nea4wd.org


Welcome To The Northeast Association of 4WD Clubs

Landscape Conservation System

*Public* Our trails are an endangered species. Please visit and contribute to this forum often.

Landscape Conservation System

Postby tammylynn » Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:59 pm

This is lengthy but good info. May not apply for now because we don't have BLM Land but definitely a sign of things that could come. NTM it is good to help our neighbors when they are in need.

Land Rights Network
American Land Rights Association
PO Box 400 - Battle Ground, WA 98604
Phone: 360-687-3087 - Fax: 360-687-2973
E-mail: alra@pacifier.com
Web Address: http://www.landrights.org
Legislative Office: 507 Seward Square SE - Washington, DC 20003


House Mark-Up Wed. 3-12 On Nat. Landscape Conservation System


Urgent Action Is Required.


That means the Committee will vote on HR 2016, the NLCS next Wednesday, March 12th. This is a really big deal.

House Natural Resources Committee To Mark-Up (HR 2016), National Landscape Conservation System.

Congress Considers Huge BLM NLCS Land Grab

Plans To Put Into Law The Babbitt National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS).

This Essentially Places A National Park Type Overlay Over Millions Of Acres Of BLM Land. You know that will hurt multiple-use and private property.

Access to and use of 26,000,000 million acres of Federal land will be affected.

See statement at the bottom of this e-mail by National Parks Subcommittee Ranking Minority Member Rob Bishop.

The Democrats Are Now In Charge And They Are Deliberately Trying To Give As Late A Notice As Possible For Each Committee Action.

Congress seeks to codify new NLCS Land Grab -- (From Federal Parks and Recreation Newsletter); Seventeen House members from both parties teamed up in April, 2007 to introduce legislation (HR 2016) that would give the National Landscape Conservation System official Congressional certification.

The system, administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), was created administratively by former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt during the Clinton years.

In June 2000 the Interior Department under the guidance of former Secretary Babbitt established the 26 million acre NLCS in BLM to protect special areas.

The NLCS consists of major conservation areas in 12 western states, including 15 national monuments, 13 national conservation areas, Steens Mountain area in Oregon, Headwaters Forest Reserve in northern California, 36 wild and scenic rivers, 148 wilderness areas, 4,264 miles of national trails, and more than 600 wilderness study areas.

Making the NLCS permanent threatens recreation, access, grazing, mining, oil and gas and many other uses. Gradually these areas will be turned into parks with traditional uses strangled and roads cut off. Private property owners and inholders in the areas can say so long to their property rights. You will see new areas nominated for NLCS status gradually eroding BLM multiple-use.

Four Democratic senators introduced counterpart legislation (S 1139) in April, 2007. Said chief sponsor of the Senate bill, Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), "Given the broad public support for these areas, I expect this bill to be non-controversial and it is my hope that it will be able to move quickly through the Congress and enactment into law." Bingaman chairs the Senate Energy Committee. Non-Controversial?

The four lead House sponsors of HR 2016, all co-chairs of an NLCS caucus, are Reps. Mary Bono (R-CA), Rick Renzi (R-AZ), Ra?l Grijalva (D-AZ) and Jim Moran (D-VA). Reps. Bono and Renzi need to receive lots of contacts. The others are not likely to change their position but should receive as many calls as possible.

Creating this massive new conservation area program (read land grab) will take money especially from the National Park Service that is way behind in deferred maintenance and other uses. It will also take money from vast areas of BLM lands. The NLCS will eventually become a huge new agency with thousands of additional bureaucrats added over time.

Any promises made when these areas like Steens Mountain and the Missouri Breaks National Monument as well as the Grand Staircase National Monument and many others were created will be conveniently forgotten as more and more regulations are added. The NLCS will become park-like and be gradually managed like a park. Gradually existing uses will be strangled out of existence.

Supporters of the NLCS insist they are not competing with other conservation programs for fiscal 2008 appropriations. One said, "We do want to see a shift in the funding priorities of the BLM itself. Specifically, the oil and gas program of the BLM has become the dominant program of the BLM at the expense of some the best lands and waters of the American West."

