Comment on FR Doc # 2026-09387

After having been hunted nearly to extinction by the late 1800s, the return of American bison to the high plains of the western U.S. (albeit reduced in number to a tiny fraction of their original herd size) signals a tangible return to real American greatness. Through the dedication of American conservationists (importantly including Theodore Roosevelt), bison can now be witnessed in various areas of their ancestral habitat, representing a success story that must continue for the benefit of future generations. BLM lands should *not* be managed with the scales tipped toward one specific use emphasizing “production-oriented” livestock — a term that is apparently absent from the Taylor Grazing Act — to the exclusion of a multiple-use doctrine representing the interests of the American citizenry as a whole. And specifically, it should be noted that American Prairie’s access to BLM lands in Phillips County for bison grazing is *not* a threat to Montana cattle ranchers. Indeed, American Prairie’s laudable efforts have revealed the advantages of the multiple-use doctrine for ranchers and conservationists alike. The health of these BLM lands is markedly enhanced by the presence of bison, a keystone species that fosters the return of native plants and animals and promotes long-term ecological balance. And while bison and cattle do indeed have quite similar diets (but markedly different grazing patterns), Utah State University research has revealed that *rabbits* compete with cattle for forage at far greater levels than bison. BLM lands need stewardship for native wildlife, livestock, conservationists, ranchers, recreationalists and more. The tableau of bison — our National Mammal — coexisting with cattle in healthy and diverse ecosystems on the high plains should be valued by all of us. What could be more American than that? And let me conclude by noting that proposed new BLM grazing regulations have negative implications for natural resources stewardship of public lands well beyond Montana and American Prairie. These lands across the United States should be managed with conservation and environmental protection as significant goals. Future generations of Americans will thank us if we hold to such critically important standards across the entirety of BLM-administered public lands.