[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
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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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