The Public Lands Council (PLC) reports that the Obama administration on Tuesday declared two new monument designations – 1.35 million acres at Bears Ears in Utah and 350,000 acres at Gold Butte in Nevada. Both designations were made unilaterally and despite overwhelming local opposition. PLC President and Utah rancher Dave Eliason criticized the outgoing administration for both their disregard for … Read More
NCBA & PLC Say BLM Released Flawed Planning Rule
The Bureau of Land Management has released a final version of BLM planning 2.0. Ethan Lane, Executive Director of the Public Lands Council and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association federal lands said this process radically alters federal land management planning and moves the agency away from its mandate to manage for multiple use on federal lands. “We are continuing to review … Read More
NCBA & PLC Accepting Applications for Spring Internships
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the Public Lands Council’s government affairs office in Washington, D.C., is accepting applications for a 2017 Spring public policy intern as well as a semester law clerk. The deadline to submit an application for either position is Oct. 22, 2016. The internships give college students the opportunity to work alongside staff on a … Read More
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Address Endangered Species Act
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a final rule that begins to address rampant abuse of the Endangered Species Act listing process. The rule limits petitions for new listings to one species and will require more substantive justification in order to file a petition for listing under the ESA. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Public Lands Council … Read More
Enviro Groups Hamper Endangered Species Conservation
According to the Public Lands Council (PLC) and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), the Center for Biological Diversity along with other radical environmental groups threatened to sue the Department of Interior and Fish and Wildlife Service to force action on 417 proposed listings under the Endangered Species Act, all stemming from a massive lawsuit settlement brokered behind closed doors and … Read More
Senate Holds Oversight Hearing on Sage Grouse
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests and Mining held an oversight hearing on the Federal sage grouse plans and their impact to successful ongoing state management of the species. Brenda Richards, Owyhee County Idaho rancher and president of the Public Lands Council, testified on behalf of the PLC and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. “Ranchers across … Read More
House Holds Hearing on Wild Horse & Burro Program
Nevada State Veterinarian and fourth generation cattleman, J.J. Goicoechea, testified on behalf of the Public Lands Council, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Nevada Cattlemen’s Association during the House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Federal Lands hearing on the challenges and potential solutions for the Bureau of Land Management’s Wild Horse and Burro Program. For over 40 years, the BLM’s … Read More
Interior Appropriations Bill Advances through Committee
The Public Lands Council (PLC) and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) report that the House Committee on Appropriations favorably voted the FY 2017 Interior and Environment appropriations bill to the House of Representatives by a vote of 31-18. The bill addresses a number of priorities for the livestock industry, including language regarding the Greater Sage Grouse and full defunding of … Read More
Lesser Prairie Chicken Appeal Applauded by NCBA
Ethan Lane, executive director of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Federal Lands and Public Lands Council (PLC) released a statement this week regarding the Obama Administration’s decision to drop their appeal of a federal court decision that overturned the listing of the Lesser Prairie Chicken as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). “We are pleased that the … Read More
PLC & NCBA Say Senate Turned Back on West
As part of the Energy Security and Research Bill (S.2012) passed by the U.S Senate, the Public Lands Council (PLC) said the Senate inappropriately included a provision permanently reauthorizing the $900 million Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) with a requirement that not less than 40% of LWCF money be spent on federal acquisitions. In the process, the Senators voted … Read More