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Greetings Rec News Subscribers! While perusing the news feed this morning, I noticed that Tuesday’s Congressional oversight hearing was picked up by Middle East North Africa Financial Network Online News... House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Hearing Now... why do you think Middle East and North Africa businesses are interested in how America's public lands are managed? I'm no international business expert, but I bet you that if they read USFS Chief Tidwell's testimony, they are feeling very confident in their Middle Eastern investments... National We knew that Fly Rod and Reel magazine had gone radically anti-motorized, but we didn't know they were this bad! BARF ALERT! South Dakota Because of years of human intervention, the current condition on the BHNF is highly unnatural. And the mountain pine beetles are taking advantage. You are probably asking yourself, “why doesn't the USFS do something?” They're trying. But, as one expects nowadays, some litigious environmental group--funded by wealthy foundations--is using the U.S. Courts to stop them. You see, to these wealthy foundations, rubbing salt in the wound is more important than healthy ecosystems. Thankfully, the foundation-funded greenie lawyers aren't getting everything 100% their way: Of course, they are persistent and are not known for giving up... Maybe the locals should talk more about the Rampant Greenie Lawyers!!! Utah Sen. David Hinkins has issue with SITLA lands within the Emery County land use bill First of all, I want to be very clear about an often misunderstood issue surrounding federally managed lands: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS “HARD RELEASE” Yea, that “ALL CAPS” means I'm yelling at you. Randy Johnson said there is hard release language in the Washington County Bill. Johnson said the county wants hard release language in their bill and it's better to have that battle back at Congress and to send the bill back with that language in it.
With all due respect to lobbyist Randy Johnson, it is a well known fact that no existing Congress can “bind the hands” of a future Congress. Anyone who was paying the slightest bit of attention to the recent budget debate understands this. Why in the world anyone in Utah is talking about “hard release” -- I can't tell you. As residents of "public lands states," we need to realize that unless and until we transfer public lands to the States, the U.S. Congress can do whatever it wants with any federally manged lands. It's called “plenary” power -- and it is real. So as the young kids say these days... Deal. I also have something to say regarding the SITLA lands issue. I haven't been at most of the meetings, but I do know that SITLA (Utah's School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration) has been both adamant and consistent. Former Emery County Commissioner Gary Kofford has it exactly correct: Gary Kofford, lands council member said when the council began the land use bill process, SITLA didn't want lands within the areas proposed for some type of designation whether wilderness or national conservation areas. They wanted the lands traded out.
BRC is only one stakeholder in this process. But our opinion is SITLA's wishes must be addressed in the draft legislation. If this key issue isn't addressed, this bill will not have Utah's support. Emery County knew this from the get-go. So...asking the obvious question -- why isn't a SITLA land trade part of the bill? Colorado Here is an update on a newsclip we previously blasted... Washington State California Scoping projects currently under way for Black Gulch, Borel, and Boulder Bad news about Oceano Dunes... Arizona |
