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Noem Supports Multiple Use Land Management for Western SD Grasslands
Posted: Wednesday, September 8th Filed in: News, Press Releases
RAPID CITY – Kristi Noem, candidate for South Dakota’s lone seat in the U.S. House, announced today she would oppose legislation to designate certain wilderness areas in the National Forest System in Western South Dakota as introduced by Senator Tim Johnson. Kristi met with concerned landowners and stakeholders earlier this summer and will be speaking at the South Dakota Stockgrowers Convention on Thursday regarding this issue.
"I believe this federal land grab is a solution in search of a problem," said Noem. "Multiple use management of these lands has been successful. We should continue what has worked in order to preserve and protect these lands and to ensure these lands are available to be enjoyed by the public."
"This bill would open the door to the possible reduction and elimination of grazing on the designated lands; It would threaten the rights and livelihoods of those with grazing permits in the proposed wilderness areas; and it also has the potential to compromise the control of forest fires, prairie dogs, and noxious weeds in the designated areas. Wilderness designation would also adversely affect motorized recreation and rock hounds," said Noem.
"We need to look no further than the Black Hills to see how the federal government manages the land we hand over to them. Our federal forests have been neglected and mismanaged by the bureaucracy and now we are dealing with an extremely serious pine beetle epidemic and the threat of catastrophic fire,” Noem said.
The bill, S. 3310, would designate as wilderness areas nearly 50,000 acres in the Indian Creek, Red Shirt, and Chalk Hills areas of Western South Dakota. There is significant opposition to this proposed wilderness designation from those who live near, use, and who own grazing rights to the lands at issue.
There is overwhelming local opposition to S 3310. The county commissions in Pennington, Custer, Meade, Fall River, and Jackson counties have passed resolutions opposing the wilderness designation. Over two dozen South Dakota organizations oppose the wilderness designation including the South Dakota Stockgrowers and Black Hills Regional Multiple Use Coalition. Governor Rounds also opposes this wilderness designation.
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