ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL GRASSLANDS, INC.

MARCH 2016 NEWSLETTER AND ANNUAL MEETING INFORMATION

2016 Officers
President
Bob Harshbarger
1162 Lynch Rd.
Newcastle, WY 82701

President Elect
Dan Anderson
c/o Grand River Grazing Association
P.O. Box 538
Lemmon, SD 57638
Vice President
Frank Tomac
9999 57th Ave., SW
Watauga, SD 57660
Sec-Treas.
Joan Cantrell
23954 Recluse Rd
Philip, SD 57567

ANGs Annual
Meeting
September 19-20, 2016

Community Building
Crawford, Nebraska
Crawford, NE Lodging options
Fort Robinson308-665-2900
Hilltop Motel308-665-1114

To Register Call

605-745-3228
or email
lance_russell@yahoo.com

NO REGISTRATION FEE!

SD Legislature passes resolution requesting Congress to reimburse Grand River

Grazing Association members through House Concurrent Resolution No. 1012
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION, Requesting the South Dakota congressional delegation to introduce legislation to compensate private landowners
for fire damage caused by the United States Forest Service.
WHEREAS, on April 3, 2013, the United States Forest Service lost control of the pautre fire in Perkins County, South Dakota; and
WHEREAS, private property valued at millions of dollars was destroyed; and
WHEREAS, on April 13, 2015, the United States Park Service lost control of the cold brook fire in Wind Cave National Park, which burned 5,420
acres more than the planned 1,000 acres, and threatened private property adjacent to the park; and
WHEREAS, the federal government has denied any liability for the private property damaged by these fires:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the House of Representatives of the Ninety-First Legislature of the State of South Dakota, the Senate
concurring therein, that the Legislature respectfully requests that South Dakota's congressional delegation introduce legislation to compensate the
private landowners that have endured property and monetary damages as a result of the pautre and cold brook escaped fires.
Adopted by the House of Representatives, February 10, 2016; Concurred in by the Senate, February 16, 2016

ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL GRASSLANDS, INC.

www.nationalgrasslands.org

MARCH 2016 NEWSLETTER AND ANNUAL MEETING INFORMATIONPAGE 2

General membership voting change

At ANGs 37th Annual Business Meeting held in Newcastle,
Wyoming last Fall, several proposed changes to the Associations
By-laws were considered. Among them was a change to those
eligible to vote on ANG business. This change allows for more
folks to be a part of ANGs business decisions.

ARTICLE III.
A quorum shall be the members present at any meeting. The
right to vote at General Membership meetings shall be limited to
those permittees (one vote per membership legal entity, family
or partnership) who operate wholly or in part on National Grasslands and are current with their annual dues, either individually
or through their Grazing Association.
-Change motion and approved: September 15, 2015

ANG Files Comment on

Cheyenne River RAMP
The Wall Ranger District has issued an Environmental Assessment for the Cheyenne River Allotments in Pennington
County, South Dakota. ANG filed formal comment and objections to the EA on February 26, 2016.
The Forest Service scoping notice stated that the action is
needed because existing conditions are not meeting the LRMP
direction for desired diversity of vegetation structure and vegetation composition.
ANG made formal comment that the wilderness designation was restricting water development and creating harm to
the riparian areas. ANG proposed alternatives for EA consideration during the scoping period to eliminate the wilderness management to enhance management flexibility. ANGs alternatives were not considered in the Environmental Assessment.
The ANG formal comment objected to the Forest Services
failure to consider alternatives that adequately addressed the
causes of riparian area harms, including Bison concentration,
lack of prairie dog control, and the lack of water improvements
within the area managed for Wilderness.

~ NOTICE TO ANG MEMBERS ~

Original government documents concerning the acquisition of grasslands can
be very powerful evidence in advocating permittees rights. If you have, or
know someone who has, original documents that may be of help to ANG,
please consider providing a copy to our ANG Archives by sending it to:
P.O. 184, Hot Springs, SD 57747
Please complete, cut out and mail to: Lance Russell, ANG, P.O. Box 184, Hot Springs, SD 57747

IMPORTANT: Your Feedback Needed on 20-acre rule

President Robert Harshbarger and Lance Russell have traveled
Name: ___________________________________________________
to some of the South Dakota Grazing Association meetings over the past
few months and have spoken about the South Dakota Game, Fish and
Association: ______________________________________________
Parks 20-acre rule that requires that 20 acres of private property adjacent to National Grasslands must be occupied by prairie dogs prior to the
Please feel free to submit any additional written comments with this
completed form.
State of South Dakota taking any action to control the encroachment
from the Grassland. The South Dakota Prairie Dog Management Plan
requires only encroachment for action by the SDGF&P. There is no "20 acre rule" in the Plan. The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
Department is willing to modify the "20 acre rule"; however, the Department requested that ANG reach out to our South Dakota
members and provide feedback on our desires for modifying the rule. What are your thoughts? We need your feedback so that
we can collect your input and proceed with our negotiations. How many acres of adjacent private land should prairie dogs encroach before SDGF&P should take action? (Please mark ONE)

less than 5 acres

5 acres
10 acres
15 acres
20 acres
The state should adhere to the South Dakota Prairie Dog Plan that requires only encroachment.

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