Monitoring Reveals Deteriorating Conditions on Argenta Allotment
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As extreme drought continues to affect much of Nevada, the Bureau of Land Management will temporarily close grazing on nine areas on the Argenta Allotment in Northern Nevada where drought and grazing impacts have surpassed acceptable levels. The decision will be effective on August 22 and will last until conditions improve. The BLM is responsible for ensuring the long-term health of these public rangelands.The decision immediately follows an order issued Aug. 18 by a judge in the Department of the Interior's Office of Hearings and Appeals. As a result of the decision, the permittees must remove their livestock from nine of 20 areas. The BLM previously notified the permittees that use levels agreed to by both the BLM and the grazers had been surpassed. The permittees challenged the earlier notice, which led to the consideration of this issue by the Office of Hearings and Appeals.“Many ranchers across the state are undergoing hardships due to the effects of this prolonged drought, said BLM Nevada State Director Amy Lueders. She added “We are grateful to all those ranchers who have voluntarily reduced their usage by almost 440,000 Animal Unit Months in 2014. We will continue to work cooperatively to ensure the long-term health of the rangelands. We appreciate the important role of the ranching community in our state and in the management of our public lands.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.