It is the nature of the Congressional appropriations beast that money for all programs in the Interior appropriations bill comes out of the same pot and the programs compete with each other.

One of the sponsors of the bill to codify the NLCS, Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO), said the measure would not affect management of lands or existing rights or public access. Added Salazar, "The bill does, however, recognize that these landscapes are of great interest to the American people and should be managed to protect their values."


Does anyone believe setting up the NLCS would not change the management of these areas? If that were true, why would Congress want to do it?

American Land Rights will be sending out thousands of faxes, letters and e-mails to alert landowners, rural communities and allies about the danger and work to build more allies in Congress to stop the NLCS from passing. ALRA needs your support to defeat the massive new National Landscape Conservation System.

It is critical that private property owners and Federal land users make a big push now to head off this attack on private property and access to Federal lands. It is so much cheaper to fight it early than to wait. Hit it hard now. Call, write and fax your Congressman. You must overwhelm his or her office with calls between now and 5:00 pm Wednesday, March 12th. You may call any Congressman at (202) 225-3121.



ACTION ITEMS

What You Should Do Now!

1. Call your Congressman today to urge him vote against HR 2016, the National Landscape Conservation System at the Committee Mark-Up on Wednesday, March 12th and oppose this BLM Land Grab. Look at the list below to see if your Congressman is on the Committee. Call any Congressman at (202) 225-3121.

2. If your Congressman is not on the Committee, urge him or her to attend the Mark-up and oppose HR 2016. Urge him to write the Members of the House Natural Resources Committee opposing HR 2016 and request a copy of his letter.

3. Write your Congressman by e-mail or fax and tell him or her to oppose the NLCS Land Grab. The Bill number is HR 2016. Write: Honorable___________ US House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515. Send it by fax or e-mail. Mark it Testimony on HR 2016. You do not have time to send a letter. Just ask for the e-mail or fax number when you call.

4. E-mail a copy to the Minority Staff (casey.hammond@mail.house.gov or jason.knox@mail.house.gov). Be sure to label your e-mail in the subject line as concerning HR 2016. You must send it as quickly as you can.

5. Send a copy of your letters to both your Senators. Write: Honorable _________, US Senate, Washington, DC 20510. You may call any Senator at (202) 224-3121.


House Natural Resources Committee. All can be called at the Capital Switchboard at(202) 225-3121. You can fax the committee office at (202) 225-5929.

Minority Members (Republicans)

Don Young (R-AK) -- FAX (202) 225-0425 -- e-mail: kevin.v.kennedy@mail.house.gov

Jim Saxton (R-NJ) -- FAX (202) 225-0778 - e-mail: andy.oliver@mail.house.gov

Elton Gallegly (R-CA) -- FAX (202) 225-1100 - e-mail: brian.feintech@mail.house.gov

John Duncan (R-TN) - FAX (202) 225-6440 -- e-mail: scott.fischer@mail.house.gov

Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) - FAX (202) 225-0254 - edith.Thompson@mail.house.gov

Chris Cannon (R-UT) - FAX (202) 225-5629 - e-mail: matthew.landoli@mail.house.gov

Tom Tancredo (R-CO) - FAX (202) 226-4623 - e-mail: Macarthur.Zimmerman@mail.house.gov

Jeff Flake (R-AZ) - FAX -- (202) 226-4386 - e-mail: chandler.morse@mail.house.gov

Steve Pearce (R-NM) - FAX - (202) 225-9599 - e-mail: tim.charters@mail.house.gov

Henry Brown (R-SC) - FAX - (202) 225-3407 - e-mail: chris.berardini@mail.house.gov.

