Resiliency for Ranching and Natural Conservation Health Act

Resiliency for Ranching and Natural Conservation Health Act

This bill makes vacant grazing allotments temporarily available to holders of grazing permits or leases after a natural disaster.

The Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) shall make available to the holder of a grazing permit or lease issued by either Interior or USDA the temporary use of a vacant grazing allotment if one or more grazing allotments covered by the grazing permit or lease of the holder are temporarily unusable because of resource conditions from unforeseen natural events or disasters (including an extreme weather event, drought, wildfire, infestation, or blight).

The bill allows investment of amounts in the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The bill allocates income generated by that investment to rangeland improvement projects and enhancing, expanding, or improving access to public lands or National Forest System land to benefit hunting and recreation activities.

The bill increases the maximum duration of grazing permits and leases from 10 years to 20 years.