WASHINGTON (July 2, 2026) – Yesterday, Public Lands Council (PLC) and California Cattlemen's Association (CCA) member Tim Erickson testified in a House Natural Resources Federal Lands Subcommittee hearing on Rep. Tom McClintock’s H.R.8454. This legislation would authorize a land swap of two parcels between the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the National Park Service (NPS). The parcel that would go to USFS had been part of Mr. Erickson’s grazing management for more than 100 years before it was transferred to NPS a decade ago. This transfer will restore Erickson’s grazing management, return productive meadow to multiple use, and facilitate continued public access on a county road that goes through the parcel.
“My family has been ranching in Northern California for over 137 years and had managed Ackerson Meadow until it became part of Yosemite National Park in 2016. When the land was transferred to the Park, my family lost our ability to use this area to gather our cattle in the fall ahead of trailing them home to winter pasture. This transfer not only makes sense for me, but for the meadow itself. Ackerson Meadow is a highly-productive landscape, and our grazing management ensures that important public and wildlife infrastructure is maintained and that we reduce the risk of severe wildfire. Thanks to the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands for holding this hearing and Congressman McClintock introducing this critical legislation.“ said PLC member and California rancher Tim Erickson.
“This commonsense legislation is mutually beneficial for both parties involved,” said Rep. Tom McClintock. “It removes confusion and helps both our California ranchers and the federal agencies involved to work together to utilize, maintain, and restore Ackerson Meadow. The legislation addresses a familiar problem in federal land management in the Sierra Nevada, the checkerboard of boundary lines that makes land management disjointed and inefficient to manage. This bill simply consolidates land jurisdictions between the National Park System and the National Forest System without increasing the federal footprint.”
"Returning Ackerson Meadow to Forest Service administration will improve outcomes for the landscape and the community, and CCA applauds Representative McClintock for driving this policy change with H.R. 8454. California's forests are increasingly prone to catastrophic wildfires, and research consistently shows that grazing is an effective tool for mitigating fire risk. Returning this land to Forest Service management will ensure it can be grazed under the agency's multiple use mandate - improving wildfire resilience, stewarding habitat for native wildlife, and contributing to the local economy." said CCA President and cattle rancher Rick Roberti.
Posted: July 2, 2026