Farm406

farm406 30 e only organization dedicated to the federal lands ranching industry, the PLC provides a voice in Washington, D.C. for western cale and sheep producers who hold public lands grazing permits and actively preserve our nation's natural resources while providing vital food and fiber to the nation and the world. "It is important to remember the irreplaceable role that American ranchers play in species conservation," says PLC president, Bob Skinner. Family ranchers maintain hundreds of millions of acres of large, intact landscapes which many species depend on. "Ensuring the continuity and viability of U.S. ranching operations is critical to maintaining vibrant biodiversity in these ecosystems." says Skinner. e PLC hosted its annual meeting in Great Falls, Mont. last September. "is time is always exciting, as we have an opportunity to reflect on our efforts for the year," says Skinner. e industry event covered a number of topics including some of the organization's most recent progress on the following issues. e Gray Wolf e science is clear: gray wolf populations have recovered nationwide, and it is time for the species to be removed from the federal List of Endangered and reatened Species. PLC supports state management of gray wolves and played a key role in bringing about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) proposed rule to delist wolves in the ranchers to get their voice on the record during the rule's public comment period. e response was impressive, with hundreds of unique, personal stories shared; far more influential than the millions of form comments submied by extreme activist organizations opposing a delisting. Endangered Species Act PLC has been a strong voice behind the current Administration's efforts in bringing common sense to implementing the Endangered Species Act (ESA). e PLC stood by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt as he announced the finalization of federal rules which modernize how agencies administer the ESA. is package from the USFWS and National Marine Fisheries Service consists of three new rules that address Sections 4, 4(d), and 7 of the Act; listing and critical habitat, threatened species protection, and interagency consultation, respectively. Litigation will likely prevent new policies from being adopted any time soon however, Skinner believes the new rules will stand up in court. "Once implemented, the new rules will streamline arduous processes and once again reaffirm the irreplaceable role that ranchers play in the species recovery process," says Skinner. National Environmental Policy Act Last year, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) published an Advanced Notice of Preliminary Rulemaking on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Quite the mouthful, right? Don't let the bureaucratic Photo: Courtesy of e Land Council

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