Cattle graze in the Siskiyou National Monument near Ashland, Ore, in this Aug. 16, 2003 photo. Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski is questioning the federal government trying to maintain cattle grazing on the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, when it is intended to protect a unique mix of plants and most of the ranchers are looking for a federal buyout. (AP Photo/The Mail Tribune, Roy Musitelli)

GRANTS PASS, Ore. - Gov. Ted Kulongoski is urging the federal government to stop trying to maintain cattle grazing on the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, when it was created to protect native species.

A letter from the governor's office to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management criticizes the latest version of the management plan the agency is drawing up, arguing that it is trying to get around the language which established the monument and which calls for eliminating livestock grazing if it is shown to harm the native plants and animals.

The governor's office also questioned the sense of continuing with a grazing study that has cost $1 million to date, when there is strong support among ranchers in the area and local and statewide stockmen's groups for a federal buyout to end grazing.