Resiliency for Ranching and Natural Conservation Health Act
HB4513, titled the Resiliency for Ranching and Natural Conservation Health Act, would amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to create a temporary grazing-relief mechanism for ranchers affected by extreme natural events and disasters. If a permit or lease holder loses access to one or more grazing allotments because of events such as drought, wildfire, infestation, blight, or other unforeseen natural disasters, the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior could authorize temporary use of a vacant grazing allotment instead.
The bill directs the relevant agency to set the terms and conditions for that temporary use by looking first to the most recent terms on the vacant allotment, or, if none are available, by using local ecological conditions and adjacent allotment conditions. It also allows temporary rangeland improvements such as portable corrals, fencing, aboveground pipelines, and water troughs, and requires the agencies to coordinate across jurisdictional lines where practicable. The temporary use would not change the original permit holder’s rights to return to the original allotment, alter future animal unit month authorizations, or preclude future agency decisions about the vacant allotment.
The bill would add a new Section 405 to Title IV of FLPMA, giving federal land managers explicit authority to reassign vacant grazing allotments on a temporary basis during emergencies. It would affect both Bureau of Land Management public lands and National Forest System lands, and it would require the agencies to issue implementation guidelines within one year and periodically evaluate land health conditions on vacant allotments. The practical effect would be to provide ranchers with continuity of grazing access during disruptions while preserving agency discretion over land health, suitability, and future allotment decisions.
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented floor or committee debate to gauge formal support or opposition. Based on the bill’s structure and title, the measure appears designed as a pro-ranching, disaster-response bill intended to help livestock operators maintain operations after natural disasters. The absence of recorded votes or hearing remarks means the available record does not show whether the proposal was broadly supported, opposed, or amended in committee.
The main likely points of contention are the balance between rancher relief and federal land management discretion, and whether temporary grazing on vacant allotments could affect ecological conditions, wildlife management, or future land-use decisions. The bill tries to address those concerns by requiring local ecological considerations, periodic land-health evaluations, and by stating that temporary use does not alter future allotment rights or ongoing assessments. Potentially affected stakeholders include ranchers and grazing permit holders, federal land agencies, conservation interests, and state wildlife managers where prior agreements or wildlife conflicts are relevant.