13 Million Acres May be Grabbed

[Grumpy]

LAND GRAB
Feb. 19, 2010

BRC NATIONWIDE ACTION ALERT

ANTIQUITIES ACT ABUSES MUST END - ACTION ITEM BELOW

Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber

If you had a chance to stop the Clinton Administration from designating all those Monuments, would you take it?

The Obama Administration is well on its way to match former President Clinton's Monument designation spree. Thanks to a whistle-blower in the Department of the Interior, a secret Obama administration plan to grab 13 million acres of public and private lands across 11 western states has been exposed.

The secret document indicates the DOI is operating on the assumption that the Monuments will be designated, even so far as to budgeting funds for purchasing private land inholdings. That's why we need your help today.

BRC is requesting that Congress pass legislation that provides some sort of mechanism or process for Congressional review of Antiquities Act proclamations, and also for a method for State and local input before any designation takes place.

In the meantime, we need our members to immediately contact their congressional representatives and ask them to go on record as opposing any unilateral action by the administration.

Ric has put together another one of our INSANELY EASY 3 - Step Action Items, so it won't take more than 3 or 4 minutes out of your day.

Thank you in advance for your action.

Brian Hawthorne Ric Foster
Public Lands Policy Director Public Lands Department Manager
208-237-1008 ext 102 208-237-1008 ext 107

PS: Check out "MORE INFO FROM THE WEB" at the bottom of the alert.


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BRC NATIONWIDE ACTION ALERT
SECRET DOCUMENT REVEALS OBAMA CONSIDERING 13 MILLION ACRE LAND GRAB
ANTIQUITIES ACT ABUSES MUST END - ACTION ITEM BELOW

SITUATION:
A recently obtained internal document from the Department of the Interior (DOI) shows the Obama Administration is considering using the Antiquities Act to grab 13 million acres of public and private lands in 11 western states as National Monuments without any public review or opportunity to comment. Obama is considering Monuments in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
( http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Nati ... ternal.pdf )

Many of these lands are home to world class motorized and non-motorized recreation destinations. The Antiquities Act allows the President to establish National Monuments that replace multiple use management with a preservationist directive.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

BRC'S THREE-STEP ACTION ITEM
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LAWMAKERS:

NOTE: Please be polite and, if possible, make your comments as personal as you can.

STEP 1: Click on the following link to go to BRC's Rapid Response Center.
http://www.sharetrails.org/rapid_response/ and in the "Contact Lawmakers"
box type your zip code and click GO. Click on your representative's name
and then click on the Contact tab to locate their phone number.
Follow the same steps for each senator.

STEP 2: When you call, use the talking points below to help make your point.
Be brief and polite, but make sure the staff person understands you OPPOSE
new National Monuments.

STEP 3: Take just a minute to forward this alert to friends and family and ask them
to do the same.

TALKING POINTS
A recently obtained internal document from the Department of the Interior (DOI) shows the Obama Administration is considering using the Antiquities Act to designate National Monuments on 13 million acres of public and private lands in 11 western states.

I am asking you to go on record as opposing any unilateral monument designations by the Administration. Also, I want you to sponsor or co-sponsor legislation that requires Congressional review of Antiquities Act proclamations. This process should also allow for State and local government as well as public input before any designation takes place.

Given the economic crisis our nation is in today, this is not a good use of my taxes.

Thank you for allowing me to express my concern.


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MORE INFO FROM THE WEB:

Obama Eyes Western Land for National Monuments, Angering Some:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02 ... monuments/

Senior Republicans allege secret Interior plot to create national monuments:
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2 ... -monuments

Two more monuments in Utah? San Rafael Swell and Cedar Mesa?:
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14426730

Rep. Dean Heller: Feds looking at designating 2 Nevada national monuments:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/fe ... a-nationa/

Chorus of protest
Critics of secret BLM meetings share diverse backgrounds, conflicting interests
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-a ... 03286.html

Special status possible for Colorado sites
Areas may be deemed worthy of wilderness, other designation
http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles ... le_for_co/


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The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national (non-profit) trail-saving group that represents over 600,000 recreationists nationwide The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) season is beginning. Federal employees, please mark BlueRibbon Coalition and Check #11402 on your CFC pledge form to support our efforts to protect your access. Join us at 1-800-258-3742 http://www.sharetrails.org
_______________________________________________________

[Grumpy]

Obama Secret Plan for Monuments Compels Congressional ActionFebruary 19th, 2010

Contacts:•Brian Hawthorne, BRC Public Lands Policy Director
Phone: 208-237-1008 (x102)
Fax: 208-237-9424
Email: brbrian@sharetrails.org
Webpage: http://www.sharetrails.org/staff/#BrianH
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

POCATELLO, ID (February 19) — The BlueRibbon Coalition, a national recreation access group, today asked Congress to pass legislation that mandates public involvement in any future Presidential National Monument designation. The Coalition says legislation is necessary in light of recently leaked secret plans for 13 million acres of new National Monuments in 11 western states.