Louis Fortuno (R-PR) - FAX (202) 225-2154 - Javier.delaluz@mail.house.gov

Rob Bishop (R-UT) Fax: (202) 225-5857
e-mail: casey.hammond@mail.house.gov

Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) - FAX (202) 225-3392 chrissy.poe@mail.house.gov

Louie Gohmert (R-TX) - FAX - (202) 226-5866 - e-mail: Ashley.callen@mail.house.gov

Tom Cole (R-OK) - FAX -- (202) 225-3512 - e-mail: scott.parman@mail.house.gov

Dean Heller (R-NV) - FAX - (202) 225-5697 - e-mail: leeann.walker@mail.house.gov

William Sali (R-ND) - FAX - (202) 225-3029 - e-mail: matthew.hite@mail.house.gov

Douglas Lamborn (R-CO) - FAX (202) 226-2638 - e-mail: melissa.carlson@mail.house.gov

Rob Wittman (R-VA) -- FAX (202) 225-5438 - e-mail: brent.robinson@mail.house.gov

Adrian Smith (R-NE) - FAX (202) 225-0207 - e-mail: monica.jirik@mail.house.gov


Majority Members (Democrats):

Chairman: Nick Rahall (D-WV) - FAX - (202) 225-9061 - e-mail:
jim.zoia@mail.house.gov

Dale Kildee (D-MI) - FAX - (202) 225-6393 - e-mail: travis.talvitie@mail.house.gov

Eni F. H. Faleomavaega (D-AS) - FAX -- (202) 225-8757 - e-mail: lisa.Williams@mail.house.gov

Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) -- FAX - (202) 225-4580-e-mail: wendy.clerinx@mail.hoouse.gov

Soloman Otiz (D-TX) - FAX - (202) 226-1134 - e-mail: patricia.villarreal@mail.house.gov

Frank Pallone (D-NJ) - FAX - (202) 225-9665 - e-mail: eric.gordon@mail.house.gov

Donna Christensen (D-VI) - FAX - (202) 225-5517 - e-mail: brian.modeste@mail.house.gov

Grace Napolitano (D-CA) - FAX - (202) 225-0027 - e-mail: joe.sheehy@mail.house.gov

Rush Holt (D-NJ) - FAX - (202) 225-6025 - e-mail: christopher.hartmann@mail.house.gov

Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) - FAX -- (202) 226-2301 - e-mail: david.watkins@mail.house.gov

Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU) - FAX (202) 226-0341 - e-mail: jed.bullock@mail.house.gov

David Daniel Boren (D-OK) - FAX - (202) 225-3038 - e-mail: Jason.buckner@mail.house.gov

John Sarbanes (D-MD) - FAX - (202) 225-9219 - e-mail: Jason.Gleason@mail.house.gov

George Miller (D-CA) - FAX -- (202) 225-5609 - e-mail: ben.miller@mail.house.gov

Edward Markey (D-MA) - FAX -- (202) 226-0092 - e-mail: jeff.Duncan@mail.house.gov

Peter DeFazio (D-OR) - FAX - (202) 225-0032 - e-mail: susan.brown@mail.house.gov

Maurice Hinchey (D-NY)-- FAX - (202) 226-0774 - e-mail: moira.campion@mail.house.gov

Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) - FAX - (202) 225-3290 - e-mail: kimber.colton@mail.house.gov

Ron Kind (D-WI) - FAX - (202) 225-5739 - e-mail: david.degennaro@mail.house.gov

Lois Capps (D-CA) -- FAX - (202) 225-5632 - e-mail: jonathan.levenshus@mail.house.gov

Jay Inslee (D-WA) - FAX - (202) 226-1606 - e-mail: garth.vanmeter@mail.house.gov

Mark Udall (D-CO -- FAX - (202) 226-7840 - e-mail: stan.sloss@mail.house.gov

Joe Baca (D-CA) - FAX - (202) 225-8671 - e-mail: susie.saavedra@mail.house.gov

Hilda Solis (D-CA) - FAX- (202) 225-5467 - e-mail: megan.uzzell@mail.house.gov

Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) - FAX - (202) 225-5823 - e-mail: josh.albert@mail.house.gov

Heath Shuler (D-NC) -- FAX?? - (202) 226-6422 - e-mail: sean.obrien@mail.house.gov


Rep. Rob Bishop's Congressional Statement on NLCS, HR 2016

House Natural Resources Committee

Ranking Minority Member on Parks Subcommittee -- Rep. Rob Bishop's Opening Statement from June 7, 2007 Hearing.


