,,ii ,calendar ,no4 #cib #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #beh ,report ,no4 #aac-aff ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #g1 #bjac,mr4 ,barrasso 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,enzi1 ,mr4 ,crapo1 ,mr4 ,hatch1 ,mr4 ,heller1 ,mr4 ,lee1 ,mr4 ,risch1 ,mr4 ,hoeven1 and ,mr4 ,flake7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,may #bb1 #bjad,reported by ,ms4 ,landrieu1 with an amendment,strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,federal ,land ,policy and ,management ,act of #aigf to improve the management of grazing leases and permits1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,grazing ,improvement ,act 4 #b4 ,terms of grazing permits and leases ,section #djb of the ,federal ,land ,policy and ,management ,act of #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #ageb7 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking ten years each place it appears and inserting #bj years2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7b7-- 7,a7 by striking or at the end of each of paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b72 7,b7 in paragraph 7#c71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 or2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#d7 the initial environmental analysis under ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 regarding a grazing allotment1 permit1 or lease has not been completed4 4 #c4 ,renewal1 transfer1 and reissuance of grazing permits and leases ,title ,,iv of the ,federal ,land ,policy and ,management ,act of #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #agea et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #dje4 ,renewal1 transfer1 and reissuance of grazing permits and leases 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,current grazing management ,the term current grazing management means grazing in accordance with the terms and conditions of an existing permit or lease and includes any modifications that are consistent with an applicable ,department of the ,interior resource management plan or ,department of ,agriculture land use plan4 7#b7 ,secretary concerned ,the term ,secretary concerned means-- 7,a7 the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 with respect to ,national ,forest ,system land2 and 7,b7 the ,secretary of the ,interior1 with respect to land under the jurisdiction of the ,department of the ,interior4 7b7 ,renewal1 transfer1 reissuance1 and pending processing ,a grazing permit or lease issued by the ,secretary of the ,interior1 or a grazing permit issued by the ,secretary of ,agriculture regarding ,national ,forest ,system land1 that expires1 is transferred1 or is waived shall be renewed or reissued under1 as appropriate-- 7#a7 section #djb2 7#b7 section #ai of the ,act of ,april #bd1 #aiej 7commonly known as the ,granger-,thye ,act2 #af ,u4,s4,c4 #ehjl72 7#c7 title ,,iii of the ,bankhead-,jones ,farm ,tenant ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #ajaj et seq472 or 7#d7 section #eaj the ,california ,desert ,protection ,act of #aiid 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #daj;aaa-#ej74 7c7 ,terms2 conditions ,the terms and conditions 7except the termination date7 contained in an expired1 transferred1 or waived permit or lease described in subsection 7b7 shall continue in effect under a renewed or reissued permit or lease until the date on which the ,secretary concerned completes the processing of the renewed or reissued permit or lease that is the subject of the expired1 transferred1 or waived permit or lease1 in compliance with each applicable law4 7d7 ,cancellation2 suspension2 modification ,notwithstanding subsection 7c71 a permit or lease described in subsection 7b7 may be cancelled1 suspended1 or modified in accordance with applicable law4 7e7 ,renewal transfer reissuance after processing ,when the ,secretary concerned has completed the processing of the renewed or reissued permit or lease that is the subject of the expired1 transferred1 or waived permit or lease1 the ,secretary concerned shall renew or reissue the permit or lease for a term of #bj years after completion of processing4 7f7 ,compliance with ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi ,the renewal1 reissuance1 or transfer of a grazing permit or lease by the ,secretary concerned shall be categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement if-- 7#a7 the decision to renew1 reissue1 or transfer continues the current grazing management of the allotment2 7#b7 monitoring of the allotment has indicated that the current grazing management has met1 or has satisfactorily progressed towards meeting1 objectives contained in the land use and resource management plan of the allotment1 as determined by the ,secretary concerned2 or 7#c7 the decision is consistent with the