    [Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 10, 2018)]
    [Extensions of Remarks]
    [Pages E27-E28]
    From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

           IN RECOGNITION OF A SUCCESSFUL IDAHO CONSERVATION PROGRAM

                                     ______

                            HON. MICHAEL K. SIMPSON

                                    of idaho

                        in the house of representatives

                          Wednesday, January 10, 2018

      Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an important
    conservation program taking place in central Idaho that was created as
    part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Jerry Peak Wilderness
    Additions Act. I also want to acknowledge the outstanding cooperation
    between Idaho conservationists and ranchers that have made this program
    a success.
      The signing of the law in 2015 created three new wilderness areas
    totaling over 429 square miles. This jewel in the heart of Idaho was
    protected for future generations to enjoy. It also returned significant
    amounts of wilderness study areas back to multiple use allowing
    individuals and families to engage in outdoor and recreational
    activities for years to come.
      When I began working on the Boulder-White Clouds bill nearly 20 years
    ago, ranchers on the East Fork of the Salmon River were facing
    significant headwinds to their traditional way of life. Lawsuits,
    federal regulations, and other obstacles were making it difficult to
    graze on their federal allotments. In many instances, their allotted
    animal unit months (AUMs) had been significantly reduced and in some
    cases completely eliminated. The trend going forward was not positive.
      It became clear to me that providing opportunities for the ranching
    families to continue their livelihoods would be critical to a final
    outcome. A final bill would need to provide area ranchers with options
    that could help them reset their grazing operations and provide greater
    certainty for them in the future.
      To meet this need, we developed a program in which area ranchers
    could voluntarily retire individual allotments that might not be
    economically viable to their ongoing ranching operations in exchange
    for compensation from a private third party.
      This program specified that agreements were to be voluntary, that
    ranchers would be paid for all of the AUMs on their allotment and that
    funding would come from third party private entities and not the
    federal government.
      Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to say that last month marked the completion
    of the initial phase of voluntary retirements.
      In the past year, four families have retired five allotments and
    received over $1.35 million in private compensation. Some of these
    allotments were proving difficult to use and were marginally viable in
    their traditional operations. Through our program, the ranchers were
    paid for every AUM on each allotment.
      On the conservation side, over 126,000 acres of pristine and
    ecologically important areas that include winter and summer range for
    elk and deer, important sage grouse habitat, and some of the highest
    elevation spawning habitat for ocean-going salmon and steelhead found
    anywhere will no longer be grazed. These were high conflict areas that
    have experienced past litigation and would probably see future
    litigation or regulation.
      I am very pleased to say that the voluntary retirement program has
    been a success and a win for both the ranchers and for conservation.
    While the initial third party funding for the voluntary retirement
    program has expired, the mechanism still exists for ranchers to retire
    allotments in the future, should they so choose. In doing so, they will
    be free to enter into new agreements with new terms. These future
    agreements will be of their own accord between the ranchers and
    conservation interests.
      Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the following organizations
    and individuals for their contributions to the voluntary retirement
    program.
      The Idaho Conservation League were the backbone behind the voluntary
    grazing retirement program. The legislation provided the mechanism for
    the voluntary retirements and they provided the muscle, resources, and
    expertise to carry out this initial batch of retirements.
      I want to give special thanks to Rick Johnson, the Executive Director
    of the Idaho Conservation League. Rick worked very closely with my
    staff and me as we developed the program. He made sure the grant
    funding was in place prior to passage of the legislation so that
    promises made to the ranchers would be kept after the bill became law.
    Rick has been a true friend and partner from start to finish in this
    process.
      A very big thanks and well done go to John Robison, Public Lands
    Director of the Idaho

    [[Page E28]]

    Conservation League. John facilitated each retirement from start to
    finish. He worked with multiple people and agencies and exhibited great
    professional skill and patience in getting each retirement completed.
    His outstanding work with various parties under short deadlines was
    critical to the success of this program.
      I also want to thank the ranching families on the East Fork of the
    Salmon River. They are great people, who with their past generations,
    have made significant contributions to the region and to our country.
    When we first met together 17 years ago they told me their concerns and
    we came up with an idea of how we might go forward. They put their
    trust in me and I believe we came up with a plan to give them an
    opportunity to help put them in a better place. It has been a pleasure
    and honor to work with each family and I can proudly say that I believe
    the promises we made have been kept.
      I would also like to recognize the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau
    of Land Management (BLM) for their assistance in processing the
    retirements. In particular, I want to thank Kit Mullen, Sawtooth
    National Forest Supervisor; Kirk Flannigan, Sawtooth National
    Recreation Area Ranger; Andrea Cox, Supervisory Rangeland Management
    Specialist, Sawtooth National Forest; Ed Cannady, Recreation Manager,
    Sawtooth National Forest; Chuck Mark, Salmon-Challis National Forest
    Supervisor; Kurt Pindel, Challis-Yankee Fork District Ranger; Faith
    Ryan, Range and Weeds Program Lead, Salmon-Challis National Forest, Tim
    Murphy, BLM State Director (retired); and Todd Kuck, Field Manager, BLM
    Challis Field Office. They each did great work and we could not have
    completed the retirements without them.
      Finally, I would like to note that without this voluntary grazing
    retirement program, the Boulder-White Clouds and Jerry Peak wilderness
    bills would never have become law. The program was a lynchpin to the
    compromise that allowed us to protect one of the most pristine areas of
    Idaho. It seems apparent that the cost of the program was small in
    comparison to the benefits that future generations will receive when
    they enjoy the remarkable beauty and serenity of the Boulder-White
    Clouds and Jerry Peak. We all owe a great deal of thanks to those who
    provided the resources for the program and to the ranchers who put
    their trust in allowing it to go forward.

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