[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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