|
07/24/08 |
KJCT8 news story and video - "Mountain
bikers say they're being left out" |
|
07/23/08 |
New West article by Rebecca Powell - "To
Clean a Dirt Tank and the Real Loss" |
|
07/23/08 |
Wall Street Journal - "The
Lawnmower Men" |
|
07/22/08 |
New West article by Rebecca Powell - "Wilderness,
Wilderness Everywhere" |
|
07/21/08 |
New Mexico Independent - "New
Mexico jumps to No. 2 for immigration-crime prosectution, feds say." |
|
07/21/08 |
The Oregonian - "Home
home on the holistic range" -
"The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
just ordered the federal
Bureau of Land Management to take a look -- again -- at how it's managing
more than 4 million acres in eastern Oregon. The court's message was
clear: The BLM better bear in mind the rising wilderness values of our
state's shrub-steppe range. " |
|
07/21/08 |
Brookings - "Mountain
Megas: America's Newest Metropolitan Places and a Federal Partnership to
Help Them Prosper" Related articles: New West "Report
Analyzes Booming Megapolitan West", Arizona Republic - "Sun
Corridor may be 'new heartland'" and "Panel
to debate growth strategies for Valley" |
|
07/21/08 |
KUTV.com - "Utah
Court Says Rivers and Streams are Public, Regardless of Location" -
"Utah's
highest court has ruled that streams and rivers are public even where the
land under them is privately owned." |
|
07/19/08 |
NM Federal Lands Council - "'Storm
Over Rangeland' still rages 17 years later" |
|
07/18/08 |
NM Stockman article "The
Wilderness Man (Likely) cometh!" |
|
07/17/08 |
Jim Scarantino article on Heath Haussamen blog
- "Pearce's
conservation bill: What's not to like? (Part 2)" -
"So what’s not to like
about Pearce’s bill? He’s found a way to protect Doña Ana County’s open
spaces while accommodating the needs of law enforcement, water authorities
and agriculture. He has imposed restrictions on the BLM’s land-disposal
process that give local governments funds for environmental projects and
prohibit sales that violate local growth controls. Instead of spewing venom,
environmentalists should be sitting down to try to work with him." |
|
07/15/08 |
Las Cruces Sun News -
Jerry Schickedanz - "Wilderness
debate clarification" -
"I submit that if
concerned citizens with open minds would read closely what is in HR 6300,
they would find that the bill will provide for an orderly and agreed upon
disposal of federal land and adequate protection for lands that are
important for open space in Doña Ana County. The bill will allow access for
those who want to experience, use and recreate in these open spaces." |
|
07/15/08 |
Haussamen blog - "McCain
talks about wilderness, economy, immigration" |
|
07/15/08 |
NM Federal Lands Council -
"Court:
Ore. land plan should consider wilderness" -
"The bureau, the court
said, insisted that its wilderness study ended in 1980 and didn't need to be
reopened. A trial judge agreed. But, the appeals court said,
"Wilderness characteristics are not simply a checklist" to be used for a
one-time inventory. Instead, the court said, the bureau is obligated
continuously to manage land with wilderness characteristics. It said that
even if the Congress hadn't designated such land as wilderness, the bureau
could protect it against damaging uses such as mining, grazing and off-road
vehicle use." |
|
07/15/08 |
"Pearce
Opposes Ruling to Lock Up Grazing Lands" -
"Out of desperation,
farmers contacted U.S. Congressman Steve Pearce to intervene. Pearce said
that besides wasting the farmer’s money, the government is forcing them to
spend valuable fuel mowing areas instead of allowing the grazing.
"This is another case of out-of-state environmentalists trying to damage the
New Mexico economy, New Mexico jobs and our rural culture,” Pearce said.
“I’m committed to doing the right things for New Mexicans and to keep the
government’s first promise to the farmers that they can and should be able
to graze their lands." |
|
07/14/08 |
CNSNews.com - "Environmental
Bills Called Pretext to Loosen Border Security" -
"Open-border advocates
operating under the guise of environmentalism are prepared to push for
legislation that could result in an accelerated flow of illegal immigration,
drug smuggling, and human trafficking from Mexico into Arizona, according to
law enforcement experts familiar with the terrain." |
|
07/14/08 |
Daily Dispatch - "Forest
Service official to focus on agency support for border issues" |
|
07/13/08 |
Alamogordo News - "Heres
the other side of Pearce's HR 6300" |
|
07/13/08 |
Las Cruces Sun-News - "LOWV
opposes Pearce wilderness bill".
