Amend Public Grazing Fees to Provide Adequate Funding for Wild Horses

The Issue

As of 2020, the BLM housed over 50,000 wild horses and burros that have been rounded up to make room for cattle grazing.

An outbreak of an "unknown but highly contagious and sometimes fatal disease" occurred on April 23rd, 2022 at a Cañon City, CO facility that houses 2,550 horses. At least 57 horses have been confirmed dead since then.

The chief issue appears to be that BLM is charging extremely subsidized grazing rates, resulting in budget deficiencies to adequately house, care for, and protect the wild horses they round up.

43 CFR 4130.8 establishes a base rate of $1.23 per Animal Unit Month (AMU) based on the 1966 Western Livestock Grazing Survey. It also states that the rate may not be altered by more than 25% per calendar year, nor be less than $1.35.

While there is an equation provided to adjust the grazing rate, the rate was $1.35 again in 2021... Back in 1981 the rate was $2.31 - which clearly demonstrates this equation is not working (not to mention studies show this rate should be $9.47 if adjusted solely for inflation)

This petition under 5 US Code 553e is to recommend that BLM amend 43 CFR 4130.8 to achieve the following:

-remove the 1966 base rate of $1.23
-remove the 25% adjustment clause
-remove the minimum $1.35 rate
-add a provision to charge not less than 90% of the private market rate per state and conduct market rate studies not less than every 5 years

The average private market rate for grazing fees in 2017 was over $23.40 for 16 different states, further highlighting the outdated nature of the the 1966 base.

The majority of this increased funding should be directed to the Wild Horse and Burrow Program, as allowable by current fund distribution regulations.

Sources: