N.M. rancher renounces grazing contract at rally

Counterprotesters call for the occupiers in Oregon to leave.

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burns, ore. » A rancher fromNewMexicorenounced his U.S. Forest Service grazing contract at an event held by an armed group occupying a national wildlife refuge in Oregon to protest federal land-use policies.

Adrian Sewell of Grant County, N.M., took the action at the event attended by about 120 people at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Agroup led by Ammon Bundy began occupying the area in eastern Oregon’s high desert on Jan. 2.

Bundy has said the federal government has no authority to enforce federal grazing contracts with ranchers.

Critics of Bundy’s group also attended Saturday’s event, whichwas held a few hours after a small counterprotest nearby.

Kieran Suckling, with the Center for Biological Diversity, said the leaders of the armed group want to “stage another occupancy like this and to terrorize those towns the same way they have terrorized Burns. There’s no town in theWest that wants to be the next Burns.”

Katie Fite of Boise, Idaho, called the occupiers bullies and said their action could give rise to other hate-filled efforts to take over public lands.

Federal authorities are trying to resolve the 3-weekold standoff, but have so far made nomoves against Bundy’s group. On Friday, Bundy met brieflywith a federal agent at the airport in Burns, but Bundy left because the agentwouldn’t talk with him in front of the media.

The short meeting occurred as Oregon officials are putting increased pressure on federal authorities to take action. The FBI has said it’s seeking a peaceful resolution to the standoff.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has said she’s angry because federal authorities have not dealt with Bundy’s group. Bundy, speaking to The Associated Press late Friday while sitting at a desk inside one of the refuge buildings, dismissed the governor’s request.

At community meetings, local residents have asked Bundy and his group to leave. Bundy has said he believes his group’s work is appreciated by locals.

“What we’re doing is making sure it’s secured as a right. And (ranchers) will make the decision on how to maintain it, how to care for it and how to manage,” he said.