,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #egcg ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #cj1 #bjbj,mr4 ,smith of ,washington 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,lowenthal1 ,mr4 ,heck1 ,mr4 ,blumenauer1 ,mr4 ,cartwright1 ,mr4 ,schiff1 ,ms4 ,jayapal1 ,mr4 ,ted ,lieu of ,california1 ,ms4 ,brownley of ,california1 ,mr4 ,kilmer1 and ,ms4 ,norton7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to expand the authorization of voluntary ,federal grazing permit retirement1 provide increased flexibility for ,federal grazing permittees1 promote the equitable resolution or avoidance of conflicts on ,federal lands managed by the ,department of ,agriculture or the ,department of the ,interior1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents 7a7 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,voluntary ,grazing ,permit ,retirement ,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 ,voluntary grazing permit retirement program4 ,sec4 #e4 ,effect of waiver of grazing permit4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,voluntary grazing permit retirement is a successful land management tool that has been authorized by ,congress for specific purposes and in numerous areas throughout the #af ,western ,states1 including ,death ,valley ,national ,park1 ,capitol ,reef ,national ,park1 ,arches ,national ,park1 ,cascade-,siskiyou ,national ,monument1 ,oregon ,caves ,national ,monument and ,preserve1 and ,wilderness ,areas in the ,owyhee ,canyonlands and ,boulder-,white ,clouds4 7#b7 ,expanding the authority for voluntary grazing permit retirement to include all ,federal lands managed by the ,department of ,agriculture and the ,department of the ,interior in the #af ,western ,states will aid in the resolution of land and resource management conflicts1 and provide ,federal grazing permittees and lessees with increased flexibility and opportunities when making decisions about the future of their livestock operations4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,administratively retired grazing allotment ,the term administratively retired grazing allotment means a grazing allotment1 or portion of a grazing allotment1 on ,federal lands managed by the ,secretary that is or becomes vacant or closed due to the voluntary waiver of the grazing permit or lease by the holder of the grazing permit issued by the ,secretary with the intention of permanently ending livestock grazing on that grazing allotment or a portion of a grazing allotment as a result of an agreement with a third party4 7#b7 ,commercial livestock grazing or livestock grazing ,the term commercial livestock grazing or livestock grazing-- 7,a7 means the grazing of domestic livestock on ,federal lands as authorized by a grazing permit or lease2 and 7,b7 does not include beasts of burden while used for recreational or administrative purposes4 7#c7 ,grazing allotment ,the term grazing allotment means the designated portion of ,federal land upon which domestic livestock are authorized to graze by a grazing permit or lease4 7#d7 ,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#e7 ,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#f7 ,range developments ,the term range developments-- 7,a7 means structures1 fences1 and other permanent fixtures placed on ,federal lands for the furtherance of the purpose of livestock grazing2 and 7,b7 does not include rolling stock1 livestock1 and diversions of water from ,federal lands onto non-,federal lands4 7#g7 ,secretaries ,the term ,secretaries refers to the ,secretary of ,agriculture and the ,secretary of the ,interior4 7#h7 ,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 7#i7 #af western states ,the term #af ,western ,states refers to ,arizona1 ,california1 ,colorado1 ,idaho1 ,kansas1 ,montana1 ,nebraska1 ,nevada1 ,new ,mexico1 ,north ,dakota1 ,oklahoma1 ,oregon1 ,south ,dakota1 ,utah1 ,washington1 and ,wyoming4 #d4 ,voluntary ,grazing permit retirement program 7a7 ,voluntary waiver of grazing permit or lease 7#a7 ,acceptance by secretary ,subject to the limitation set forth in subsection 7c77#b71 the ,secretary shall accept1 on a first-come1 first-served basis1 any grazing permit or lease related to ,federal land in the #af ,western ,states that is voluntarily waived by a grazing permittee or lessee with the intention of permanently ending livestock grazing on that grazing allotment or on a portion of that grazing allotment4 7#b7 ,termination ,the ,secretary shall immediately terminate any grazing permit or lease accepted under paragraph 7#a74 7#c7 ,no new grazing permit or lease ,with respect to each grazing permit or lease voluntarily 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 or portion of a grazing allotment covered by a grazing permit or lease that is waived under subsection 7a7 is also covered in part or in whole 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 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretaries shall accept per fiscal year under this section-- 7,a7 not more than #ajj grazing permits1 in the aggregate for all of the #af ,western ,states2 and 7,b7 not more than #be grazing permits for land located in whole or in part in any individual ,state4 7#b7 ,applicability ,this limitation shall not apply to administratively retired grazing allotments as of the effective date of this ,act4 7d7 ,administratively retired grazing allotments ,with respect to grazing allotments administratively retired before the date of the enactment of this ,act1 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 #e4 ,effect of waiver of grazing permit 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 land covered by the grazing permit or lease waived1 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 any grazing permit or lease 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 an ,indian ,tribe1 ,state1 county or municipality1 or private individual1 partnership1 or corporation4