People For Preserving Our Western Heritage

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."
04/25/08	"E nviros Back Udall" - "Several national environmental groups are joining forces this year to try to elect Tom Udall and two other Democrats to the U.S. Senate, an unprecedented level of coordination that aims to build off their success in 2006 in ousting a U.S. House member."
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 - "R anchers, 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."
04/14/08	Las Cruces Sun News article "Rep. Steve Pearce focuses on border issues during recent visit" - "He also agreed that a proposed wilderness designation of local lands designated as wilderness study areas was unwise. "The other side doesn't care what the law is — they're already breaking it," Pearce said, adding such a designation would not only make it harder for drug agents to locate hundred-acre marijuana fields but also prevent emergency workers from fixing dams after disastrous floods."
04/13/08	Idaho Statesman article "Owyhee Canyonlands protections back before Congress"
04/12/08	Reno Gazette Journal article "Congressional reps say they don't endorse wilderness proposal" - "The message was clear during last Wednesday's meeting in Smith Valley conducted by the Coalition for Public Access (CPA): the vast majority of those present oppose a current Nevada Wildenress Project wilderness designation proposal as part of a public lands bill. But despite overwhelming opposition from most of the about 750 in attendance--including a direct request that they drop the proposal--a trio of representatives of wilderness groups that proposed almost 700,000 acres of land in mainly Lyon and Mineral Counties be designated as wilderness, remained firm in their stance on that proposal. ... Lyon County Sheriff Allen Veil also spoke about the impacts on his office of trying to enforce the limitations of a wilderness designation, saying the LCSO they would be called about violations, not the federal law enforcement, and adding, "We've got some concerns." Veil also said the designation could be a strain on Search and Rescue if people are lost in areas where motorized travel is restricted."
04/11/08	Cortez Journal article - "Public land agencies could join services" - "Study measure proposal to move U.S. Forest Service under management with BLM, National Park Service"
04/10/08	Nevada Appeal article "Wilderness advocates 'overplayed their hand'" - "Rep. Dean Heller said a proposal by the Nevada Wilderness Project will make it difficult to do a lands bill of any sort for Lyon and Mineral counties. "This has played out very poorly," Heller, R-Nev., told The Record-Courier on Monday. "The special interest groups have made this process very difficult. They've overplayed their hand is the bottom line." ... "The Nevada Wilderness Project was supposed to be negotiated between local cattlemen, county commissioners and the people involved," he said. "It was supposed to be done in good faith and it wasn't." ... "I've traveled around quite a bit over this issue," he said. "People are very vocal and for good reason. They are very concerned about a bill that doesn't have community buy-in. I believe they have every reason to be upset."
04/10/08	Pueblo Chieftain article "County joins opposition to Pinion Canyon expansion" - "The Pueblo County Board of Commissioners made official its opposition to the U.S. Army's plans to expand the Pinon Canyon Maneuver site Tuesday. In a resolution passed unanimously by the three-member board, the county joined ranchers and other opponents of a plan to expand the Army's training grounds by 414,000 acres."
04/10/08	The Washington Times article "Environmental hysterics"
04/09/08	Mercury News article "Open space district awards grazing lease for San Mateo property" - "The old paradigm was to kick cattle off property when acquired by conservation groups. Overgrazed, eroded and trampled pastures had alarmed the region's environmentalists. But further research brought a turnaround in thinking. Removing cattle from San Jose's Silver Creek Hills in the 1990s, for instance, led to depletion of wildflowers that are food for the endangered bay checkerspot butterfly. Inspired by successful grazing on San Jose's Coyote Ridge, district managers seek to reduce wildfire risk in an area that is too big to mow and too dangerous to burn - and fend off the encroachment of forest. The district's adoption of "conservation grazing" - the use of livestock to boost the diversity of native plants and animals, control the spread of invasive non-native plants and prevent fire - may eventually reintroduce cattle to 5,000 grassy acres in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. "
04/08/08	Reno Gazette Journal article "Lawmakers ease off on wilderness idea" - "A proposal to designate a vast swath of rugged terrain in western Nevada as wilderness has alarm bells ringing in several rural communities, with scores of residents opposed and some of Nevada's congressional delegation distancing themselves from the idea. ... But residents suspicious of them and federal representatives are mobilizing to block a proposal they said could damage their economy and cherished way of life. ... County commissions in Lyon, Mineral and Esmeralda counties have approved resolutions opposing wilderness designations."