Note: Unfortunately, the LOWV letter
to the Sun-News contains many statements that are inaccurate and grossly
misrepresent the language of HR 6300. Please see our
legislation page for the factual
information about this bill and to read the actual language of HR 6300. |
|
07/11/08 |
Michael Swickard "No
Thought Left Behind" column from Heath Haussamen's blog - "Feathering
nest activities by elected officials".
"I do not know
Councilor Small nor have I spoken to him. I have no opinion about his role
with the Wilderness Alliance. This is not a column about wilderness issues;
it is about the legitimate role of elected officials in our society. The
entire issue is: Can elected officials use their elected positions to
enhance their financial positions? And whether their desire is to sell more
houses or save more wilderness areas is irrelevant."
This column was also published in the Las Cruces Bulletin. |
|
07/11/08 |
Economist article "Out
of the wilderness - People are shunning the great outdoors. Blame
conservationists, not video games" - "Earlier this year a federal
court ruled that the National Park Service must limit human use of Yosemite
Valley. That may mean a daily cap on visitor numbers. If the park imposes
one, the example is likely to spread across America. This will create
pressure to solve environmental problems by turning more people away.
This is a shame, and a self-defeating exercise. America’s environmental
movement emerged in the 19th century to push for national parks. In the 20th
century it sold them to the public through photographs and writing. It now
seems bent on driving people away from them." |
|
07/11/08 |
"BLM
asks for public comment regarding grazing on Ore. monument" |
|
07/10/08 |
Oregon Mail Tribune - "BLM
finds grazing harmful to protected monument" -
"In a long-awaited
assessment expected to be released today, the agency found that cattle
grazing on the monument, created by presidential proclamation in 2000 to
protect its rich biodiversity, does not meet the proclamation's intent, said
Howard Hunter, the monument's assistant manager. ... Eleven ranchers
currently hold grazing leases for 2,714 animal unit months on nine grazing
allotments within the monument. ... The BLM's determination that cattle
grazing harms the monument mirrors a study by environmental groups released
last year. ... The agency's conclusion didn't surprise Dave Willis, chairman
of the Soda Mountain Wilderness Council, which wants the cattle off the
monument and federal wilderness designation for it. The proclamation
language leaves the agency with no wiggle room if grazing is determined to
be incompatible with the goals, he said. "It's a national monument —
not a national cow pasture," he said." |
|
07/08/08 |
New West article by
Rebecca Powell - "Small
Defends Wilderness Proposal" |
|
07/08/08 |
Jackson Hole Star Tribune
- "Public
prompts changes in roadless plan" |
|
07/08/08 |
Las Vegas Review Journal
Editorial - "Montana
greens to loggers: Come back!" |
|
07/08/08 |
The Hub - Ouray, Ridgway,
Ouray County article - "CSA
opposes wilderness" |
|
07/07/08 |
Nathan Small, a paid wilderness advocate
with the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, wrote an article for
Heath Haussamen's blog, outlining the issues related to wilderness
designation from his perspective.
In the comments section, Michael
Swickard writes "Hey Heath - Is
Nathan Small a Las Cruces City Councilor or a Wilderness Alliance employee?
While the column talks straight from the point of view of the Wilderness
Alliance, he is an elected and paid Las Cruces City Councilor. The Las
Cruces City Councilors represent the citizens 24/7. So, where is his
fiduciary relationship, is it with the City of Las Cruces where he is paid a
good sum of money or is it with the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance where he
is also paid money? It cannot be both. Much like in real estate an
agent must decide the fiduciary relationship and not represent both sides of
a transaction. Nothing of Nathan Small’s job with the Wilderness Alliance
can seep into his job as city councilor or it is an ethics violation.
Since he always represents District 4, he must not publicly speak of
Wilderness issues. And, he must recluse himself from all votes that have any
bearing on areas of interest in his other job with the Wilderness Alliance.
