NEWS BRIEFS

Funding summit set

On May 3, U.S. Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis (both R-WY) alongside Gov. Mark Gordon, announced they are hosting a Federal Funding Summit to provide free professional instruction, access to agency representatives and various resources to help localities, counties and non-government organizations (NGO’s) apply for, secure and manage federal funds.

The Wyoming Federal Funding Summit will be held in Sheridan. The grant writing intensive will take place June 12-13 and the federal funding overview will take place June 14-15.

All sessions are free and open to the public, but prior registration is required. Space is limited for the professional grant writing workshop and slots will be given on a first-come, firstserved basis. Early registration is encouraged

In addition to the federal grant writing and management workshop, there will be additional panels and workshops on Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation Reduction Act funding, technical assistance and grant management and an open house with federal agency representatives, where participants will have the opportunity to bring them their projects, questions and ideas.

A full event agenda will be released in coming days. For more information and to register, visit lummis.senate.gov/ federal-funding-summit-rsvp

BLM releases draft analysis

Consistent with direction from the U.S. Montana District Court, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released a draft supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS) and potential amendment to the 2015 Buffalo Field Office Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for a 90-day public comment period.

As required by the court’s 2022 order, the draft supplemental EIS evaluates additional alternatives for federal coal leasing in the Buffalo Field Office, as well as updated information and analysis regarding the health impacts, both climate and non-climate, from the production of fossil fuels in the RMP area.

The draft supplemental analysis identifies three alternatives for comment and further review, including no leasing and limited leasing alternatives. To view the draft analysis, visit eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/ project/2021239/510

The BLM will hold one in-person public meeting on May 31 from 5-7 p.m. in Gillette at the George Amos Memorial Building. The BLM will also host one online public meeting on June 5 from 5-7 p.m. with registration information found on the above ePlanning project website.

Public comments must be received by Aug. 7.

For more information, contact BLM Project Manager Tom Bills at 307-684-1133.

Housing reform discussed

U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) discussed how to reform federal housing programs to improve affordable housing options in rural Wyoming during a Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation and Community Development hearing.

Expanding affordable rural housing is a priority for Lummis because roughly two-thirds of people in Wyoming live in a rural area. Too often, federal funding for affordable housing is narrowly focused on dense urban areas, so Lummis is working to ensure rural areas are not excluded from federal programs.

“When I talk about housing, I like to call attention to rural housing. This is because rural housing is different,” said Lummis. “For one thing, people in rural communities are more likely to be homeowners, and home ownership is important to build strong communities. But, some aspects of what makes rural housing different presents challenges. Rural housing is often older, and it can be more difficult and more expensive to find someone to fix a leaky roof or replace outdated electrical systems.”

In January, Lummis introduced the Choice in Affordable Housing Act to make it easier for people in Wyoming to access housing choice vouchers, often referred to as Section Eight vouchers. This legislation would provide eligible low-income families in Wyoming with increased housing choices and improved access to high-opportunity communities.

Energy leadership highlighted

Gov. Mark Gordon underscored Wyomingʼs position as a national leader in energy production and innovation on May 5 during a trip featuring stops at the Kemmerer Mine, the TerraPower Natrium site and the Shute Creek carbon capture and sequestration project.

During his visit to the Kemmerer Mine, Gordon met with workers and leaders in the coal mining industry, reassuring them of Wyoming’s commitment to coal. The governor applauded the workers’ dedication to producing energy to power the state, the country and the world and thanked them for their contributions to the state’s economy and national energy security.

At the TerraPower Natrium site, Gordon participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for the innovative nuclear plant which promises to provide safe, clean and affordable electricity.

This project is a joint venture between TerraPower and PacifiCorp. Gordon called it “a game-changer in the energy sector” and commended the parties involved for their forwardthinking and collaborative approach.

The governor ended his day with a visit to Shute Creek, the world’s largest carbon capture facility. At this site, he received an update on the progress of this cutting-edge technology which is integral to a sustainable energy future.

Rangelands in poor condition

During the first full week of May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistics Service released pasture and range conditions in the Monday Crop Progress Report.

Dry conditions continue to permeate through the middle of the country, and in the opening week of reported conditions, many regions were above the five-year average, which now includes drought years of 2020 and 2021. This is higher for the Western regions in particular.

The U.S. is showing 37 percent of pasture and range conditions are in poor or very poor conditions – needing supplemental feed. This is substantially better than last year’s 56 percent, but well above the five-year average of 20 percent.

The Western region has improved substantially and is below the five-year average at a little over 20 percent in poor and very poor conditions. However, the five-year average factors in two heavy drought years.

The Great Plains is kicking off the year at 40 percent in poor and very poor condition. This overlaps with a lot of cow/calf ranches and is a worrisome start to the season. However, it is far better than last year’s 60 percent, and is providing some optimism in the country.

The Southern Plains is starting out with the poorest conditions, which are close to last year’s values and is estimated at 53 percent. Timely rains will be required to prevent substantial liquidation again this year.

Other regions of the U.S., such as the Southeast, Northeast and Corn Belt are experiencing rather normal starts to the grazing season.

includes the Adobe Town, Great Divide Basin, Salt Wells Creek and White Mountain HMAs.

This area is associated with a 2013 consent decree made by the Rock Springs Grazing Association, which required the BLM to analyze specific wild horse management options as part of a new planning process. BLM prepared their amendment under the terms of this decree.

“The approved plan amendment removes all checkerboard land from three HMAs,” reads the BLM press release. “As a result of this action, two of the HMAs will revert to herd area status and will be managed for zero wild horses. The third will continue to be managed as a HMA with the checkerboard lands removed.”

BLM also notes under the amendment, appropriate management levels (AMLs) will change to 464 to 836 wild horses, a roughly 60 percent decrease from previous AMLs of 1,481 to 2,065 wild horses.

“Population tools will be used to help manage wild horse populations and reduce the frequency of gathers,” BLM states.

Final approval

Nearly a year ago, on May 6, 2022, the BLM published a final environmental impact statement (EIS) regarding this amendment and ini- tiated a 30-day protest period.

During those 30 days, the BLM received 26 letters of protest from various individuals and organizations.

“After careful review of the protest points, the BLM director confirmed BLM Wyoming had followed all applicable laws, regulations and policies and considered all relevant sources of information and public input in preparing the final EIS,” reads the press release. “Further, the BLM director determined no changes to the proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment were necessary.”

A Director’s Summary Protest Resolution was prepared and published by BLM on Dec. 15, 2022 and is available at blm.gov/wyoming/ directors-protest-resolutions/protest-resolutionreport/wild-horse-management-blm-rock

BLM also completed a 60-day Governor’s Consistency Review period with the publication of the final EIS.

For more information on the Record of Decision and approved Resource Management Plan Amendment, visit eplanning.blm. gov/eplannning-ui-project/2009946/510

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

For more information on the BLM’s Record of Decision and approved Resource Management Plan Amendment, visit eplanning. blm.gov/eplannning-uiproject/2009946/510.

On May 4, U.S. Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK) introduced the Deregulating Restrictions on Interstate Vehicles and Eighteen Wheelers (DRIVE) Act, which would prohibit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) from implementing a rule requiring vehicles over 26,000 pounds be equipped with a speed-limiting device.

Brecheen notes the legislation would apply to those involved in interstate commerce, such as semis, livestock truck and trailer combos, grain trucks and other large commercial vehicles, and he believes the DRIVE Act will protect the agriculture industry from government overreach.

FMCSA’s rule

Brecheen’s legislation comes in response to a rule proposed by FMCSA which would require speed-limiting devices in commercial vehicles with a gross weight over 26,000 pounds.

FMCSA believes new rules are needed to help reduce crashes and save more lives on the nation’s highways.

The administration cites 2019 data, which reports 860 fatal crashes in areas with posted speed limits of 70 to 75 miles per hour (mph) and 24 fatal crashes in areas with speed limits of 80 to 85 mph. These inci- dents accounted for nearly 20 percent of fatal crashes nationwide.

However, despite these statistics, Brecheen and Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) President Todd Spencer believe speed-limiting devices would only lead to unnecessary congestion and dangerous speed differentials, leading to higher crash rates.

“The physics is straightforward – limiting trucks to speeds below the flow of traffic increases interactions between vehicles and leads to more crashes,” said Spencer in a May 2 press release. “OOIDA and our 150,000 members in small business trucking across America thank Congressman Brecheen for his leadership in keeping our roadways safe for truckers and for all road users.”

In the same press release Brecheen states, “This overreach by the Biden administration has the potential to negatively impact all facets of the agricultural and trucking industries.”

“I know from experience driving a semi while hauling equipment and years spent hauling livestock, the flow of traffic set by state law is critical for safety instead of an arbitrary one-sizefits-all speed limit imposed by some bureaucrat sitting at his desk in Washington,

D.C.,” he says.

“This rule will add one more needless burden, and Congress must stop it,” he adds. “For example, if a rancher is transporting cattle in a trailer across state lines, under this rule, the federal government would require a speed-limiter device when above 26,000 pounds. Outof-control bureaucrats are trying to impose ridiculous regulations on Americans who are trying to make ends meet.”

Industry support

In addition to OOIDA, several other agricultural and trucking industry groups have made statements in support of the DRIVE Act, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA), Western States Trucking Association, Livestock Marketing Association, National Association of Small Trucking Companies and the Towing and Recovery Association of America.

“Our members are responsible for the daily transportation of millions of animals. Livestock haul- ers must take into consideration the welfare of their cargo which means avoiding rough-road conditions, adjusting speed and being more aware of their surroundings to prevent animal injury,” says USCA Committee Chairman Steve Hilker.

“USCA is opposed to any federal mandate limiting a driver’s autonomy over their own truck and trailer. We’d like to thank Brecheen for his support of our nation’s livestock haulers through the introduction of the DRIVE Act,” he adds.

(R-MI) and Matt Rosendale (R-MT) also expressed support by cosponsoring the bill. Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

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