Federal Appeals Handbook: Guidance for Appealing Grazing Decisions

Abstract

This handbook is meant to guide ranchers who are navigating the appeal procedures in either the Forest Service (USFS), housed in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), or the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), housed in the Department of the Interior (DOI). It does not substitute for an attorney, but it does provide a comprehensive view of the appeals process, as well as helpful practice tips. The handbook is divided into two sections: 1) a general overview of USFS and BLM administrative appeals with practice tips, and 2) a detailed breakdown of the step-by-step procedures in reference to the applicable regulations. This handbook is meant to be used wherever disputes arise where grazing permits are held or applied for on federal land. The processes discussed here also will apply when a federal agency takes an official action implemented through an official decision, such as a change in permitted livestock numbers. Natural Resource Use and Management Clinic, April 2019.