Otherwise, his election as city councilor is enriching his job at the
Wilderness Alliance. Councilor Small can privately cheer on the Wilderness
activities and work for them privately, but not publicly. I would hope this
is his last statement about Wilderness issues while serving as a Las Cruces
City Councilor. This column by Nathan Small appears to me to be an ethics
violation."
Jim Scarantino wrote
"I will deal with what Mr. Small calls
"truths" in my next column, when I go through the actual wording of Mr.
Pearce's legislation rather than throwing rhetoric and hyperbole across the
path of progress on this issue. As for Mr. Small's claims that I have
misrepresented specific facts, I point out:
1) Two governments have switched from supporting the wilderness proposal,
the village of Hatch and La Union Soil and Water Conservation District. The
Dona Ana Wilderness Coalition, however, still includes La Union in its list
of endorsers.
2) 712 business and 22 local, state and national organizations have endorsed
the proposal of People for Preserving Our Western Heritage, including the
chambers of commerce of Las Cruces and Hatch Valley. That is not a "shaky
claim at best" of substantial support. By comparison, the most the paid
organizers for the wilderness coalition ever amassed was a group of just
over 200 businesses, some of whom have since written the wilderness
coalition asking that their names be removed from their list.
3) Not mentioned in Mr. Small's article is the fact that when Dona Ana
County, the city of Las Cruces and other governments were asked to endorse
the wilderness proposal, no other ways for preserving Dona Ana County's open
space, while avoiding conflicts with law enforcement, water authorities and
agriculture, were presented. Indeed, an opposing position was not even
present at some of those hearings.
Further, as two Hatch village trustees have written to the Congressional
delegation and as Rep. Pearce has also pointed out, representations were
made that the agricultural community, particularly ranchers, supported the
wilderness proposal when that was untrue. Indeed, it is undisputed that the
ranching community wasn't contacted until after the government resolutions
had been obtained and the wilderness campaign had been underway for more
than two years. My next column on Rep. Pearce's conservation bill for
Dona Ana County will appear in its regular schedule. An open and full debate
on the two competing bills, rather than competing articles and/or press
conferences, should be considered by both sides of this issue as a better
way of making progress on this matter." |
|
07/07/08 |
Las Cruces Sun-News - "Sabinoso
moves closer to wilderness designation" |
|
07/07/08 |
Arizona Daily Star - "Tower
sites planned for protected public land - Virtual fence to run through
Cabeza Prieta, Organ Pipe" - "Conditions at the refuge aren't ideal for
the pronghorn. In addition to being mired in a prolonged drought, the
trash, trails and roads left behind by nearly a decade of heavy
illegal-immigrant and drug-smuggling traffic have landed the refuge on two
dubious lists in the past four years. This year, a report by Public
Employees for Environmental Responsibility named Cabeza Prieta one of the 10
most imperiled national wildlife refuges in the country. In 2004,
Defenders of Wildlife named the refuge one of the 10 refuges most at risk." |
|
07/07/08 |
AP - "5
arrested in Rainbow Family clash with feds" -
"Officers began to leave the gathering
site with the subject and were circled by more Rainbow participants that
began to physically interfere," Vollmer said. About 400 Rainbows
surrounded the officers trying to leave, she said. "The mob began to
advance, throwing sticks and rocks at the officers," Vollmer said." |
|
07/02/08 |
"Off the Leash" by Jim
Scarantino - "Pearce's
conservation bill: What's not to like?" |
|
07/02/08 |
New West article by
Rebecca Powell - "People
for Preservation of Our Western Heritage Catches Praise" |
|
07/02/08 |
Durango Telegraph - "Coming
under fire - Mismanagement of federal firefighting funds alleged" |
|
07/01/08 |
New Mexico Independent - "Domenici's
staffer blames wilderness group for lost opportunity" |
|
07/01/08 |
New West - "New
Mexico Wilderness Alliance Catches Blame" |
