(Note: Interesting, the way Gang Green calls this 'plan' 'helping ranchers.' The rural and cultural cleansing that is underway here is anything BUT helpful to resource providers.)

February 5, 2003

Moab, Utah (ENS) - The Sierra Club has joined a growing number of organizations endorsing a plan to compensate public lands ranchers who voluntarily yield their federal grazing permits.

Supporters say the plan would benefit America's ranchers, taxpayers and public lands. Created by the National Public Lands Grazing Campaign (NPLGC), the proposal calls for Congress to pass a buyout program that would provide financial compensation to ranchers who choose to relinquish their federal grazing leases.

"Voluntary retirement of federal grazing permits is a great opportunity for ranchers and conservationists to work together," said Sierra Club president Jennifer Ferenstein. "This plan helps ranchers, saves taxpayer money, and diminishes decades of environmental degradation wrought by livestock grazing on America's public lands."

American taxpayers spend about $500 million each year to administer cattle grazing on public lands. This legislation could save a large portion of that money, and at the same time, reduce pressure on natural landscapes harmed by grazing.

Struggling ranchers will also have a chance to get out of public lands grazing without serious economic consequences.

"The Sierra Club applauds this voluntary program for ranchers to give up public land grazing privileges for reasonable compensation," said Wayne Hoskisson, chair of the Sierra Club's national grazing committee. "Congress should act on this unique opportunity to create such balanced legislation."

The Sierra Club joined the Humane Society of the United States, Endangered Species Coalition, Earthsave International, The Fund for Animals, National Forest Protection Alliance and several Audubon chapters in endorsing the draft grazing permit buyout legislation.

Another 132 local and regional conservation organizations, sports groups, vegetarian societies, animal welfare organizations, churches and faith groups, businesses and grazing permittees also support a voluntary federal public lands grazing permit buyout program.

"This voluntary approach will do more to benefit struggling ranchers and America's natural resources than the recently announced plans of the Bush administration to weaken endangered species and other environmental protections to promote excessive commercial cattle grazing on public lands," said Hoskisson. "The administration's misguided plans will only harm the health of our nation's public lands in the long run."

For more information about the plan, visit: http://www.publiclandsranching.org

http://ens-news.com/ens/feb2003/2003-02-05-09.asp