HR 2016 -- On The National Landscape Conservation System


Washington, D.C. - The following is the opening statement of U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT) from the June 7th hearing on the National Landscape Conservation System.

Rep. Bishop is the Ranking Member on the U.S. House Subcommittee on Parks, Forests & Public Lands, which conducted June 7th Hearing.

Ranking Member Rep. Rob Bishop's (R-UT) Statement

"I have serious concerns with H.R. 2016. Coming from a state where much of our land is already under federal lock and key, you should be able to understand why I am less than enthusiastic to see another layer of bureaucracy placed over us.

"On the surface, proponents of the bill claim that this does nothing more than codify a program created by the Clinton administration which serves to protect lands that have the remarkable ability to, as Ms. Daly put it, 'define who we are as a nation'. Indeed, some of these lands are remarkable, but much of this land was created at the whim of special interest groups by a sympathetic President.

"Now we are told we need to create a 'system' for these lands. Believe it or not we already have a 'system' to protect 'nationally significant' lands; it is called the National Park Service. This appears to be a thinly veiled attempt to insert restrictive National Park Service management methods in order to lock up public lands which were intended to be multiuse.

"The Chairman's bill uses language which has haunted National Park Service managers, to the delight of trial attorneys, in their responsibility to balance conservation and recreation. This bill introduces the concept of 'values' into the BLM. My question is what is a value to the BLM? In the National Park Service, a value is now interpreted to include such subjective things as sound-scapes, view-sheds, and the occasional smell-shed. Should we anticipate future legislation to protect these 'values' on bureau lands?

"Initially I thought this bill was at worst was the camel's nose under the tent. However, upon closer examination, this bill would invite the camel into to the tent and into the sleeping bag.

"Let's look directly at the legislation. Section 3- Establishment: In order to conserve, protect, and restore nationally significant landscapes that have outstanding cultural, ecological, and scientific values for the benefit of current and future generations, there is established in the Bureau of Land Management the National Landscape Conservation System.

"This may as well be the National Park Service organic act. This is the same language. Unfortunately it goes on. This bill further directs the Secretary to manage these lands 'in a manner that protects the values for which the components of the system were designated'.

Again, we are presented with the vague concept of values. This legislation is the biggest invitation to a lawsuit since the slip and fall scheme was invented. I can see the day when a judge decides that in light of this language, all units of this system will have to be managed in a uniform and consistent way.

It is unconscionable to force our multiuse public lands down the same path that forced personal watercraft out of National Recreation Areas and put snowmobiles on the endangered species list. It appears the language in this bill was ripped from the Redwood's Amendment to the general authorities of the National Park Service which has imperiled recreation and entombed park units.

"This bill also creates yet another federal designation. The Chairman's bill will include 'any area designated by Congress to be administered for conservation purposes' within this new system. After this bill has become law, we should expect an onslaught of bills for new units of the National Landscape Conservation System.

"Finally, witnesses will testify today about the impacts these designations have on people's lives. We will ask our witnesses, who have been included in these designations against their wishes, how making this system permanent will directly impact them. This legislation also puts at risk hard-won rights of Alaska natives that are of critical importance to me and to the Ranking Member Don Young.

"We should consider this proposal carefully because the special interests have already put 'multiuse' in jeopardy."

For more information, access the Committee on Natural Resources' Minority website at:

http://republicans.resourcescommittee.h ... ndex.shtml

Steve Hansen
Director of Communications
Republican Staff
U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources
1329 Longworth HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-7749


With the new Congress now largely controlled by the greens, we've all got our work cut out for us. Your support will allow us to compete effectively.

Let's keep private lands and Federal lands available for private hands and reduce regulation.

Sincerely,
Chuck Cushman
(360) 687-3087
ccushman@pacifier.com
Please forward this message as widely as possible.
tammylynn
 
Posts: 7917
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2005 11:24 pm

Postby mike_belben » Sat Mar 08, 2008 3:08 pm

land-nazi's just dont sleep do they? :evil:
Sink or Swim
mike_belben
 
Posts: 109
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2007 4:46 pm


Return to Trail Conservation

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest

cron