|
07/01/08 |
FBI - "Putting
Intel to Work Against ELF and ALF Terrorists" -
"Together, eco-terrorists and animal rights extremists are
one of the most serious domestic terrorism threats in the U.S. today." |
|
07/01/08 |
World Net Daily - "Czech
prez: Environmentalism is new communism" - Czech President Vaclav Klaus:
"As someone who lived under communism for most of
my life I feel obliged to say that the biggest threat to freedom, democracy,
the market economy and prosperity at the beginning of the 21st century is
not communism or its various softer variants," said Klaus, responding to
questions posed by the two
lawmakers. "Communism was
replaced by the threat of ambitious environmentalism." |
|
06/30/08 |
Albuquerque Journal letter
to the editor by Tom Cooper and Jodi Denning - "Protect
N.M. Land and Its Many Uses" - "We can protect
our land, our natural resources and our open space without federal
wilderness designations. This proposal protects not only the land itself,
but also the access to the land and the beneficial stewardship and use of
the land." |
|
06/30/08 |
"Additional
Restrictions Announced in Sandias and Manzanos" |
|
06/29/08 |
New Mexico Federal Lands
Council - "Pearce
Introduces Land Protection Measure - Plan based on community input, would
result in a balanced approach" -
"The issues are complex,
and we have worked diligently to find a middle ground that is acceptable on
all sides of the issue," said Pearce, a former small businessman. Over 700
businesses and organizations have formed a Coalition supporting this
proposal. We believe it offers a compromise that would greatly benefit
southern New Mexico and has great potential across the western states
struggling with these issues for providing appropriate protection without
creating unnecessary hardships on surrounding communities." |
|
06/27/08 |
Congressman Steve Pearce
letter to the editor, Las Cruces Sun-News - "Wilderness
bill". "The editorial ("Wilderness bill deepens gap between
groups", 6/25/08) regarding my recent legislation establishing Rangeland
Preservation Areas for Do-a Ana County ignores critical parts of the bill.
...
The RPA bill combines conservation, limited use and public safety in a
common sense way to preserve our landscape for future generations." |
|
06/27/08 |
The
Las Cruces
Bulletin contained two pieces on the Dona Ana County wilderness issues,
but their website does not allow for linking directly to articles.
Publisher David E. McCollum writes "Also heating up is the “wilderness ”
issue in Doña Ana County. U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce introduced House Resolution
6300. The proposed legislation parallels the recommendations put forth by
area ranchers and is supported by more than 700 organizations and
individuals. If approved, the bill will create new law regarding how we will
protect our natural resources such as the Organ Mountains. Pearce’s proposal
offers an alternative to the current wilderness protection designations that
many local people feel may be too restrictive for our high desert area with
vast open spaces. It will be interesting to watch the battle between the
ranchers and those who support the creation of several wilderness areas in
the county. The political rhetoric has already begun with the latter group
implying that only through an official wilderness designation will our
public lands be protected. On the other hand, the ranchers and Rep. Pearce
contend that the new law will offer a more reasonable alternative to
protecting the Organ Mountains and other public lands that should be
preserved. Both groups have noble intentions. Hopefully, they can find
a way to sit down together and work out their differences." There
is also an article by Todd Dickson titled "Wilderness backers rally against
Pearce bill - Ranching group praises legislation as a 'strong stand'". |
|
06/27/08 |
Post from Haussamen blog "Udall
says he can win in Pearce's 2nd District" |
|
06/27/08 |
"Ousted
Rural Families Fight for Heritage" |
|
06/27/08 |
Silicon Valley Mercury
News article "Biologists,
ranchers hope cows will help lure back butterflies" -
"The cows eat the invasive grasses but leave the native
plants alone," said Craige Edgerton of the Silicon Valley Land Conservancy.
