News Release
February 17, 1998
Federal Judge’s Order Will End Congressional Meddling in Owyhee
County
Idaho Watersheds Project announced today that Federal District Judge
B.
Lynn Winmill issued a decision on Wednesday, February 11, 1998 in which
he ordered the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to come up with a
schedule by March 13, 1998 to complete the politically stalled Owyhee
Resource Management Plan (RMP) which will govern BLM management of 1.3
million acres of public land in Owyhee County, Idaho.
In his decision Judge Winmill also denied Idaho Watersheds Project
and
the Committee for Idaho’s High Desert’s motion requiring BLM to make
even earlier changes in grazing management, by March 1, 1998; but he
retained jurisdiction over the final plan to determine if it
expeditiously addresses the need to bring land uses on 1.3 million
acres of public lands in Owyhee County into compliance with the law.
The Judge’s decision stated: “ The Court’s conclusions on the legal
issues rest in large part on its confidence that an expeditious
timetable can be set for the completion of this project (The Owyhee
RMP). If that confidence is misplaced, the Court may need to revisit
many of its conclusions in this case.”
Jon Marvel, a spokesperson for Idaho Watersheds Project stated:
“ Judge
Winmill’s decision will result in the ending of political meddling by
Larry Craig and Helen Chenoweth which has stopped the implementation of
long overdue changes in livestock management in Owyhee County to
protect clean water and wildlife habitat.” Laird Lucas, attorney for
the Land and Water Fund of the Rockies, which represented the
plaintiffs in this case stated: “We are pleased that the judge
recognizes the serious problems which overgrazing has caused in the
Owyhees. In ordering BLM to come up with a strict timetable to change
grazing practices, he has put the agency and the ranchers on notice
that the past twenty years of delay and inaction will no longer be
tolerated."