BLM institutes 25 percent reduction in grazing

The Pinedale Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management issued a decision last week instituting an across-the-board 25 percent reduction in livestock grazing this season in response to drought conditions.

The agency did back off on some of its original plans for reduced grazing this year due to recent moisture, but the decision does still limit permittees to only 75 percent of their normal permitted levels. Permittees can make this adjustment by reducing the number of livestock or the amount of time these livestock will be using public land, or a combination of both.

BLM did not delay turn-out dates as earlier proposed, nor has it told any permittees that they cannot use their allotments this year.

Doug Powell of the BLM said Tuesday that if permittees had already worked out their grazing plans with the BLM, this new decision doesn’t replace their earlier decision. But if the new decision is more restrictive, it must be complied with, he said.