"In order for the butterfly to survive, it needs cows." |
|
06/27/08 |
Rocky Mountain News
letters to the editor "Browns
Canyon hardly a 'wilderness'" and "Canyon
hasn't suffered". |
|
06/26/08 |
New West article by
Rebecca Powell - "More
Than a Yes or No to Wilderness" |
|
06/25/08 |
Cibola county Beacon - "Senator
Domenici assails forest plans" |
|
06/25/08 |
Jackson Hole News & Guide
- "Forest
may examing cattle fence in detail" |
|
06/24/08 |
New Mexico Independent - "Property
rights over preservation" |
|
06/24/08 |
Albuquerque Journal - "Conservation
groups bash Pearce's bill" |
|
06/24/08 |
Las Cruces Sun News - "Pearce
wilderness bill draws fire" |
|
06/23/08 |
New West article by
Rebecca Powell -
"Pearce
Submits People's Proposal to the House" This is part 3 in a
series. The previous two installments are:
"For
Some, Wilderness is Simple" and "A
Biased Observer of the Dona Ana County Wilderness Debate". |
|
06/23/08 |
See our "At
a Glance Comparison Chart" - Federal Wilderness designations & Rangeland
Preservation Areas. |
|
06/20/08 |
New West article by
Rebecca Powell - "Overstatements
and Mythical Ranchers" |
|
06/20/08 |
NM Federal Lands Council
post - "U.S.
Forest Service cuts grazing on National Grasslands" |
|
06/19/08 |
New West article (part two
in a series) by Rebecca Powell - "For
Some, Wilderness is Simple" |
|
06/19/08 |
New Mexico Independent
article "No
Slam Dunk - Ex-New Mexico Wilderness Alliance staffer accuses Sen. Jeff
Bingaman of being "one of the worst" for not delivering on a bill last year
for a Taos County national conservation areas." |
|
06/18/08 |
Las Cruces Sun News
article "Trap
laid for USBP uncovered on patrol path" - "U.S. Border Patrol agents
have discovered a booby trap of thin wires stretched along a patrol road in
a remote stretch of desert in southern New Mexico, and say it could injure
or kill border patrol officers. Saturday's discovery is the second
wire trap found at the U.S.-Mexico border this year. The trap — two
sections of thin wire strung tight across the road — was spotted Saturday
night by a local rancher, Border Patrol spokesman Doug Mosier said Tuesday." |
|
06/17/08 |
NewWest article (the first
article in a series) by Rebecca Powell - "A
Biased Observer of the Dona Ana County Wilderness Debate". |
|
06/16/08 |
Los Angeles Times article
- "Nevada
rancher wins property rights award - Forest Service took his water rights,
judge says." |
|
06/16/08 |
New Mexico Federal Lands
council blog: "American
Ranching Family Wins 17-Year Battle with the Federal Government - Landmark
decision in Hage v U.S. Issued by Federal Court of Claims" -
"An epic 17-year
battle between an American ranching family and the federal government has
ended in favor of the family. The estates of Wayne and Jean Hage can finally
claim a Fifth Amendment precedent-setting property rights victory. The court
ruled that the Hages owned the water rights, ditch rights of ways, and range
improvements on the federal grazing allotments. The court made clear that
the government has the right to authorize grazing, but does not have the
right to prevent the plaintiff from accessing their water rights on federal
lands. Loren A. Smith, Senior Judge for the US Court of Federal Claims said,
"As government seeks to change its policies concerning the purpose and use
of public lands, private landowners have a valid claim to preserve their
vested rights...the notion of private property is fundamental to the
existence of our Nation...if private property is taken for public use, those
citizens should be justly compensated." |
|
06/16/08 |
Las Vegas Review Journal -
"At the
time, they said he was crazy - Government loses case involving late Nevada
rancher" |
|
06/13/08 |
Range Magazine article "Dust
Devils - Cynical Politics is the Hot Wind that Powers Environmental Radicals".
This article features information on Dave Foreman, founder of the New Mexico
Wilderness Alliance. "Dave Foreman is founder of EarthFirst, former
lobbyist for the Wilderness Society, and author of 'A Field Guide to Monkey
Wrenching and Ecodefense', that details how to sabotage equipment,
industrial projects, roads and vehicles in the name of environmental
protection. Foreman is credited with saying: 'An Ice Age is coming and
I welcome it as much-needed changing. I see no solution to our
ruination of earth except for a drastic reduction of the human population."
According to the
June 2008 "Wild News" from the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance website,
Mr. Foreman will be a featured speaker at their "Building Community Series"
on June 17, 2008. |
|
06/13/08 |
Minneapolis-St. Paul Star
Tribune article "Late
Nevada rancher wins $4.2M after judge finds Forest Service took water rights". |
|
06/10/08 |
The estate of Wayne Hage
(Pine Creek Ranch in central Nevada) was awarded over 4 million dollars plus
interest in the takings case. The case was caused by the US Forest
service actions, and was in US Court of Federal Claims, Case No. 91,1470L.
