JUNE, 2012 "In The Crosshairs"
June 29, 2012
Subcommittee Chairman Mike Simpson Withdraws Bighorn Sheep Amendment
to Interior Appropriation Bill
Representative Mike Simpson of Idaho,
Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and the
Environment, has withdrawn his rider to the 2013 Interior
Appropriations Bill. This amendment would have blocked the Payette
National Forest from implementing the third and final phase of its
management plan to separate bighorn sheep from domestic sheep on
6,800 acres of public land through grazing reductions.
"Today, I'm calling for a 'time out' from
the fighting and allegations - many of which are false", said
Chairman Simpson earlier today. "I got involved in this issue
because I care deeply for our ranchers and for the tribes and
sportsmen who work so hard on bighorn sheep conservation. I got
involved to find a reasonable solution and tried to work with
ranchers, hunters, and land management agencies to solve this
problem."
The Payette National Forest management
plan was finalized in 2010 and the first phase, which banned
domestic sheep from 54,000 acres, took effect this past year. The
second wave of closures will have another 7,700 acres closed to
grazing this year. In 2013, the final 6,800 acres will go off-line,
totaling approximately 68,500 acres of closures.
The Chairman proposed the new rider,
which specifically mentioned the Payette National Forest and would
have not allowed federal agencies to spend money to institute
grazing reductions that would be implemented after July 1, 2011.
However, Representative Simpson decided for a withdrawal of the
amendment so that all interested parties can come to the table to
discuss potential solutions.
"We appreciate Chairman Simpson taking a
step back in order to foster further consideration" said
Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation President Jeff Crane. "We
believe the Congressman's approach is right on target."
Chairman Simpson added similar language
to a fiscal 2012 spending bill that forbid the Forest Service and
Bureau of Land Management from implementing restrictions on domestic
sheep grazing that did not exist before July 1, 2012. This rider was
taken to court and earlier this month, federal Judge B. Lynn Winmill
of Boise ruled that Payette National Forest was exempt from this
rider because this plan was finalized before the aforementioned
date.
"American sportsmen have always
appreciated Chairman Simpson's leadership for sustainable and
collaborative conservation for all public land user groups," said
Safari Club International (SCI) President John Whipple. "SCI looks
forward to working with Chairman Simpson to ensure continued funding
for bighorn sheep research. Without his support, the needed
scientific backing for appropriate local decision-making will not
exist."
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