policy of the ,department of the ,interior or the ,department of ,agriculture1 as appropriate1 regarding extraordinary circumstances4 7g7 ,priority and timing for completing environmental analyses ,the ,secretary concerned1 in the sole discretion of the ,secretary concerned1 shall determine the priority and timing for completing each required environmental analysis regarding any grazing allotment1 permit1 or lease based on the environmental significance of the allotment1 permit1 or lease and available funding for that purpose4 7h7 ,,nepa exemptions ,the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 shall not apply to the following3 7#a7 ,crossing and trailing authorizations of domestic livestock4 7#b7 ,transfer of grazing preference4 4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,grazing ,improvement ,act4 #b4 ,terms of grazing permits and leases ,section #djb of the ,federal ,land ,policy and ,management ,act of #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #ageb7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 by striking ,except as and inserting the following3 7#a7 ,in general ,except as 2 and 7,b7 in paragraph 7#a7 7as designated by subparagraph 7,a771 by striking ten years subject and inserting the following3 8 #aj years1 up to a maximum term of #bj years1 if the ,secretary concerned-- 7i7 has assessed and evaluated the grazing allotment associated with the permit or lease2 and 7ii7 based on the assessment and evaluation under clause 7i71 has determined that the grazing allotment is-- 7,i7 with respect to public land administered by the ,secretary of the ,interior1 meeting land health standards2 or 7,,ii7 with respect to ,national ,forest ,system land administered by the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 meeting objectives in the applicable land and resource management plan4 7#b7 ,cancellation1 suspension1 and modification ,the permit or lease shall be subject 2 7#b7 in subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#a71 7#b71 and 7#c7 as subparagraphs 7,a71 7,b71 and 7,c71 respectively2 7,b7 by striking ,so long as and inserting the following3 7#a7 ,renewal of expiring or transferred permit or lease ,during any period in which 2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#b7 ,continuation of terms under new permit or lease ,the terms and conditions in a grazing permit or lease that has expired1 or was terminated due to a grazing preference transfer1 shall be continued under a new permit or lease until the date on which the ,secretary concerned completes any environmental analysis and documentation for the permit or lease required under the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 and other applicable laws4 7#c7 ,completion of processing ,as of the date on which the ,secretary concerned completes the processing of a grazing permit or lease in accordance with paragraph 7#b71 the permit or lease may be canceled1 suspended1 or modified1 in whole or in part4 7#d7 ,environmental reviews ,the ,secretary concerned shall seek to conduct environmental reviews on an allotment or multiple allotment basis1 to the extent practicable1 if the allotments share similar ecological conditions1 for purposes of compliance with the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 and other applicable laws4 2 7#c7 by redesignating subsection 7h7 as subsection 7j72 and 7#d7 by inserting after subsection 7g7 the following3 7h7 ,national environmental policy act of #aifi 7#a7 ,in general ,the issuance of a grazing permit or lease by the ,secretary concerned may be categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement under the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq47 if-- 7,a7 the issued permit or lease continues the current grazing management of the allotment2 and 7,b7 the ,secretary concerned-- 7i7 has assessed and evaluated the grazing allotment associated with the lease or permit2 and 7ii7 based on the assessment and evaluation under clause 7i71 has determined that the allotment-- 7,i7 with respect to public land administered by the ,secretary of the ,interior-- 7aa7 is meeting land health standards2 or 7bb7 is not meeting land health standards due to factors other than existing livestock grazing2 or 7,,ii7 with respect to ,national ,forest ,system land administered by the ,secretary of ,agriculture-- 7aa7 is meeting objectives in the applicable land and resource management plan2 or 7bb7 is not meeting the objectives in the applicable land resource management plan due to factors other than existing livestock grazing4 7#b7 ,trailing and crossing ,the trailing and crossing of livestock across public land and ,national ,forest ,system land and the implementation of trailing and crossing practices by the ,secretary concerned may be categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement under the ,national ,environmental ,policy ,act of #aifi 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcba et seq474 7i7 ,priority and timing for completion of environmental analyses ,the ,secretary concerned1 in the sole discretion of the ,secretary concerned1 shall determine the priority and timing for completing each required environmental analysis with respect to a grazing allotment1 permit1 or lease based on-- 7#a7 the environmental significance of the grazing allotment1 permit1 or lease2 and 7#b7 the available funding for the environmental analysis4 4 #c4 ,voluntary relinquishment of grazing permits or leases ,title ,,iv of the ,federal ,land ,policy and ,management ,act of #aigf 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #agea et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #dje4 ,voluntarily relinquishment pilot program -- 7a7 ,in general ,there is established in the ,department of the ,interior and the ,department of ,agriculture a pilot program that-- 7#a7 authorizes the voluntary relinquishment of grazing permits or leases in the eligible ,states specified in subsection 7f72 and 7#b7 provides that grazing permits or leases voluntarily relinquished under this section shall be permanently retired from further grazing authorization4 7b7 ,acceptance by secretary and secretary of agriculture 7#a7 ,in general ,subject to paragraph 7#b71 within the eligible ,states specified in subsection 7f7-- 7,a7 the ,secretary shall accept the voluntary relinquishment of any valid permits or leases authorizing grazing on public land2 and 7,b7 the ,secretary of ,agriculture shall accept the voluntary relinquishment of any valid permits or leases authorizing grazing on land in the ,national ,forest ,system4 7#b7 ,limitation ,notwithstanding paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary and the ,secretary of ,agriculture shall not accept the voluntarily relinquishment of more than #be grazing permits or leases per year in each of the eligible ,states specified in subsection 7f74 7c7 ,termination ,with respect to each permit or lease voluntarily relinquished under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary concerned shall-- 7#a7 terminate the grazing permit or lease2 and 7#b7 except as provided in subsection 7d71 ensure a permanent end to grazing on the land covered by the permit or lease4 7d7 ,common allotments 7#a7 ,in general ,if the land covered by a grazing permit or lease that has been voluntarily relinquished under subsection 7a7 is also covered by another valid existing grazing permit or lease that is not voluntarily relinquished under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary concerned shall reduce the authorized grazing level on the land covered by the permit or lease to reflect the relinquishment of the grazing permit or lease4 7#b7 ,authorized level ,to ensure that there is a permanent reduction in the level of grazing on the land covered by a grazing permit or lease that has been voluntarily relinquished under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall not allow grazing use to exceed the authorized level established under paragraph 7#a74 7#c7 ,partial relinquishment 7,a7 ,in general ,if a person holding a valid grazing permit or lease voluntarily relinquishes less than the full level of grazing use authorized under the permit or lease1 the ,secretary concerned shall-- 7i7 reduce the authorized grazing level to reflect the voluntarily relinquishment2 and 7ii7 modify the grazing permit or lease to reflect the revised level of use4 7,b7 ,authorized level ,to ensure that there is a permanent reduction in the authorized level of grazing on the land covered by a permit or lease which has been voluntarily relinquished under subparagraph 7,a71 the ,secretary shall not allow grazing use to exceed the authorized level established under that subparagraph4 7e7 ,annual report 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 in collaboration with the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 shall prepare an annual report on the pilot program that assesses the activities undertaken under the pilot program during the preceding year1 including the number and location of grazing permits and leases that were voluntarily relinquished during the preceding year4 7#b7 ,submission to congress ,the ,secretary shall submit the annual report prepared under paragraph 7#a7 to-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources of the ,senate2 and 7,b7 the ,committee on ,natural ,resources of the ,house of ,representatives4 7f7 ,eligible states ,the authority of the ,secretary and the ,secretary of ,agriculture to accept voluntary relinquishments in accordance with this section shall be limited to grazing allotments in the ,states of ,new ,mexico and ,oregon4 4 ,may #bb1 #bjad,reported with an amendment