See the attached Decision for details. |
|
06/10/08 |
Letter to the editor from
the Hatch Citizen
newspaper, written by Tom Cooper. |
|
06/01/08 |
Nevada Appeal guest column
"Nevadans
should wake up and stop wilderness proposal" - "In the end, this
really isn't about the loss of millions of acres of land that we all enjoy
playing or working in, it is about the loss of LIBERTY, the right to
determine our own destinies and the destiny of the land that we love and
call home." |
|
05/29/08 |
Fresno Bee - "Court
rulings resolve little in packhorse flap - Neither side seems happyp with
rules governing Sierra wilderness areas" |
|
05/29/08 |
Oregon - "ONDA
wins grazing injuction" |
|
05/28/08 |
Range Magazine article "Best
of Both Worlds" about the efforts by ranchers to protect lands in Dona
Ana County. |
|
05/28/08 |
Las Cruces Bulletin
editorial by Tom Cooper - "Ranchers
have no confidence in wilderness designation - Group disputed label as
'radical fringe ranchers', draws attention to growing coalition of support" |
|
05/28/08 |
Silver City Sun-News
editorial "Reasonable
alternatives" |
|
05/28/08 |
Grand Junction Sentinel
article "Allard
still uncertain on conservation area support" |
|
05/28/08 |
Las Cruces Sun News
editorial by Greg Carrasco - "Sounds
like Reagan" - "Congressman Pearce understands that responsible
utilization of natural resources includes protection for special areas. The
PFPOWH proposal will protect areas from sale, development and mining. It
would protect the San Andres and Organ Mountains from the state line on the
south to the county line on the north, including the western foothills,
while providing special protection to 300,000 acres in the Doña Anas, Las
Uvas, Robledos, Picacho Peak, Aden Lava Flow, and West Potrillos." |
|
05/28/08 |
"Conservancy
district sues NM Game and Fish over rodents" |
|
05/28/08 |
Las Cruces Sun-News
article "Senate
candidates spar over Border Patrol funds" |
|
05/28/08 |
Flathead Beacon article "Western
Ranchers Fight for New Deal on Wilderness" |
|
05/28/08 |
"Landowners
Beware - the Government's Found a New Way to Control Your Land" |
|
05/28/08 |
The Oregonian article "Wyden
proposes Badlands wilderness area near Bend" |
|
05/20/08 |
Alamogordo Daily News "Bingaman
sponsors 'Cowboy' bill; passes in Senate" - "According to Bingaman,
approximately 800,000 ranchers are in business across the country, with New
Mexico ranchers having generated about $900 million in sales in 2006, the
most recent year for which statistics are available. In terms of production,
only dairies are a larger industry than ranching. "Ranching plays an
important role in New Mexico's economy and is an important part of the
state's history," Bingaman said Tuesday. "This resolution pays tribute to
the hard working men and women of the American West." |
|
05/20/08 |
Las Cruces Sun News "NM
judge to consider legality of endangered falcon decision" |
|
05/20/08 |
Wyoming Star Tribune
article "BLM
struggles to find balance on Green Mountain allotment" |
|
05/20/08 |
Gillette News Record
article "BLM
mulls grazing, drilling limits" |
|
05/19/08 |
Center for Biological
Diversity press release "In
Precedent-setting Decision, Federal Court Denies County's Right to Build
Roads Through National Monument" |
|
05/17/08 |
Nevada RGJ article "Two
Cents Worth: We're not alone in rejecting lands bill. Is it possible
we hayseeds don't know what's best for us?" - "Environmentalists and
proponents of wilderness would have us believe that little ole Lyon and
Mineral Counties are the only areas in the entire U.S. that have turned
thumbs down to wilderness designations. Not ture. ...
While Lyon and Mineral county have not proposed a designation of their own,
the battle raging here sounds all too familiar to the fight in New Mexico.
Each and every county in Nevada will now take a closer look at future lands
bills that include wilderness designations--thanks to Lyon and Mineral
Counties." |
|
05/16/08 |
BLM Announces Revisions to Handbook Designed to Make
Environmental Reviews More Efficient |
|
05/15/08 |
The new issue of RANGE
Magazine has a 4 page article on People for Preserving Our Western Heritage.
