BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A new federal land management plan for southwest Idaho and northern Nevada created after the settlement of a lawsuit aimed at reducing cattle grazing has been released — and it allows an increase.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management last week approved its Resource Management Plan for the Jarbidge Field Office. The settlement agreement with conservationists was reached in 2005.
The previous plan allowed up to 260,000 animal unit months, which increased to 326,000 under the new plan.
The BLM defines an animal unit month as the amount of forage needed to sustain one cow and her calf, one horse, or five sheep or goats for a month.
The BLM cited a 2005 settlement agreement with Western Watersheds Project as a reason for creating the new plan.
An attorney for the conservation group says another lawsuit is possible.
