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Senate Ag committee backs resolution urging transfer of national grasslands management to NRCS
Summary
The Senate Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee voted to give a "do pass" recommendation to House Concurrent Resolution 3024, which urges Congress to transfer management of national grasslands in North Dakota from the U.S. Forest Service to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
The Senate Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee voted to give a "do pass" recommendation to House Concurrent Resolution 3024, which urges the U.S. Congress to transfer management of national grasslands within North Dakota from the U.S. Forest Service to the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Representative Keith Kepnick, who introduced the resolution, told the committee the measure targets national grasslands within his Southwest District and several grazing association permits. "Basically this resolution... is dealing with the national grasslands," Kepnick said, describing the lands' history under New Deal-era programs and later management shifts to the Forest Service.
The resolution was supported by the North Dakota Stockmen's Association. Julie Ellingson of the association said NRCS's mission is a closer fit for the majority-grassland acreage. "The mission in our view of NRCS is more closely aligned and attuned to the grasslands, as it's focused on soil health and rangeland management," Ellingson said.
Kepnick and other witnesses described the land as mostly grassland rather than forest, and said local grazing associations hold permits to graze those lands. Kepnick noted past conversations about state involvement and a recent local debate over a large monument designation near the Little Missouri drainage that helped reframe the management question.
Senator Bridal moved the committee recommendation to "do pass" HCR 30 24; Senator Lam seconded the motion. The clerk took the roll and the committee recorded a do-pass recommendation. The hearing record shows supportive testimony and no testimony in opposition.
The resolution asks Congress to consider transferring surface-management responsibilities for national grassland acreage in the state from the U.S. Forest Service to the NRCS. The hearing included questions about the Forest Service's current emphasis and what NRCS-managed oversight would change in practice; no specific federal or statutory changes were adopted by the committee beyond the do-pass recommendation.
The committee closed the hearing after the vote and identified a committee carrier to carry the resolution forward.
