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Last updated: 04/04/03

For release: Wednesday, February 12, 1997

Contacts: Tom Gorey (202) 452-5031
JoLynn Worley (702) 785-6586

Babbitt Signs Standards and Guidelines That Will Promote Health of Public Lands in Nevada

Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt today signed standards and guidelines aimed at promoting healthy public lands in Nevada. A diverse group of Nevadans helped develop the standards and guidelines over the past year.

"With this signing, we move forward in our efforts to take better care of the public lands," said Bureau of Land Management Interim Director Sylvia Baca. "Ranchers, environmentalists, academics, various industry representatives, and the general public have contributed to the development of these standards and guidelines. In particular, I want to thank all the members of the Resource Advisory Councils and other members of the public who worked to achieve this result."

Nevada's three Resource Advisory Councils assisted Nevada State Director Ann Morgan in developing standards and guidelines to fit conditions in the state's three regions: the Mojave-Southern Great Basin, the Sierra Front-Northwestern Great Basin, and the Northeastern Great Basin.

"The standards give clear direction on what is considered healthy conditions for rangelands and streams," said Morgan. "The guidelines are management practices that will result in better forage and water quality on the public lands."

The standards and guidelines are written to accomplish four fundamentals of rangeland health in relation to livestock grazing practices. The fundamentals are that:

• Watersheds are properly functioning;
  
• Ecological processes are in order;
  
• Water quality complies with state standards; and
  
• Habitats of protected species are in order.

The new standards and guidelines go into effect immediately. The terms and conditions of grazing permits and leases must conform to these standards.

The BLM began implementing new grazing regulations, known collectively as the Healthy Rangeland Initiative, in August 1995. Since that time, Resource Advisory Councils throughout the West have been helping the BLM develop standards and guidelines under these regulations.

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