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Welcome to the Nevada Department of
Agriculture's Section 8 Review Program.
This Program is designed to increase the State
and permittees participation in the consultation, cooperation and
coordination process as established by Section 8 of PL95-514 also referred
to as the Public Rangeland Improvement Act of 1978 that provides in
part.....
"If the Secretary concerned elects to
develop an allotment management plan for a given area, he shall do so in
careful and considered consultation, cooperation and coordination with the
lessees, permittees, and landowners involved, the district grazing advisory
boards established pursuant to section 403 of the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act (13 U.S.C.1753), and any State or States having lands within
the area to be covered by such allotment management plan"
This Act is applicable to
both lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest
Service. The Department has entered into Memorandums of Understanding
with both of these agencies. The purpose of the MOU is “to promote
efficient multiple-use management of the range resources within the state of
Nevada”.
Such management is to be responsive to:
Produce healthy, useful public land ranges
Reflect a strong land ethic
Apply current scientific rangeland
management principles
This process helps participants review their
conflicts, identify options, and agree on solutions. The process is
voluntary and binding only if the parties can reach a mutual agreement.
PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM
The program
is intended to provide assistance to the permittees and agencies in
establishing allotment management plans and to ensure an independent,
professional, review of all conflicts or differences on any grazing
allotment or permit where requested to do so by the livestock owner, manager
or the federal agency involved. When a land management agency attempts to
change the terms and conditions of a term permit through a Proposed Multiple
Use Decision (PMUD), or changes the use of an allotment through the Land Use
Planning process or other formal planning processes, and there is an adverse
effect upon a permittee, the permittee can utilize this program to obtain an
independent scientific review of the proposal. Once the team completes the
review, they will provide a report of their findings and make
recommendations for use by the permittee and land management agency.
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT
SECTION 8 REVIEW
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It is best to initiate the
review process as early in the planning process as possible to help
identify issues and obtain potential solutions.
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The findings and
recommendations of the Section 8 team are non-binding on the agencies and
permittee, unless mutual agreement is reached. Both the agencies and
permittees may seek additional state or federal recourse through
mediation, alternate dispute resolution or litigation as may be deemed
necessary.
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The Review
program does not limit or affect the legal responsibilities of the land
management agencies, the State of Nevada, or any permittee.
WHO CAN
APPLY
Any
permittee or permittees' manager holding a grazing permit with the Bureau of
Land Management or the U.S. Forest Service may be eligible for this
program. An authorized officer of either of the land management agencies
may also request a section 8 review.
WHERE AND HOW TO APPLY
Any individual holding a valid lease with the Bureau of land
Management or the U.S. Forest Service can initiate a section 8 Review by
notifying the Nevada Department of Agriculture and the appropriate land
management agency in writing of the desire to participate in the program.
*A $750.00 processing fee must be
included with your application.*
Please make
the check or money order payable to the Nevada Department of Agriculture.
The fee is non-refundable upon initiation of the review process by the
Department.
For additional information please contact the
Department at the
address provided below.
Section 8 Review Program
Staff:
Section 8
Program Coordinator (currently vacant)
Tony Lesperance
Department of
Agriculture Director
350 Capitol Hill Avenue
Reno Nevada 89502
(775) 688-1182 extension 222
Fax: (775) 688-1178
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