Oregon's Spotted Frog in Trouble

Another prime example of a federal agency putting the business interests of a single rancher making profits off of public lands is the case of Oregon's spotted frog, Rana pretiosa, which is listed by the IUCN as vulnerable.  This acquatic frog occupies wetland were it enjoys warm, shallow water and feeding on a variety of insects.  Its range in Oregon includes Klamath, Lane and Deschutes counties.  One of the specie's stronghold is the Jack Creek drainage in the Fremont-Winema National Forest that contain the largest concentration of fens in the Pacific Northwest.

This is also the location of cattle grazing in the Antelope Allotment.  Most of the cattle naturally congregate around water sources.  Consequent trampling and pollution of  the wetlands is threatening the survival of the frog.  The Forest Service reacted to the problem by building fences, water troughs and other developments in an attempt to mitigate the impacts of a private profit company using public lands.  Twice the courts have found the Forest Service in violation of the National Forest Management Act (“NFMA”) and the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”). The FWS biological opinion that reviewed grazing impacts was ruled arbitrary and capricious. 

It seems the lengths custodians of public property will go to protect private profit--so called "stakeholders" is boundless.  The agency is now proposing to renew the grazing permit and include six more miles of Jack Creek within the grazing area--prime spotted frog habitat.  The rationale for this action is that expansion of the permit area will spread out cattle impacts.  Nonsensical to say the least--just building a taller smokestack will not reduce cases of emphysema in local residents.  Why cannot the Forest Service simply end the allotment instead of spending more taxpayer money protecting private profit?  After all nature lovers are also tax paying citizens.   Answer: it is called "free enterprise" in 'Merica--land of the free, home of the subsidized.