THE Victorian Government has refused to rule out reintroducing cattle to the Alpine National Park this summer.
A spokesman for Environment Minister Ryan Smith said a decision was "something that's still yet to be determined".
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But the Government cannot launch another season of grazing trials to reduce fuel loads in the high country until it gains approval from federal Environment Minister Tony Burke.
Mr Smith's spokesman said preparations were being made to lodge an application "soon".
Once the application is lodged Mr Burke has 20 working days to make an initial response to approve or reject the application.
Mountain Cattlemen's Association of Victoria president Mark Coleman said his members were ready to take cattle into the park this season, as soon as they received the all-clear from the Government.
"We'd normally go in towards Christmas, late December," he said.
"But if it drags on until February there won't be any point in running the trial as the grass will be too rank for grazing to be effective in reducing (fire) fuel loads."
On October 21, Mr Burke introduced regulations into Federal Parliament, under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, to block further trials. Victoria's application will test the validity of the regulations.
Meanwhile, federal Nationals MP Darren Chester has listed a motion to disallow Mr Burke's regulations, which must be voted on by March 15.
"If the Federal Government wants to intervene, then they should give members of Parliament a say, rather than sneaking this through the back door," Mr Chester said.
He said he supported grazing trials and looked forward to cattle returning to the park as soon as possible.
But the success of Mr Chester's disallowance motion will depend on support from Tony Windsor and other independents.
"The motion to disallow only has to be knocked out in one House," Mr Chester said.
Mr Windsor did not respond to a request for comment.
The Victorian Government reintroduced cattle into the national park last January, more than five years after grazing was controversially banned by the former state Labor government.
