,i #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #bbja ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,may #bc1 #bjac ,mr4 ,smith of ,washington 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,grijalva1 ,mr4 ,larsen of ,washington1 ,mr4 ,waxman1 ,mr4 ,schiff1 ,mr4 ,moran1 ,ms4 ,lee of ,california1 ,mr4 ,mc,dermott1 and ,ms4 ,del,bene7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to authorize voluntary grazing permit retirement on ,federal lands managed by the ,department of ,agriculture or the ,department of the ,interior where livestock grazing is impractical1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents 7a7 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,rural ,economic ,vitalization ,act4 7b7 ,table of contents ,the table of contents for this ,act is as follows3 ,sec4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents4 ,sec4 #b4 ,findings4 ,sec4 #c4 ,definitions4 ,sec4 #d4 ,rural vitalization program4 ,sec4 #e4 ,effect of waiver of grazing permit or lease4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the use of ,federal lands by grazing permittees and lessees for commercial livestock grazing is increasingly difficult due to growing conflicts with other legitimate multiple uses of the lands1 such as environmental protection and burgeoning recreational use1 and with congressionally mandated goals of wildlife and habitat protection and improved water quality and quantity4 7#b7 ,a combination of sustained drought1 foreign competition1 changing domestic markets1 industry restructuring1 and individual ranch finances has resulted in ,federal grazing permits and leases becoming stranded investments for many permittees and lessees4 7#c7 ,attempts to resolve grazing conflicts with other multiple uses often require extensive range developments1 intensive herd management1 and continuous monitoring that greatly increases costs to both permittees and lessees and taxpayers1 far out of proportion to the benefit received4 7#d7 ,certain grazing allotments on ,federal lands have1 or are likely to become1 unsuitable for commercial livestock production as a result of the combined effect of the factors referred to in paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#c7 and other factors4 7#e7 ,the cost of the ,federal grazing program greatly exceeds revenues to the ,federal treasury from grazing receipts4 7#f7 ,many permittees and lessees have indicated their willingness to end their commercial livestock grazing on ,federal lands in exchange for compensation to reasonably compensate them for the effort and investment that they have made in a grazing allotment4 7#g7 ,compensating permittees and lessees who relinquish their grazing permit or lease would help recapitalize an ailing sector of rural ,america by providing economic options to permittees and lessees that do not presently exist by allowing them to restructure their ranch operations1 start new businesses1 or retire with security4 7#h7 ,paying reasonable compensation for the relinquishment of a grazing permit or lease will help alleviate the need for permittees and lessees to sell or subdivide their private lands4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,commercial livestock grazing ,the term commercial livestock grazing means the grazing of domestic livestock on ,federal lands as authorized by a grazing permit or lease4 ,the term does not include beasts of burden used for recreational purposes4 7#b7 ,grazing allotment ,the term grazing allotment means the designated portion of ,federal land upon which domestic livestock are permitted to graze by a grazing permit or lease4 7#c7 ,grazing permit2 lease ,the terms grazing permit or lease and grazing permit and lease mean any document authorizing the use of ,federal lands for the purpose of commercial livestock grazing4 7#d7 ,permittee2 lessee ,the terms permittee or lessee and permittee and lessee mean a livestock operator that holds a valid existing grazing permit or lease4 7#e7 ,range developments ,the term range developments means structures1 fences1 and other permanent fixtures placed on ,federal lands for the furtherance of the purpose of grazing domestic livestock4 ,the term does not include rolling stock1 livestock and diversions of water from ,federal lands onto non-,federal lands4 7#f7 ,secretaries ,the term ,secretaries refers to the ,secretary of ,agriculture and the ,secretary of ,interior4 7#g7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,agriculture or the ,secretary of the ,interior1 as appropriate to the administration of a grazing permit or lease4 #d4 ,rural vitalization program 7a7 ,waiver of ,grazing ,permit or ,lease 7#a7 ,acceptance by secretary ,subject to the limitation set forth in subsection 7c71 the ,secretary shall accept any grazing permit or lease that is waived by a grazing permittee or lessee4 7#b7 ,termination ,the ,secretary shall terminate any grazing permit or lease acquired under paragraph 7#a74 7#c7 ,no new grazing permit or lease ,with respect to each grazing lease or grazing permit waived under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 not issue any new grazing permit or lease within the grazing allotment covered by the grazing permit or lease2 and 7,b7 ensure a permanent end to livestock grazing on the grazing allotment covered by the grazing permit or lease4 7b7 ,waiver of ,grazing ,permit or ,lease on ,common ,allotments 7#a7 ,in general ,if a grazing allotment covered by a grazing permit or lease that is waived under subsection 7a7 is also covered by another grazing permit or lease that is not waived1 the ,secretary shall reduce the level of commercial livestock grazing on the grazing allotment to reflect the waiver4 7#b7 ,authorized level ,to ensure that there is a permanent reduction in the level of livestock grazing on the land covered by the grazing permit or lease waived under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall not allow grazing to exceed the level established under paragraph 7#a74 7c7 ,limitation ,the ,secretaries shall accept not more than #ajj grazing permits and leases1 in the aggregate1 per year under this section on a first come1 first served basis4 #e4 ,effect of waiver of grazing permit or lease 7a7 ,effect on range developments ,a permittee or lessee who waives a grazing permit or lease to the ,secretary under section #d shall be deemed to have waived any claim to all range developments on the associated grazing allotment1 notwithstanding any other provision of law4 7b7 ,securing retired allotments against unauthorized use ,the ,secretary shall ensure that grazing allotments retired from grazing under this ,act are rendered reasonably secure from trespass grazing by domestic livestock4 7c7 ,relation to other authority ,nothing in this ,act shall be construed to affect the ,secretary's authority to modify or terminate grazing permits or leases in accordance with other law4 7d7 ,relation to valid existing rights ,nothing in this ,act affects the allocation1 ownership1 interest1 or control1 in existence on the date of the enactment of this ,act1 of any water1 water right1 or any other valid existing right held by the ,united ,states1 ,indian tribe1 ,state1 county1 municipality or private individual1 partnership or corporation4