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Public lands livestock grazing got you down? TAKE ACTION: Urge Congress to support the Rural Economic Vitalization Act!

Most Americans are shocked when they find out that ranchers are allowed to graze their private livestock on our public lands – including deep within protected Wilderness areas – for literally pennies on the dollar.

In fact, the federal public lands grazing program is among the most wasteful, environmentally damaging and economically inefficient uses of our public lands, costing U.S. taxpayer a whopping $110 million annually! When you consider additional direct and indirect costs, it’s estimated that the federal public lands grazing program on just national forests and Bureau of Land Management (BLM)-administered lands may cost as much as $500 million to $1 billion annually – all to provide only 3% of all the beef in the country.

Existing law does not allow for the retirement of grazing permits. This outdated policy has negative impacts on wildlife, watersheds, and the surrounding ecosystem, which continue to be harmed by domestic livestock grazing.

One potential solution to this problem is a piece of legislation called the Rural Economic Vitalization Act (H.R. 3624). This bill would allow federal grazing permit users to waive their grazing permit back to the U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management in exchange for compensation by a third party. The associated grazing allotments would then be permanently retired from livestock grazing use.

Retiring grazing permits on America's public lands protects Wilderness, eliminates negative impacts to watersheds, native fish, wildlife and plants, and saves tax dollars.

Ask your representative to co-sponsor the Rural Economic Vitalization Act – a bill that's good for America's public lands and Wilderness areas, native fish and wildlife, and even taxpayer wallets!

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Ask your representative to support the Rural Economic Vitalization Act – a bill that's good for America's public lands and Wilderness areas, native fish and wildlife, and even taxpayer wallets!

Your U.S. House Rep

Subject: Please support the Rural Economic Vitalization Act (H.R. 3624)

Message:

Please support and co-sponsor the Rural Economic Vitalization Act (H.R. 3624).

The federal government's public lands grazing program is among the most wasteful, environmentally damaging and economically inefficient uses of our public lands, costing U.S. taxpayer about $110 million annually. Public lands livestock grazing, which is even allowed in many protected Wilderness areas, directly displaces native wildlife and causes long-term damage to fish and wildlife habitat.

When you consider additional direct and indirect costs, it's estimated that the federal public lands grazing program on just national forests and Bureau of Land Management (BLM)-administered lands may cost as much as $500 million to $1 billion annually - all to provide only 3% of all the beef in the country.

Existing law does not allow for the retirement of grazing permits. This outdated policy has negative impacts on wildlife, watersheds, and the surrounding ecosystem, which continue to be harmed by domestic livestock grazing.

That's why I'm asking you to support and co-sponsor the Rural Economic Vitalization Act (H.R. 3624). This bill would give public lands ranchers the option to relinquish their grazing permits in exchange for private compensation. The grazing allotment would be retired in order to rehabilitate damaged ecosystems on public lands.

Retiring federal public lands grazing permits via the Rural Economic Vitalization Act saves tax dollars and eliminates negative impacts to watersheds, native fish, wildlife and plants.

Thanks for your consideration.

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Ask your representative to support the Rural Economic Vitalization Act – a bill that's good for America's public lands and Wilderness areas, native fish and wildlife, and even taxpayer wallets!

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