adopted by the Public Lands Steering Committee August, 1994
Adopted by the NACO Board A.ugust, 1994
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 6th day of September, 1994.
MOHA VE C~OUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
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Ur1111 ('. W;1t'd. Chairman