§1751 Grazing fees; feasibility study; contents; submission of report; annual distribution and use of range betterment funds; nature of distributions

Summary

The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior must work together to study how much grazing on lands they manage in the eleven Western States is worth. They must look at things like normal livestock production costs, differences in forage value, and other factors that affect a fair fee. They must send their report and fee recommendations to Congress no later than one year after October 21, 1976. If that report is not sent within one year, the grazing fee in effect then must stay the same until the report is sent. Neither Secretary may raise the grazing fee for the 1977 grazing year. Congress requires that at least 50 percent or $10,000,000 per year, whichever is greater, of all grazing fees collected (except fees from ceded Indian lands) under the Taylor Grazing Act and the 1937 Act, and fees on National Forest lands in the sixteen contiguous Western States under this rule, be put into a separate Treasury account. Half of that money may be spent in the district, region, or national forest where it came from, after the Secretary talks with local user representatives, for on-the-ground range rehab, protection, and improvements; the other half is used for similar projects as the Secretary directs. These funds are extra to other budgets for range planning and management. Examples of work covered include seeding, fences, weed control, water projects, and wildlife habitat improvements. These yearly distributions are not treated as a major federal action under the environmental law. Money paid out under this rule is in addition to distributions under section 10 of the Taylor Grazing Act, does not change distributions under section 11, and any remaining fees go into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.