Public Lands Council The Daily Roundup

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BLM: Director Stone-Manning confirms plans for headquarters. Stone-Manning: Agency moving back to D.C., leaving two officials in

Colorado, Missoula Current - The Bureau of Land Management plans to keep two senior positions in western Colorado as most of the agency’s leaders move back to Washington, Director Tracy Stone-Manning told BLM staff in an email Tuesday. Eight assistant directors and deputy assistant directors will relocate to the Interior Department’s headquarters in the District of Columbia, Stone-Manning wrote. They will join the director, deputy director for policy and programs and deputy director for operations positions that are already based in the nation’s capital. The top two officials overseeing national conservation lands and community partnerships will remain in Grand Junction, Colo., to “anchor the BLM’s Western headquarters,” Stone-Manning wrote.

Wildfire: Strong winds spread fire in the Midwest Wednesday. Very strong winds spread fires in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, Wildfire Today

- Very strong winds in Kansas and the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma caused wildfires to spread very rapidly Wednesday. Blowing dust also caused severe visibility problems, and prompted the street lights to come on at noon in at least one area.

Supply Chain: Lack of truck drivers becoming an issue.

Lack of available truckers adds to supply chain challenges, Agri-Pulse - A shortage of truck drivers has both agriculture industry stakeholders and lawmakers concerned as supply chain bottlenecks make it difficult for retailers, producers and consumers to obtain the inputs they need or get their own products to the market. While shortages of materials and congestion at ports have all played a role in disrupting the steady flow of goods through the country, the availability of truck drivers has also been a contributing factor that has gummed up the supply chain. The Department of Transportation said in a press release that turnover rates are 90% for large long haul carriers and over 72% for small carriers. According to DOT, this means drivers are regularly either leaving the companies they work for or the industry altogether.

Sheep Industry: Congressmen introduce legislation to protect producers. Rep. Pfluger Introduces Resolution to Protect American Sheep and Goat

Producers, Texas GOP Vote - Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture published a final rule on the importation of sheep, goats and certain other ruminants, which could have serious consequences for American sheep and goat producers. The rule removes critical protections against fatal diseases, such as scrapie, when the administration should be focusing on opening new export markets for American producers. In response, I introduced a bipartisan bill to require the USDA to delay implementation of the rule until its impacts on American sheep producers can be fully studied. Companion legislation has been filed in the Senate by Senator John Barrasso (S. 3354). Cosponsors of the legislation include Representatives Henry Cuellar, Ronny Jackson, Nicole Malliotakis, Jodey Arrington, Tony Gonzales, Yvette Herrell, Chris Stewart, Jeff Fortenberry, Dusty Johnson, and Liz Cheney. The measure is supported by the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI), Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association (TSGRA), American Farm Bureau, and Texas Farm Bureau.

ESA: FWS sued over ESA regulations. FWS sued over ‘burdensome’ ESA regulations after endangered bird’s habitat

overlaps with cattle ranch, Law Street Media - A cattle growers’ association sued several federal agencies for the allegedly “burdensome federal regulations” on land use imposed under the Endangered Species Act, particularly for cattle growers who rely on their land for their livelihood.

Ag Industry: Sector provides more than 10% of jobs. Ag, related industries provide 10.3 percent of employment, Western Livestock

Journal - In 2020, 19.7 million jobs were related to Ag and food sectors, 10.3% of total U.S. employment. Direct on-farm employment accounted for about 2.6 million of these jobs, or 1.4% of employment. Employment in Ag and food-related industries supported another 17.1 million jobs. Of this, food service, eating and drinking places accounted for the largest share at 10.5 million jobs. Food and beverage stores supported 3.3 million jobs. The remaining Ag-related industries together added another 3.3 million jobs. — USDA Economic Research Service.

Wild Horses: BLM to begin wild horse gather.

BLM to begin wild horse and burro gather, Fox 5 - The BLM will begin a wild horse and burro gather about 30 miles southwest of Tonopah in Nye County. It’s happening “on or around” Dec. 18 on the Nevada Wild Horse Range Herd Management Area. According to BLM, The appropriate management level for the Nevada Wild Horse Range Herd Management Area is 300-500 wild horses and zero wild burros. As of March 1, 2021, the estimated population was 736 wild horses and 95 wild burros, which does not include the foals born this year.

Wolves, Wildlife & Wilderness: Legal battle over predator killing in Nevada wilderness, DeFazio says wolves need emergency protection, County claims wilderness areas encroach on ranches,

Dems and Republicans can work together to save wildlife.

New legal battle over predators killing in Nevada wilderness, KUOW - Co nservationists are suing three federal agencies over the adequacy of an environmental review the government has said satisfies requirements to resume killing coyotes, mountain lions and other wildlife in federally protected wilderness areas in Nevada. The move comes five years after the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Wildlife Services settled a similar lawsuit by suspending the operations intended to protect livestock from predators.

DeFazio to Interior: Wolves need emergency protection under Endangered

Species Act, KCBY- Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon and dozens of other lawmakers sent a letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland on Thursday urging her department to “immediately issue an emergency listing to temporarily restore federal protections through the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to the gray wolf.”

County claims Lincoln National Forest’s proposed “wilderness areas” encroach

on ranches, Alamogordo Daily News - A draft of the proposed Lincoln National Forest Plan caused concern among Otero County Commissioners, who Dec. 13 approved a resolution voicing opposition to the plan proposed by the Forest Service.

Democrats and Republicans can work together to save America’s wildlife,

Fox News - At a time difficult to find areas of agreement in Washington, the outdoors have proven to be a real uniting force. The two of us were proud to help lead the bipartisan effort last year to pass the historic Great American Outdoors Act into law, which is already helping us tackle the longstanding infrastructure backlog at our national parks and public lands. We are now teaming up to make similar historic progress on species recovery and wildlife habitat.

Weed Management: Comment period opens for weed-management on public lands.

Comment period opens for weed-management on public lands, KUOW - BLM is preparing an environmental assessment (EA) to evaluate the use of integrated weed management practices, including chemical and mechanical treatments, to effectively manage noxious and invasive terrestrial and aquatic plant species on public lands throughout the BLM Gunnison Field Office. The BLM plans to open a 30-day public scoping period that began Dec. 15 to identify potential issues and concerns and additional information the BLM should consider in its analysis.