As soon as the article is available on the
RANGE website, we
will provide a link to it. In the meantime, if you aren't a
subscriber, pick up a copy and check it out. |
|
05/15/08 |
Las Vegas Review Journal
Editorial "Desert
critters and the Endangered Species Act" |
|
05/11/08 |
Arizona Daily Star letter
to the editor "Pima
buys land, lots of land" |
|
05/11/08 |
Idaho Statesman article "Owyhees
bill hits new snag" |
|
05/10/08 |
New Mexico Federal Lands
Council article "Grazing
Buyout/Wilderness/S.2833" |
|
05/09/08 |
Seattle Times article "Bush
signs Wild Sky wilderness bill in Washington state". For some
commentary, see the
National Center for Public Policy Research blog May 8, 2008 entry. |
|
05/09/08 |
Coalition of Arizona/New
Mexico Counties For Stable Economic Growth endorses the Dona Ana County
Planned Growth, Open Space and Rangeland Preservation Act. |
|
05/08/08 |
Las Cruces Sun News Letter
to the Editor by Tom Mobley - "Balanced
proposal" - "Which is more radical? Is it the dogmatic commitment to
wilderness only? Or should we take an objective look at every area, see what
needs to be protected, and then consider measures that provide the
protection in a manner that allows sustainable management of natural
resources and reasonable access to everyone?" |
|
05/08/08 |
Oregonian article "Senate
committee approves buyout of cattle ranchers" - "Rep. Greg Walden,
R-Ore., said he would introduce legislation in the next week to add federal
payments to ranchers who give up their grazing rights. The original
agreement called for federal money, but it was removed during Senate
consideration. Walden called it a "bait and switch" that shortchanges
ranchers who are walking away from a valuable asset.
... The federal payment
was deleted at the insistence of committee chairman Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M.,
who worried about setting a precedent if federal money was used. Sen.
Pete Domenici, R-N.M., also objected, arguing that using federal money to
buy grazing rights could lead to a wholesale buyback that would seal federal
lands from grazing." Also see Southern Oregon's Mail Tribune
article "Soda
Mountain Wilderness bill clears key committee".
Click here for the language of the pertinent sections of the two bills. |
|
05/08/08 |
Montana KTVQ - "Senate
panel approves Idaho wilderness bill" - "The
bill, introduced by Republican Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho, would create an
807-square-mile wilderness. It also would open 300 square miles of
previously off-limit areas to motorized recreation, livestock grazing and
other activities." |
|
05/08/08 |
Investor's Business Daily
article "Environmentalists
still can't get it right" |
|
05/08/08 |
Newsmax article "Conservationists,
Developer Reach Major California Land Deal" - "A group of
environmentalists and the owners of a large stretch of wilderness have
reached a deal that would set aside the largest parcel of land for
conservation in California history." Note that the Tejon Ranch is
PRIVATELY owned, not federally owned. For information on the Tejon
Ranch, go to their
website. |
|
05/07/08 |
Fox News article "Groups
Struggle to Clean Up Mess Illegal Immigrants Leave Behind" -
"The latest battle in the war on illegal immigration isn't over the
smuggling of undocumented workers, it's over the trash they leave behind.
... In 2006 alone, more than 1.18 million pounds of trash was collected
along the southern Arizona border...
Arizona officials have spent approximately $4.4 million over five years to
clean up the mess, that continues to build with each crossing. Nearly $1
million was spent for 2007 from a base BLM appropriation. Border
Patrol's Tucson sector, which covers most of the Arizona border, doesn't
have statistics about how many people cross through each year, but on
average, agents apprehend 1,500 people a day, with 378,000 undocumented
immigrants caught in 2007 alone." |
|
05/06/08 |
Las Cruces Sun News
article "Lawmen
tackle border security" |
|
05/04/08 |
Reno Gazette Journal
article "Two
Cents Worth: Reid pledges to preserve agriculture, too - Senator will also
honor our wishes opposing lands bill" - "U.S. Senator Harry Reid's
office pledged again this week to honor the wishes of the Lyon County
Commissioners in opposing wilderness and an all-encompassing lands bill.
