U.S. Won't Enforce Nevada Grazing Restrictions Amid New Dispute

Federal land managers in Nevada have decided to delay the enforcement of drought-related grazing restrictions to avoid confrontation with defiant ranchers. This decision has drawn criticism from conservationists who argue it sets a precedent for non-compliance with federal regulations. The ongoing dispute highlights the tension between ranchers and federal authorities over land use in the region.

Background of the Dispute

In Battle Mountain, Nevada, federal land managers announced they would not immediately enforce grazing restrictions due to drought conditions. This decision aims to prevent a confrontation with ranchers who are openly defying the order. Conservationists view this as another instance of the government yielding to ranchers like Cliven Bundy, who continues to graze cattle illegally in southern Nevada after a previous standoff with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

Ranchers' Defiance

Ranchers Dan and Eddyann Filippini have been informed they are violating a closure order from 2013, covering an area of more than 150 square miles near Battle Mountain, about 200 miles northeast of Reno. Despite this, BLM acting-state director John Ruhs has indicated that the agency will not intervene while negotiations for a compromise continue. "We're not going to come out there and have a big confrontation," BLM spokesman Rudy Evenson told the Elko Daily Free Press.

The Filippinis announced on their Facebook page, "Stand with Battle Mountain," their intention to release cattle on the 100,000-acre North Buffalo allotment, which has a checkerboard ownership pattern. Most of the land belongs to the ranchers, but public land is interspersed throughout, with no fences to prevent cattle from grazing on prohibited U.S. land.

Community and Conservationist Reactions

Elko County Commissioners Demar Dahl and Rex Steninger, along with former state Assemblyman John Carpenter, have expressed support for the ranchers. Carpenter stated, "It's not a resource issue because there's plenty of grass. There's all kinds of grass there."

Ken Cole, Idaho director for the Western Watersheds Project, criticized the BLM's actions, stating that the agency is enabling illegal behavior by not enforcing the law. He highlighted the ongoing damage to desert tortoise habitats caused by Bundy's cattle, which continue to graze despite government closures.

Ongoing Legal and Administrative Actions

In April 2013, hundreds of armed supporters joined Bundy to prevent a cattle roundup near Bunkerville, about 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas. The BLM claims Bundy owes over $1 million in grazing fees accumulated over more than 20 years, a claim Bundy disputes, arguing the federal government lacks authority in the area. Although the BLM backed down, they continue to seek a resolution through administrative and legal channels.

Cole emphasized the need for the government to protect public lands, waters, and wildlife, which are already suffering from drought and will be further impacted by unauthorized cattle grazing.

Originally Posted By Salt Lake Tribune