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|
SPONSOR: |
Madalena |
DATE TYPED: |
01/26/02 |
HB |
HJM 20 |
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SHORT TITLE: |
Restore Bison to Kiowa National Grassland |
SB |
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ANALYST: |
Gilbert |
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APPROPRIATION
|
Appropriation
Contained |
Estimated
Additional Impact |
Recurring or Non-Rec |
Fund Affected |
||
|
FY02 |
FY03 |
FY02 |
FY03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
$0.1 |
Recurring |
General Fund |
(Parenthesis
( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
LFC Files
Responses Received
Department of Game and Fish (DGF)
State Land Office (SLO)
SUMMARY
Synopsis
of Bill
House Joint Memorial
20 requests the United States Forest Service (USFS) and the State Land Office
(SLO) to enter into discussions with representatives from the New Mexico Bison
Association and members from the intertribal bison cooperative to develop a
plan that will allow bison to be restored to the Kiowa National Grassland and
to state lands in Harding County or to other federal or state lands in New
Mexico.
Significant Issues
The SLO maintains that
most state land is under lease, thus precluding infringement upon existing
leasehold rights. As a result, it may be a challenge to identify locations on
state trust land where establishing a bison herd is compatible with existing
uses.
Bison are listed as a
protected species under 17-2-3 NMSA 1978, unless raised in captivity for domestic
or commercial meat production. Bison placed on the Kiowa National Grasslands
and associated State Land would likely be considered a protected game species
under the jurisdiction of the State Game Commission.
In 1999 the Department of Game and Fish (DGF)
removed the last wild bison population from the Fort Wingate Army Depot. Prior to the removal, DGF contacted the
Kiowa National Grasslands District Ranger and members of the staff to discuss
the possibility of moving bison to the Grasslands. Personnel from the US Forest Service (USFS) were initially
supportive of the concept. However, the
Forest Service retracted support after meeting with members of the Union County
Commission and grazing permitees who had allotments on the Kiowa Grasslands. Opposition to moving bison to the Grasslands
centered on loss of livestock grazing due to the presence of bison. There was also concern about potential fence
and property damage caused by bison.
In 1993, Bison were moved from Fort Wingate to
the El Malpais National Conservation Area, which is managed by the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM). By 1994, the BLM
was proposing the removal bison from the El Malpais National Conservation
Area. According to the Environmental
Assessment for the Relocation of the Bison Herd, El Malpais National
Conservation Area (BLM EA No. NM-017-94-111), the herd had "caused more resource
damage (including destruction of property and domestic animals) than originally
anticipated." Also, since
relocation the bison "have ranged throughout the Cebolla Wilderness and
outside of it onto private land. They
have gone over and through pasture fences, resulting in considerable time
expended for repairs by the ranch foreman of the El Malpais Allotment and
adjoining private landowners."
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
*Both the DGF and SLO indicated that they would
incur salary, vehicle and per diem costs associ-
ated with meeting the requirements of this bill.
ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS
According to the DGF, most of the activities
associated with bison management would be similar to ongoing management activities
of other game species. However, release
of bison on the grasslands would necessitate the development of a management
plan in coordination with the SLO and the USFS. Response to situations where an
animal has been determined to cause damage or depredation would affect
performance measures of the DGF’s wildlife depredation and nuisance abatement
program and require administrative oversight. Any of the activities associated
with bison management, including development of management plans will require
staff time.
OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
According to the SLO, trust land often comprises
a portion of an operating ranch usually a minor percentage. Ranches typically
also include a mix of private and federal lands. In order to establish a management
unit of sufficient size to support a viable bison herd, it is necessary that
agreement be reached with existing leaseholders, permit holders and private
property interests. Such an operation would not likely succeed by isolating
only one land ownership type or absent agreement among all the entities with a
legal interest in the land.
[1]Begin typing on the * in replace mode. Do not add or delete spaces.