tag_error <txp:smd_slimbox_inc scripts="http://www.idahoexaminer.com/js/mootools.js, http://www.idahoexaminer.com/js/slimbox.js" cssdir="http://www.idahoexaminer.com/css" /> ->  Textpattern Warning: unknown_tag: smd_slimbox_inc  on line 968
tag_error <txp:smd_slimbox category="outdoors" limit="18" orderby="date:desc"  prevlabel="Back"  /> ->  Textpattern Warning: unknown_tag: smd_slimbox  on line 968
Idaho Examiner: The New CIEDRA, Trumping the National Environmental Policy Act"Common Sense News"

« Back to Outdoors Homepage

Other Articles


The New CIEDRA, Trumping the National Environmental Policy Act

Posted on: May 10, 2007

By Sandra Mitchell

(Boise) May 10, 2007 – The Central Idaho Economic Development and Recreation Act (CIEDRA) was a bad idea in 2006 and, believe it or not, the 2007 reiteration, H R 222, is even worse!

The CIEDRA 2006 version paid ranchers to relinquish their permits granted by the federal government authorizing them to graze on our public land. The purchase of these permits could have had far reaching implications that would harm both the government and ranching industry. Then-chairman of the House Resource Committee Richard Pombo demanded that they be removed. Congressman Simpson withdrew them. So this year’s bill takes a different tack. It now has a “miscellaneous” provision (Title IV, Sec. 401) called “Grazing Memorandum of Understanding”. It is short but is intended to do some pretty amazing things.

Section 401 calls for the U.S. Forest Service and B.L.M. to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) covering grazing allotments located in the new wildernesses designated by the bill and lands in the East Salmon River drainage. This MOU has not yet been written, but will determine how grazing is to be managed. The bill expressly directs that grazing decisions “consistent” with the MOU “shall not-(1) require the preparation of an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement under section 102(2) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2); or (2) be subject to administrative appeal or judicial review—.”

In other words, this MOU will be above the law and not subject to review even by our courts. It seeks to trump the National Environmental Policy Act, tells the public their opinion doesn’t matter and tells the courts they have no authority. This MOU, although well intentioned, will provide no protection for the cattle ranchers and in fact, could be used against them. For example if a decision is made to eliminate an allotment, where will the ranchers go for relief? The answer is nowhere, because under this bill they would have no appeal or legal rights available to them.

Please let our members of Congress and Congressman Simpson, the bill’s author, know just how bad this bill is, for this and many, many other reasons.


Share This

post this at del.icio.us post this at Digg post this at Technorati post this at Newsvine post this at Ma.gnolia post this at Reddit post this at Fark post this at Yahoo! my web post this at Netscape post this at StumbleUpon


Your Comments

Commenting is closed for this article.

About Dave Langston

Outdoor writer Dave Langston resides in Chubbuck. He grew up in the Midwest and south fishing and hunting across the country.

... more About Dave Langston >>

Video Interviews

  • Visiting the Crow’s Nest Ranch -December 07, 07

    The Western States Sportsman crew recently paid a visit to the Crow’s Nest Ranch near Mackay, ID to hunt pheasant and chukar. We had a great hunt there hunting the wild chukar that roost on the mountain above the ranch as well as the pheasant that the operators of the ranch raise for hunting.

  • Juniper Mountian Ranch -November 30, 07

    This is a special episode of the Western States Sportsman. Come with us as we venture to Juniper Mountain Ranch in Idaho and test out products new for 2007 and 2008.