Oregon Public Broadcasting

Livestock ranchers in Grant County Monday responded to a request by environmentalists to temporarily halt grazing in the Malheur National Forest.

The group of 17 ranchers say if the court agrees to the injunction, they may be driven out of business.

The Oregon Natural Desert Association and two other environmental groups filed for a preliminary injunction in April – to stop grazing on eight locations.

Central Oregon correspondent Ethan Lindsey reports.

The unemployment rate in Grant County, in eastern Oregon, is just under 14 percent.

Cattle ranchers there say keeping them off public lands will make the situation even worse.

Under federal law, western cattle ranchers can pay to let their livestock roam and feed on public lands and national forests.

Andy Kerr is the director of the National Public Lands Grazing Campaign.

Andy Kerr: “The rates are so subsidized by the taxpayers, that it costs a rancher less to feed a cow on public lands for a month than it costs me to feed my cat.”

Another anti-grazing group, the Oregon Natural Desert Association says grazing in Grant County hurts wild steelhead in the John Day River.

The fish species is currently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Last year, the group successfully blocked grazing from two locations in the eastern Oregon country – a judge ruled that the livestock could permanently damage fish restoration efforts.

Brent Fenty is the executive director.

Brent Fenty: “Unfortunately after many years of encouraging what we thought would be better management, that didn’t occur, we were forced to hold the Forest Service accountable to enforce federal law."

The ranchers have filed a lawsuit themselves.

They contend that their cattle and livestock don’t harm the wild steelhead restoration efforts.

And furthermore, the ranchers say government researchers are using the wrong science to determine the impact of grazing.

If nothing is resolved, a judge is expected to rule on the injunction in June.