Senator John Ensign and Congressman Dean Heller have followed suit." |
|
05/04/08 |
Western Horseman article "End
of Trail" -
"Across the United States, riding trails are at risk. More than ever,
backcountry horsemen must compete with hikers, mountain bikers, ATV riders
and others for public-land access. And, with increasingly restrictive—even
anti-horse—regulations in some locales, trails on which riders were once
welcome are now hostile environments for horsemen.
... The Shawnee
National Forest covers more than 277,000 acres, south of Harrisburg,
Illinois. Under its 2006 Forest Plan, the U.S. Forest Service enacted
regulations in the Big Grand Pierre Creek, Eagle Creek, Lusk Creek and Upper
Bay Creek watersheds to prohibit riders from leaving established trails,
with a $5,000 fine and six-month imprisonment for violators." |
|
04/29/08 |
Mesilla Valley
CowBelles letter
supporting the proposed Dona Ana County Planned Growth, Open Space and
Rangeland Preservation Area Act. |
|
04/29/08 |
Washington Post article "From
Mexico, Drug Violence Spills Into U.S." |
|
04/29/08 |
Drovers article "North
of the border" about a rancher operating just north of the Mexico border
in Arizona -
“Their plight is terrible,” he says — the drug smugglers are another matter.
“They’re dangerous people. I wouldn’t leave the house without a sidearm,
just to protect myself if I get caught in the crossfire.” Besides the
workers and the smugglers, bandits roam the border area, waiting for a
chance to rob either group. It’s not unusual for Heilig and his wife to hear
gunshots from their front porch." |
|
04/24/08 |
Forbes
article - "Southern
Border Wall and Wilderness Border Bill to be Focus of Congressional Hearing" -
"Representatives of
Idaho's ranching and conservationist communities praised a bill Tuesday that
would create a wilderness in southwest Idaho's Owyhee canyonlands, while
opening other lands to motorized recreation and grazing." |
|
04/24/08 |
Capital Press
article - "Ranchers,
environmentalists praise Idaho wilderness bill" -
"Proposed Wilderness designation will create limited enforcement zone
along U.S./Mexico border declares former Border Patrol officer." |
|
04/23/08 |
National Review Online
article - "Will
Liberty Go Extinct?" -
"Over the course of nearly four decades, environmental regulation has grown
by leaps and bounds. Research conducted by the Competitive Enterprise
Institute shows that environmental lawmaking has proven to be the leading
area of government lawmaking activity for decades. For those who value
liberty and free enterprise, these trends should be disturbing. Surely, we
all want a healthy environment, but environmental regulation has become
synonymous with “command-and-control” regulation." |
|
04/22/08 |
"Support
for Alternative to Wilderness Designations Grows Dramatically - Over 700
businesses and organizations support coalition" - "More than 700
businesses, governmental entities, and community organizations have now
endorsed alternative legislation that would preserve open space and protect
rangeland in southern New Mexico without the designation of 'federal
wilderness'." |
|
04/22/08 |
Wall Street Journal
editorial - "Why
I Left Greenpeace" by Patrick Moore, co-founder and former leader of
Greenpeace.
"As I completed a Ph.D. in ecology, I
combined my science background with the strong media skills of my
colleagues. In keeping with our pacifist views, we started Greenpeace.
But I later learned that the environmental movement is not always guided by
science. As we celebrate Earth Day today, this is a good lesson to keep in
mind. ... We all have a responsibility to
be environmental stewards. But that stewardship requires that science, not
political agendas, drive our public policy." |
|
04/19/08 |
U.S. Senate Committee on
Environment & Public Works press release "Inhofe-Mica
United Against Federal Land Grab Legislation - Congressional Hearings Expose
Significant Opposition to Democrat Water Bill" |
|
04/18/08 |
Jackson Hole Star Tribune
article "Manager
backs plan to let cattle graze in E. Idaho park" - "The manager of a
popular state park in eastern Idaho has proposed letting cattle graze there
again, arguing it will make the park more like it was when it was a stop on
the Oregon Trail by eliminating invasive plants and allowing native plants
to return." |
|