House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation Hearing
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Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, thank you for allowing me to tell you what is going on in
My name is
My family and I ranch on the
Our allotment originally started as the San Diego Land Grant which eventually was taken by the government and became
We feel that the government has taken away and are still trying to take away what is rightfully ours, from our grazing rights to our water rights. It seems that every year it gets more difficult to continue with our way of life and keep our heritage alive as the government is continually putting obstacles in our path.
My mother's family was driven out of the logging business when the Spotted Owl became an endangered species. They left the valley that they grew up in to find work elsewhere.
Since the drought took over
Two years ago in 2011, our range conservationist gave us a handout which talked about the New Mexico Meadow Jumping Mouse. In that meeting he stated that if it was listed, that it would be the end of grazing on
This mouse hibernates about nine months a year and requires a 24 inch stubble height of dense grass. If we were not already providing the appropriate conditions, how can they mouse be there?
Another puzzling fact is that the mouse can apparently detect property lines. The proposed critical habitat goes right to the fence line to the
That was all we heard on the issue until the fall of 2013. The comment period in the
The local ranchers had many questions about the New Mexico Meadow Jumping Mouse, like where it was found. How many were found? What would be done to protect it and where it would be done?
We then asked
The science used to list the mouse is disputable. Why are there no lists of areas that were studied? And if there is a list, why was it not provided to us when we asked for it? In the meeting with
Why is
Since when is America not a democratic country? Why is the federal government not giving every citizen its due process on issues that affect so many different aspects of their lives? In every meeting with
I personally asked about alternatives fencing us off water and then out of our pastures but always hit road blocks, such as, no money or more studies needed. But somehow there is now money to build fences? At about
We were told in the meeting with
After the media got involved around the 4th of July camping season,
The money being used to erect these fences is from taxpayers. That being said, it appears that
Every time that there are compromises to be made, it is always us, the ranchers, who have to compromise on our end. We are told that if we do not compromise and agree with the decisions being made by
How are we supposed to work with
I feel that Agriculture is very important to America, if you've seen the price of beef in the grocery stores lately, the more they cut herds the higher the price goes up for all American People.
I don't get how the environmental groups work with the Federal Government; what gives them so much power that they dictate what the Federal Government does with other people that use government lands? If you look at the WildEarth Guardians website, it states exactly what the
They want to protect one endangered spices and do everything in their power to get it done, they don't take into consideration that land management is so important for example: the Spotted Owl that was listed years ago. Many people (most of my family) from the logging industry lost their jobs witch cased them to move out of the area to find work.
Through the years, now from the lack of managing the land correctly the
Fencing off the river would dramatically affect our culture, economy, and our local community. Our local community businesses thrive on the business generated by ranchers, campers, fishermen, hunters and hikers. If we fence off all of the proposed rivers, it would have a detrimental effect on these local businesses.
I don't understand how people from other states get jobs at these federal agencies that don't understand the way you manage a ranch in
The ranchers in this area don't have a lot of money; there are not a lot of big cattle operations like everyone think they are. I bought my own cattle and allotments and I bought it for a reason. It was an investment to put my two kids through college and so I could have something to hand over to my children that they have known their whole lives. My father inherited his small operation from my Grandpa, which helps pay for my elderly Grandmother's care: medical insurance, daily caretaker, and anything she may need. Because of these cows, grandma is not in a state paid or federal paid nursing home. This is how we take care of her, it's how our community works; this is a part of what we do as a ranching family and community.
It saddens me to sit in a meeting where the head
This statement coming from a federal government employee!
The opposite is true for
Rumors are floating in our communities that
The government and environmental groups are making it almost impossible for us to do what we love (our culture/heritage). In my opinion cattlemen are the care takers of the land, if it wasn't for cattle grazing these lands we wouldn't have an environment for a jumping mouse or most other creatures. We are the ones who manage the lands and wildlife also benefit from our watering systems.
The media has accurately shown how our land looks. This is how we have taken care of this land, a part of our culture is an understanding that you have to take care of the land, in order for the land to take care you.
We are trying to do the right thing, but what we see for doing the right thing is we better go along with this or you are going to lose your permits! Ultimately the government is losing its caretaker, because that's what we do.
Thank you for your time. We pray that you can help us.
Read this original document at: http://naturalresources.house.gov/UploadedFiles/LuceroTestimony7-24-14.pdf
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