The group's Executive Director, Greg Mumm, said, "The time for Congress to act is now. A sitting President should not be allowed to unilaterally reserve millions of acres without some public input and congressional oversight."

Don Amador, BRC's Western Representative, stated, "The list of potential new Monuments includes world class recreation sites like the San Rafael Swell in Utah and the Stonyford OHV Area on the Mendocino National Forest in Northern California. These National Monuments will certainly impact recreation. The public must be given the opportunity to review the impacts to recreation before Monuments are designated."

The Coalition's request comes on the heels of the release of a document labeled "NOT FOR RELEASE" which details plans for 14 new or expanded national monument designations, totaling some 13 million acres of public and private land. The request was made in an open letter to Congress explaining why legislation is immediately needed.

Elected officials in the affected states have historically opposed such large Monuments as a misuse of the Antiquities Act, the law that has been interpreted to allow the President to designate National Monuments. In a letter sent to President Obama yesterday, top Republicans on the House Natural Resource Committee asked that any new designations be as small as possible and be made with greater transparency.

Utah Senator Robert Bennett also sent a letter to Department of Interior (DOI) Secretary Ken Salazar referencing President Clinton's designation of the 2 million acre Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument (GSENM) in Utah. Bennett wrote, "As you may be aware, when word of the impending GSENM designation began to leak out in 1996, Clinton Administration officials obfuscated and lied, including to me personally, about their intentions. Their correspondence at the time acknowledged that they knew that, had elected officials from the state of Utah been made aware earlier, it likely would have resulted in the unraveling of their plans for the monument designation. This was an appalling abuse of executive power and has sown the seeds of significant distrust with your department that continues to this day."

BRC's Public Lands Policy Director, Brian Hawthorne, noted, "Former President Clinton used the Antiquities Act 22 times to designate nearly 5.9 million acres of public land as National Monuments. All of these designations far exceeded the 'smallest area compatible' guideline to preserve the resource and nearly all were designated without any public input or consultation with state and local officials." The Coalition noted that in the legal challenges to Clinton's monuments, the Supreme Court stated clearly that the separation of powers applies, and it is Congress's role, not the courts, to address any Presidential abuse of the Antiquities Act.

The Coalition's letter is here:
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/BRC_ ... _Plans.pdf

The internal document is here:
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Nati ... ternal.pdf

The action alert is here:
http://www.sharetrails.org/alerts/?alert=1122

# # #

The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national (non-profit) trail-saving group that represents over 600,000 recreationists nationwide The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) season is beginning. Federal employees, please mark BlueRibbon Coalition and Check #11402 on your CFC pledge form to support our efforts to protect your access. Join us at 1-800-258-3742 http://www.sharetrails.org

[Grumpy]

So, it would seem our boy Doc was in on blowing the whistle on some of this nonsense! Do you suppose we maybe should do something to make this known? Say, a letter to the paper?

[OldGreen]

What a ripoff. . .socialists are no bueno.

Let's write a letter!!

[Grumpy]

Exchanged e-mails with Paula Horton. She wants to see what's going on with this...

[Grumpy]

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
R. BRUCE JOSTEN
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
1615 H STREET, N.W.
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20062-2000
202/463-5310
February 22, 2010

The Honorable Rahm Emanuel
Chief of Staff
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. Emanuel:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business federation representing the
interests of more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and
region, understands that the Administration is considering designating as many as 13 million
acres of federal land in 11 western states as national monument area. If so, the Chamber urges
you to allow public comment on the proposed designations, so that the concerns of state and
local officials, nearby land owners, and the public can be properly considered.
The American Antiquities Act of 1906 (Act)1 authorizes the President to create national
monuments on federal lands that contain“historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures,
or other objects of historic or scientific interest.â€

