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Cattlemen pleased with Interior Dept. National Monument report

The Public Lands Council and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association say they’re pleased with the Interior Department’s report that could result in reducing the size of some Western U.S. National Monuments.  Ethan Lane at the Public Lands Council tells Brownfield National Monument designations were done without consulting Western ranchers.

The Interior Department’s report comes after listening sessions and a public comment period.

“Simply undergoing a review process that takes their opinions and the impact to their operations into account is a huge step forward,” Lane told Brownfield Ag News Friday.

Lane says presidents in the past have abused their authority under the Antiquities Act effectively locking out millions of acres of public lands.

“If those presidents felt like these areas were worthy of large-scale monument protection, there are other avenues to pursue that involve Congress, that involve public comment, that involve those local communities,” said Lane, “but to circumvent those processes and use a pen-stroke designation with no review requirements is, in our opinion, a pretty clear abuse.”

Lane says cattlemen will likely see benefits resulting from the Interior Department report, depending on how the president chooses to proceed.

AUDIO: Ethan Lane (7 min. MP3)