04/07/08	Las Cruces Sun News Editorial by Dolly June Moore - "Wilderness proposal brings back bad memories".
04/07/08	2008 session State of Utah resolution "Joint Resolution Opposing Designation of Public Lands Currently Urged by Congress and the Bureau of Land Management". "This resolution: urges Congress not to enact federal legislation designating additional "wilderness" on public lands within Utah without the unanimous support of Utah's congressional delegation; urges the United States Bureau of Land Management not to restrict access to existing public lands in Utah under its jurisdiction through so-called "wilderness characteristics" options in resource management plans; and reaffirms the Legislature's strong support for continued public access and multiple use regarding public lands."
04/07/08	Nevada group launches website - Coalition for Public Access
04/06/08	Liberal, KS Southwest Daily Times article - "Former border patrol agent speaks on immigration". "One of the worries Taylor currently has about immigration are two bills, HR 3287 and HR 2593. The first would designate part of the United States/Mexico border in Arizona as wilderness. The second would designate all of the United States border with both Canada and Mexico as wilderness. 'A wilderness designation in the United States is very restrictive as to what you can do when you’re on the wilderness area,' he explained. 'You cannot take any kind of mechanized equipment on there – not even a bicycle.' A couple of weeks ago, a hiker discovered an illegal immigrant who had been shot three times by bandits, called bajardoras. 'Groups of three to six with automatic weapons go into these wilderness areas and they rob the illegal aliens that are going through, and if they give them any resistance, they just shoot them,' Taylor said. 'This is what a lot of people don’t understand, that the victim is the person coming here.' Since the man was found in an area designated as a wilderness, he had to be rescued by foot – a group walked to him with a stretcher and carried him back out. From the time he was found until he was taken to the hospital took 12 hours, Taylor said. The bills are currently pending, he added, but if passed, they would hinder the duties of the border patrol, because it would keep the border patrolmen away from the border unless they were on foot or horseback. 'The congressmen that are supporting it know that this is going to make this area more dangerous. It’s going to encourage the smugglers to use it more, and they’re trying to cloak it as wilderness to get it passed,' he said. 'These wildernesses should never be considered on or near the international borders.' But mainly, he said, the bills would keep border patrols from being able to do their job. Part of what they do is to enforce immigration laws. The purpose of those laws, he said, is to protect the American economy and American jobs and to protect the public safety and national security."
04/02/08	Mesilla Valley Sportsmen's Alliance, a supporter of our legislative proposal and a member of our Coalition, launched a new blog this year - "To promote the interests of Mesilla Valley sportsmen and recreationists and to preserve and protect continued access to all federal and state lands for multiple use by all citizens."
04/02/08	Evansville Courier & Press article "Fliers hint at I-69 resistance" - "The loosely-knit group Earth First has circulated fliers in Evansville and posted information on its Web site about "resisting" the start of construction this summer of the Evansville-to-Indianapolis highway. Earth First was the same organization whose members last July barged into the offices of I-69 engineering consultants, snatched items off employees' desks, tossed them outside and fled. They claimed they were "evicting" the staff just as the state would be evicting property owners along I-69's path."
04/01/08	Mason Valley News - "City to create resolution, send letters opposing wilderness proposals". "Last week, the Board of Lyon County Commissioners voted to send a resolution to state, and possibly, all of U.S. Congress, opposing this bill. The City similarly voted to create a resolution opposing the bill and to send letters to all state representatives stating the same. ... It was also noted last week Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons is in opposition to the bill."
04/01/08	BLM Statistics comparing pre-FLMPA (1976) to 2000.
