Title 43Public LandsRelease 119-73

§1903 Rangelands inventory and management; public availability

Title 43 › Chapter CHAPTER 37— - PUBLIC RANGELANDS IMPROVEMENT › § 1903

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture must make and keep an up-to-date inventory of range conditions and trends on public rangelands. They must sort or label lands by condition as they see fit. The inventory must be done as part of the inventory work required under section 201(a) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and under section 1603 of title 16. It must be regularly updated to show changes and it must be available to the public. The Secretary must manage public rangelands under the Taylor Grazing Act, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, and other applicable laws, following the public rangelands improvement program. Unless land use planning under section 202 of FLPMA or the Secretary (with written reasons) decides grazing should stop, the goal is to improve ranges so they become as productive as feasible, following the management objectives and the values in sections 1901(a) and 1901(b)(2).

Full Legal Text

Title 43, §1903

Public Lands — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Following enactment of this chapter, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall update, develop (where necessary) and maintain on a continuing basis thereafter, an inventory of range conditions and record of trends of range conditions on the public rangelands, and shall categorize or identify such lands on the basis of the range conditions and trends thereof as they deem appropriate. Such inventories shall be conducted and maintained by the Secretary as a part of the inventory process required by section 201(a) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (43 U.S.C. 1711), and by the Secretary of Agriculture in accordance with section 1603 of title 16; shall be kept current on a regular basis so as to reflect changes in range conditions; and shall be available to the public.
(b)The Secretary shall manage the public rangelands in accordance with the Taylor Grazing Act (43 U.S.C. 315–315(o)), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701–1782), and other applicable law consistent with the public rangelands improvement program pursuant to this chapter. Except where the land use planning process required pursuant to section 202 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (43 U.S.C. 1712) determines otherwise or the Secretary determines, and sets forth his reasons for this determination, that grazing uses should be discontinued (either temporarily or permanently) on certain lands, the goal of such management shall be to improve the range conditions of the public rangelands so that they become as productive as feasible in accordance with the rangeland management objectives established through the land use planning process, and consistent with the values and objectives listed in section 1901(a) and (b)(2) of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, referred to in subsec. (b), is Pub. L. 94–579, Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2743, which is classified principally to chapter 35 (§ 1701 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1701 of this title and Tables. The Taylor Grazing Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is act June 28, 1934, ch. 865, 48 Stat. 1269, which is classified principally to subchapter I (§ 315 et seq.) of chapter 8A of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 315 of this title and Tables.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

43 U.S.C. § 1903

Title 43Public Lands

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73