§1901 Congressional Findings and Declaration of Policy

Summary

Congress says large areas of public rangelands are in poor shape and must be fixed. Many lands are producing less for livestock, wildlife, recreation, forage, and soil and water protection. If management and funding stay the same, conditions may stay bad or get worse. That can cause soil loss, desertification, more silt and salt in western watersheds (including the Colorado River), harm scarce water supplies, damage fish and wildlife habitat, cut forage for animals, raise flood risk, and lower recreation and scenic value. Congress finds these problems can be fixed by much stronger rangeland management and more funding. To protect western livestock businesses, grazing permits and leases on public lands must carry a fee based on a formula tied to yearly changes in production costs. Congress also says the Act of December 15, 1971 (85 Stat. 649, 16 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.) still protects wild free-roaming horses and burros, but needs changes to cut costs and allow humane adoption or removal of excess animals that harm the range. Congress therefore requires: to inventory rangeland conditions (per section 1711(a)); to manage and improve rangelands under the land-use planning process (per section 1712); to set an equitable grazing fee; and to keep protecting horses and burros while removing excess animals. These policies take effect only when specific legal authority is provided here or later and add to, not replace, other rangeland laws.