[Grumpy]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jill Strait or Spencer Pederson Thursday, February 18, 2010 202-226-2311
Hastings, Bishop Send Letter to President Over Potential Plans to Lock-Up Millions of Acres of Western Land
Internal Document Reveals Administration Looking to Designate over a Dozen New National Monuments in the West
WASHINGTON, D.C. –A recently obtained internal document from the U.S. Department of the Interior shows the Obama Administration is covertly considering designating up to 17 new National Monuments under the Antiquities Act. In addition, it shows that the Administration is also targeting thousands of acres of private land for potential acquisition by the federal government.
The proposed designations and acquisitions would lock-up at least 13 million acres of land in 11 Western states, cost hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars and be done without Congressional approval. It would also have huge ramifications on our nation’s energy, restricting access to immense oil, gas, and mineral deposits, as well as blocking pipelines and transmission corridors.
In response, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA-04) and National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee Ranking Member Rob Bishop (UT-01) sent a letter today to President Obama expressing strong opposition to any unilateral action by the Administration to take vast amounts of land without public input.
This internal document comes on the heels of a recent New York Times article detailing how “President Obama and his team are preparing an array of actions using his executive power to advance energy, environmental, fiscal and other domestic policy priorities.â€

[Grumpy]

Obamuments, April 16 White House Conservation Summit, and You


The Recreation HQ has been following the “National Monumentsâ€

[Grumpy]

Obamuments

[Grumpy]

Resolution of Inquiry Directed at Interior Dept. : Republicans Aim to Force Disclosure of Documents on Secret National Monument Plans

“… we’re prepared to hold the President to his word on transparency and open government.â€

[Grumpy]

Wednesday, April 21, 2010
ACTION ORDER - Send Letter Today on National Monument Issue


The Recreation HQ knows that a lot of you have been following the Obama “National Monumentsâ€

[Grumpy]

BLUERIBBON COALITION ACTION ALERT!

Obama Monument Update - ACTION ITEM INCLUDED

Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,

Most of you have been following the saga that began with the disclosure of a secret memo outlining plans for 13 million acres of new National Monuments in 11 western states.

BRC, as well as lawmakers, has been attempting to find out exactly what the Department of the Interior is up to, and BRC even appealed the denial of a Freedom of Information Act request.

Doc Hastings (WA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Natural Resources and Rob Bishop, (UT) Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, as well as other lawmakers, have also formally requested that information pertaining to the leaked memo. This information was requested over six weeks ago. As of this writing, the Obama Administration has not provided one single page to the House Committees.

In response to Department of Interior is stonewalling, Rep. Hastings and Rep. Bishop have introduced a Resolution of Inquiry (H. Res. 1254) in an attempt to require the Department of Interior to turn over the information. A resolution of inquiry is a method used by the House to obtain information from an executive branch official

What you need to do:
The Natural Resources committee is set to vote on H. Res. 1254 this Wednesday, April 28, 2010. We need you to contact Committee Members and ask them to co-sponsor and/or support H. Res 1254.

Our partners at the Americans for Responsible Recreation Access (ARRA) have a letter generator up and running. Please take a minute to send a letter to your congressional representative. CLICK HERE

Thanks for taking action on this important issue.

Brian Hawthorne
Public Lands Policy Director
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 102

More info on the web:
Obama Secret Plan for Monuments Compels Congressional Action
http://www.sharetrails.org/releases/?st ... lter=media

Recreation Group Files FOIA Appeal To Department of The Interior Regarding National Monuments
http://www.sharetrails.org/releases/?st ... lter=media


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[Grumpy]

BLUERIBBON COALITION ACTION ALERT!

Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,

We just got word from Capitol Hill that the markup on H. Res. 1254, originally scheduled for today, has been postponed until Wednesday, May 5, 2010. This is the House Resolution directing the Department of the Interior to stop its stonewalling and transmit to the House of Representatives all information related to the secret memo regarding the potential designation of National Monuments.

This means we still have time to urge House Natural Resources committee members to cosponsor H. Res. 1254. Please read our Action Alert below and TAKE ACTION!

Also, please forward this alert to friends and family.

Thanks for taking action on this important issue.