03/31/08	Western Livestock Journal article: "New Mexico faces possibility of new wilderness designation"
03/31/08	Fox News: "FBI: Eco-Terrorism Remains No. 1 Domestic Terror Threat" - "Generally speaking, the Earth Liberation folks are motivated by a deep kind of affective connection to nature that many of them would characterize as spiritual or religious," said Bron Taylor, a professor of religion and nature at the University of Florida. "They believe that the human species is perpetrating a war on nature and that those who are connected to nature and belong to it have a right to defend themselves." Click here for additional background on the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance and eco-terrorism.
03/28/08	"Radical Tucson environmentalist gets 1 year, 1 day for speech" - "A radical environmentalist was sentenced Thursday to one year and one day in federal prison for speaking publicly about how to make a homemade Molotov cocktail. Rodney Coronado apologized for his past use of violent tactics in the name of animal rights and the environment, and said he had cut his ties to groups, including the Earth Liberation Front."
03/27/08	Western Horseman magazine article "This Land is My Land". "When the Army’s map showed plans to acquire an additional 418,000 acres, with the potential for expanding the site to more than 2 million acres, local landowners were outraged and began organizing against the expansion. Much of the proposed area is private property, and residents remember all too well how the original maneuver site was acquired—the federal government seized about half of it by condemning it and relocating 11 landowners."
03/27/08	"Lyon wilderness land request out of line" - "People from the Sierra Club have been quoted as saying this is no longer a matter of quality, but is a matter of quantity. Simply because these Counties' populations are not very large in comparison to other areas, the environmentalist movement has been emboldened enough to run over us."
03/26/08	Upcoming vote, April 2, on Grijalva Wilderness Border Bills (HR 3287 and HR 2593). These bills are a threat to Homeland Security and provide an open pathway for drug smugglers and illegal aliens into the United States. CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN to oppose this bill.
03/26/08	"Forest Service May Move to Interior - Some see agency as out of place under the USDA"
03/25/08	Western Livestock Journal - "Wilderness, wilderness everywhere"
03/22/08	Douglas County Record Courier article "Wilderness designation limits access". "Sen. Reid was quoted as saying, "I don't want people to be afraid of wilderness," as he pointed out the successful lands bill county-by-county with Clark, Lincoln and White Pine counties as examples. But, a wilderness designation for the newly proposed area in this case should be greatly feared. The social and economic impact would be devastating. ... To fully understand what the potential impact a wilderness designation would mean to the area now in question, one needs to understand what a wilderness designation really means."
03/21/08	Billings Gazette article "Ranch agrees to end grazing near park - Depredations pushed Diamond G to accept deal on federal land". "Stephen Gordon, Diamond G Ranch president, estimated losses to predators in the hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years. That includes cows, horses, family dogs snatched from the front porch and a young colt killed in a corral, he said. ... Gordon said they're now scaling back their ranch operation. The decision to have part of the grazing allotment retired was done 'with some reluctance.'"
03/20/08	Book review article "Death by Environmentalism", reviewing the book "Eco-Freaks: Environmentalism Is Hazardous to Your Health" by John Berlau.
03/19/08	Las Cruces Sun News "Wilderness, a sportsman's view" - "Our group was formed because we have differing opinions of what constitutes good management. We are not caught up in the romance of wilderness and we believe that better results can be achieved when all management options are available. We want stakeholder unity and historical uses perpetuated. We believe in science and we want to be able to implement that science on our grasslands. Wilderness will disallow that. Water and cattle are united. Without the cattle in our system, the water will go away. We want water distribution expanded. Wilderness will disallow that. If the public believes in global warming they had better be aware that carbon dioxide is a factor in brush expansion. We want to control creosote, mesquite, and tar bush expansion. Wilderness will disallow that. Protected structure and waters, enhanced management, and limited seasonal access are needed for the health of wildlife. We want to be able to partner with stakeholders and spread the cost of projects to accomplish that. Wilderness will disallow that."
03/19/08	"Packed house unanimous in opposition to wilderness proposal"
03/19/08	"Rural Nevadans question size and timetable for wilderness proposal"
03/19/08	"Mineral County residents reject wilderness, Commissioners adopt resolution saying 'no'" - "The congressional reps stressed that the proposal did not come from the senators or congressman, but from the Nevada Wilderness Project and the meetings being held are part of the democratic process. ... MC Commissioner Richard Bryant said, 'We are scared to death of these backroom deals that protect special interests at the expense of everyone in this room.'"
03/13/08	Letter from James Scarantino, past Chairman of the Coalition for New Mexico Wilderness: "Underlying the problems with the Dona Ana County wilderness campaign is the fact that the persons ultimately calling the shots, behind the screen of a legitimate-seeming coalition and local organizers, hail from the most radical wing of the environmental movement. They include persons who founded and participated in EarthFirst, the nation's first eco-terrorist group. ... That is not the sort of mindset that makes legislation possible, and helps explain why the wilderness community has produced so little new wilderness legislation in New Mexico over the past two decades." Click here for additional background on the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance and eco-terrorism.
03/13/08	Press release: "Pearce Alone Stands Up for New Mexico's Interests" - "Today, Congressman Steve Pearce said the other members of the New Mexico delegation are wrong to support legislation that would threaten private property rights and severely limit the use of public lands." This is in relation to H.R. 2016 - the National Landscape Conservation System Act.
03/12/08	More on the ELF arson eco-terrorism events: Newsweek: "From Green to Black - A look at the eco-terror movement." Tahoma, WA News Tribune "Woodinville arsons look like eco-terror reborn". "The Earth Liberation Front isn’t al-Qaida, but it’s too close for comfort." FOX News "Federal Jury Deadlocks in Eco-Terror Firebombing Trial". Boise, ID editorial "Eco-terrorism is a growing threat". UK Times "Eco-terrorists top the FBI's threat list after wave of arson attacks".
03/12/08	"NM Governor Proclaims Ag Week" "The Governor noted that agriculture has always been a cornerstone of our state’s and our nation’s economy." Click here for the actual proclimation.
03/04/08	Utah is really taking a stand against eco-terrorism. Read the letter from the Utah House of Representatives to Mr. Hansjorg Wyss, Chairman, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) questioning the organization about "coincidental criminal activity" involving trustees of the organization. "Given Mr. Ristow's position as Treasurer and the fact that these two individuals interacted so closely through SUWA, the notion that they committed unrelated yet similar, highly complex crimes involving such sophisticated financial knowledge strains credibility. SUWA's own public statements regarding these individuals' involvement in SUWA investment activities now calls into question whether any SUWA funds may have found their way into these schemes, and whether any proceeds from these crimes found their way back into SUWA. ... very little had been done on SUWA's part to put these questions to rest. These questions are not going away, and given SUWA's large amount of financial contributions and outside sources of funding, and especially SUWA's long-time association with these two individuals, the citizens of Utah demand your accountability with regards to these matters."
03/04/08	Twin Falls Times-News article "Western Watersheds sues BLM over grazing, fence building". "The group wants a judge to block the agency from building fences and allowing livestock to graze on the habitat of sage grouse and pygmy rabbit... The agency has authorized additional grazing in unburned areas and an additional 400 miles of fence repair while ignoring impacts to wildlife, Western Watersheds alleges."
03/04/08	Multiple articles on eco-terrorist attacks on homes in Washington. Damage is estimated at $7 million dollars. The FBI is investigating as a potential domestic terrorism act. Associated Press "Luxury Homes Burn in Apparent Eco-Attack" "The FBI has said the ELF and a sister group, the Animal Liberation Front, have committed hundreds of criminal acts. ELF is known for trying to cause economic damage to companies or organizations it considers to be harming the environment." National Post article "Marni Soupcoff on the Earth Liberation Front". Seattle Times article "New houses becoming popular targets". The Earth Liberation Front website is www.earthliberationfront.com.
03/04/08	Los Angeles Times: "Environmental activist pleads not guilty". "Three days after his extradition from Canada, environmental activist and ex-fugitive Tre Arrow pleaded not guilty to arson and conspiracy charges in federal court Monday and was ordered held as a flight risk and public danger pending trial."
03/03/08	The Village of Hatch unanimously passed Resolution No. 732 on March 3, 2008, endorsing the DONA ANA COUNTY PLANNED GROWTH, OPEN SPACE AND RANGELAND PRESERVATION ACT - THE PEOPLE'S PROPOSAL.
03/03/08	Albuquerque Alibi article "The Heinrich Maneuver" by Jim Scarantino. "Other entries on Heinrich’s résumé are drawing scrutiny, particularly ties to radical environmentalists and eco-terrorists." In this week's issue, under "Correction" in the Letters section: "... while Heinrich did receive campaign contributions from Dave Foreman and Susan Morgan, co-founders of radical environmental group Earth First!, and has worked on the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance board with Foreman, Heinrich says this does not imply that he endorses Earth First!'s tactics or philosophies." Dave Foreman was a founder of the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance. Click here for additional background on Mr. Foreman, NMWA and eco-terrorism.
03/03/08	"Fugitive activist extradited to United States" "Fugitive environmental activist Tre Arrow is back in the United States to stand trial on conspiracy and arson charges after nearly four years in a Canadian prison."
03/01/08	"Utah Senate adds fuel to rapidly growing prairie fire against enviro 'elitists'". "In an overwhelming 22-3 vote, the Senate approved legislation, H.R. Res. 10, passed by the Utah House two weeks ago, that 'urges Congress not to enact federal legislation designating additional 'wilderness' on public lands within Utah without the unanimous support of Utah's congressional delegation.' The resolution also 'urges the United States Bureau of Land Management not to restrict access to existing public lands in Utah under its jurisdiction through so-called ‘wilderness characteristics’ options in resource management plans.'"
03/01/08	Mason Valley News article "Yerington to respond to ongoing lands bill actions" "One concern the City and County has is the federally proposed lands bill trying to encompass too many items in one go. This includes water issues, which is also included in this proposed bill. Yerington Mayor Doug Homestead said it has become an all-or-none scenario. Another concern with this current incarnation is Lyon and Mineral Counties do not believe they are being included in the process of their own lands bill. Lack of adequate notice or inclusion of local governments has made it appear the process is being circumvented on the federal level, Paine said. Members of the City Council agree. "We're getting all this stuff shoved down our throat," City Councilman Bill Vicencio said Monday."
02/29/08	Roger Hedgecock, San Diego KOGO radio talk show host interviews Zack Taylor, retired Border Patrol officer, on his radio program about the proposed Tumacacori Highlands Wilderness designation (HR 3287 & 2593) and how it would affect fire fighting efforts and hamper the Border Patrol efforts to stop drug smuggling, human smuggling, and terrorist activity on our borders.
02/29/08	Southern Oregon Mail Tribune article "BLM backs Soda Mountain Wilderness". "Although the BLM supports the goals of the bill, it doesn't the grazing buyouts or the requirement calling for the agency to construct and maintain fencing to exclude livestock from allotments that are retired, Johnson said." Well known anti-grazing and anti-livestock advocate Andy Kerr testified in this process.
02/29/08	Fergus Falls Daily Journal article "Waterfowl area grazing benefits birds, cattle". "'Some of these guys are damaging their pastures,' he says. 'There’s not enough of a buffer, or litter material, to protect it. Cattle are feeding all day, and taller grasses need to rest more.' At the same time, in the Waterfowl Production Areas, the heavy litter layer is making the land less attractive to ground-nesting migratory birds. ... Working with local ranchers, cattle are allowed to graze on certain Waterfowl Production Areas using a permit system. This grazing closely mimics the effects native bison once provided to stimulate plant growth."
02/29/08	The Hub article "Snowmobile group opposes wilderness expansion". "CSA [Colorado Snowmobile Association] opposes wilderness designations on several principles, according to Kukuk, including the concept that wilderness effectively shuts out a large proportion of the population from recreating in an area. In a letter responding to ROCC member Al Berni, who invited CSA to comment on the proposal, Kukuk noted that wilderness areas are closed off to "the youngest, oldest and disabled." "Wilderness does not allow for any motorized and mechanized access," wrote Kukuk. "This includes wheelchairs and bicycles, so these methods that make traveling easier for so many are shut out. It makes a very exclusive group that has access to an area, and we feel that this is in direct contradiction to the multi-use mandate given to the federal land managers to uphold."
02/29/08	Fernley Leader article "Map showing proposed wilderness land designation expansion causes concerns"
02/29/08	"Y2Y wildlife corridor bill to be heard Feb. 27" "Legislation to authorize the creation of the Yukon to Yellowstone wildlife corridor (Y2Y) that would engulf 2,000 miles of land is scheduled for a public hearing..." This would create a 2,000 MILE WIDE swath that includes the entire northeast corner of Washington, most of Idaho and much of Montana. "Representative Kretz believes the corridor's creation would strangle rural communities with new regulations and run families off out of their homes. 'A vast series of new land regulations will be imposed to control land use, jeopardizing private property rights and economic growth,' he said."
02/29/08	Las Cruces Sun News article "Annual Chile Challenge wraps up; event's future may be on the rocks" "Some trails used by Chile Challenge participants cross land that has been proposed as part of a federally designated wilderness or a national monument in the Robledo Mountains. "My guess is that sooner or later, (environmental groups) are going to get it closed down," he [Las Crucen Lance Harkey] said."
02/19/08	Las Cruces Sun-News article "Land trade between BLM, state would protect land, help Santa Teresa"
02/18/08	The CNN program “American Morning,” which airs at 6 a.m. ET, is conducting an online poll asking consumers: “Do you trust the safety of the U.S. food supply?” During this morning’s broadcast, the results were just 16 percent saying “yes” and 84 percent “no.” Currently the results are 47% yes, 53% no (at 12:13 p.m. MST). Please take a minute to vote online at http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/american.morning/ and then encourage other stakeholders and producers in your state to do the same. Although these types of polls are not statistically valid, news anchors often fail to make that point when reporting the results. CNN may continue to turn to the poll results throughout the day as an indication of consumer confidence in light of the recall so it’s important we make our voice heard. This FYI is funded by The Beef Checkoff
02/17/08	Arizona Republic article "Migrant-smuggling ring dealt serious blow" - "The two suspects paid recruiters in Mexico to find customers, paid Mexican police to allow smugglers to cross, and paid trail guides to lead immigrants through the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area in southeastern Arizona, Piano said."
02/17/08	The documentary "Undue Burden - The Real Cost of Living With Wolves" by Bruce Hemming has been released and is now available for purchase.
02/15/08	Article from the January 08 issue of the New Mexico Farm & Ranch magazine by Erik Ness titled "Support for Alternative to Wilderness Designations Grows Dramatically".
02/15/08	Reno Gazette-Journal article "Map showing proposed wilderness land designation expansion causes concerns".
02/14/08	The Hatch Valley Chamber of Commerce voted at their 2/14/08 meeting to endorse the DONA ANA COUNTY PLANNED GROWTH, OPEN SPACE AND RANGELAND PRESERVATION ACT - THE PEOPLE'S PROPOSAL
02/14/08	GAO Report "WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT: Federal Agencies Lack Key Long- and Short-Term Management Strategies for Using Program Funds Effectively" summary. "The nation’s wildland fire problems have worsened over the past decade."
02/14/08	Our website underwent significant restructuring today to better facilitate linking directly to the individual pages of our website. Please email us at pfpowh@gmail.com if you encounter any links that are not working properly or other problems.
02/08/08	The Coalition of Businesses and Organizations supporting the DONA ANA COUNTY PLANNED G