§315 Grazing districts; establishment; restrictions; prior rights; rights-of-way; hearing and notice; hunting or fishing rights

Summary

The Secretary of the Interior can create, add to, or change grazing districts on public lands (except Alaska) that are open, not already taken, and not part of national forests, parks, monuments, Indian reservations, or certain railroad grant lands, when those areas are mostly good for grazing or growing animal feed. Lands set aside for other official uses can only be included if the head of that department agrees. Before a district is made, there must be public notice and a hearing in the State at a convenient place. No district can be set up until 90 days after the notice and at least 20 days after the hearing. Once the notice is published, the lands inside the proposed outer boundary are withdrawn from settlement entries. Owners of land next to a grazing district can ask for and must be given rights-of-way over the district land to drive their animals to markets or to their other lands. Existing valid rights under other laws are not reduced or harmed. The rules do not change lands that would have been part of State grants or limit State powers. These rules also do not stop Congress or the President from putting such lands into national forests, and the Stock Raising Homestead Act (December 29, 1916) does not prevent that. Hunting and fishing in a grazing district remain allowed under federal and State law, and permit holders cannot block those activities.