Daines, Rosendale Urge Biden Admin To Extend Protest Period for Bison Grazing Proposal

U.S. Senator Steve Daines and Congressman Matt Rosendale wrote a letter to Department of Interior Secretary Debra Haaland and Bureau of Land Management Director Tracy Stone-Manning on April 4 urging to extend the protest period on the proposed decision affecting grazing allotments on the American Prairie Reserve in Phillips County.

The full letter is below:

April 4, 2022

The Honorable Debra Haaland Secretary

Department of the Interior 1849 C Street, N.W. Washington DC 20240

The Honorable Tracy Stone-Manning Director

Bureau of Land Management 1849 C Street NW Washington, DC 20240

Dear Secretary Haaland and Director Stone-Manning,

We write regarding the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) notice of proposed decision affecting seven grazing allotments in Phillips County, Montana. Given the significant public interest in this decision, we urge you to extend the protest and appeal period by 75 days to allow for additional participation from the local community.

As you are aware, BLM received over 2,700 comments on the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) from Montana state government agencies, businesses, associations, and thousands of concerned individuals. These comments raise serious questions about how American Prairie’s proposed change of use will affect the local community and the state of Montana.

Comments varied in nature from legal concerns, such as compliance with the Taylor Grazing Act and other state and federal laws, to economic effects of raising non-production-oriented bison instead of livestock. In addition, many commenters expressed apprehension regarding the ability of the permittee to contain bison, the removal of more than 30 miles of fencing, and the short­ and long-term rangeland health effects resulting from the change of use.

Due to the broad interest in the proposed change of use, which would affect over 100,000 acres, we urge you to extend the protest and appeal period to give the public and interested parties sufficient time to review and answer to BLM’s revised EA and Public Comment Report.

Sincerely,

Steve Daines Matthew Rosendale, Sr.

U.S. Senator Member of Congress