Brian Hawthorne
Public Lands Policy Director
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 102

[Grumpy]

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
R. BRUCE JOSTEN
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
1615 H STREET, N.W.
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20062-2000
202/463-5310
May 3, 2010
The Honorable Nick J. Rahall II The Honorable Doc Hastings
Chairman Ranking Member
Committee on Natural Resources Committee on Natural Resources
U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairman Rahall and Ranking Member Hastings:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business federation representing the
interests of more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and
region, urges you to support House Resolution 1254, which would require the Secretary of
Interior to disclose documents relating to potential national monuments designations, when it is
brought for a vote before the full committee.
In February, an internal Department of Interior memorandum revealed that the
Administration was considering designating more than 13 million acres of land in 11 Western
states as national monuments under the American Antiquities Act. While the Act authorizes the
President to create national monuments on federal lands, it was designed to protect very small
areas of land with items of specific archeological, scientific, or historic importance. The
proposed designations would seem to violate not just the intent of the Act by locking up
excessively large tracts of Western land, but also this Administration’s commitment to
transparency by acting without any public outreach, input from state or local elected officials, or
Congressional review.
Despite a written request from several Members of Congress to turn over documents
related to the proposed designations, Secretary Salazar has not responded. As such, Ranking
Member Hastings and Subcommittee Ranking Member Bishop were compelled to introduce this
legislation in an effort to force disclosure of the documents and increase the transparency of the
monument designation process.
The Chamber recognizes the need to preserve America’s unique heritage through the
designation of historical national monuments. Such decisions, however, should not be made
behind closed doors where the selection and designation of national monuments are hidden from
the public, affected stakeholders, and even Congress.
The federal government can protect national resources – and ensure that issues like
domestic energy production, pipelines and transmission corridors, job creation, and public access
to federal lands are fully considered prior to making any proclamations pursuant to the Act – by
being more transparent about its intentions and opening up the designation process to robust
public input. At a minimum, the Administration should disclose the size and location of the
proposed national monument designations, as Congress has requested.
For these reasons, the Chamber urges you to support House Resolution 1254.
Sincerely,
R. Bruce Josten
Cc: The Members of the Committee on Natural Resources

[Grumpy]

Democrats thwart Rep. Rob Bishop's move to obtain 'national monument' documents

By Lee Davidson

Deseret News

Published: Wednesday, May 5, 2010 2:14 p.m. MDT
8 comments E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - WASHINGTON — Democrats on Wednesday narrowly beat back a Republican attempt co-led by Rep. Rob Bishop to force the Obama administration to turn over the still secret portions of a partially leaked document that showed the administration was considering creating 14 new national monuments, including two in Utah.

However, Bishop said the administration did turn over 383 out of 2,399 pages Republicans have been seeking, but that means its batting average is only .149 in providing the documents.

"By refusing to turn over thousands of pages of documents to Congress about this administration's potential plans to lock up millions of acres of lands, they have destroyed any remaining illusion about being transparent," Bishop said.

Bishop and Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., tried to push through the House Natural Resources Committee a "resolution of inquiry" to force the release of the full document.

However, the committee on Wednesday killed a motion to favorably report it on a 22-20 vote. Instead, it reported the resolution by voice vote without recommendation, a sign that it has small chance of making it to the House floor.

Bishop, chairman of the Western Congressional Caucus, said refusal to release the documents makes it difficult for him to believe assertions by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar that the administration was merely brainstorming on how to protect pristine lands, and that it would not create monuments without first seeking input from Utah residents.

"The question that needs to be asked is what is this administration hiding? If the DOI has nothing to hide on this issue, then why not hand over 100 percent of the documents to once and for all prove to the American people that they are not planning a massive land grab out West? Where there's smoke, there's fire," Bishop said.

Among the potential national monuments mentioned in the leaked portion of the document were two in Utah's San Rafael Swell and Cedar Mesa. That portion of the document was obtained by Bishop in February and leaked to the press then.

This story was reported from Salt Lake City.

e-mail: lee@desnews.com

[Grumpy]

Obama Monument UpdateMay 7th, 2010

OBAMA NATIONAL MONUMENT UPDATE
REQUEST FOR RECORDS VOTED DOWN
TRANSPARENCY IN OBAMA ADMINISTRATION IN QUESTION

Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,

On Wednesday, May 5, 2010, the House Natural Resources Committee voted down (by a margin of 20-22) a motion offered by Ranking Member Doc Hastings (WA) to favorably report H. Res. 1245 out of Committee. The Resolution is an attempt by Congress to require the Secretary of the Interior to turn over specific information related to potential National Monument designations.

Interestingly, the Department of the Interior (DOI) delivered nearly 400 pages of emails to the Committee less than 24 hours before it was scheduled to vote on the Resolution. However, the agency withheld some 2,016 pages of additional documents directly related to potential Monument designations.

The controversy began with the discovery of an internal DOI document labeled "NOT FOR RELEASE" which details plans for 14 new or expanded national monument designations, totaling some 13 million acres of public and private land.

Rep. Hastings, who has led a bi-partisan effort to require the DOI to disclose information said: “When the federal government is discussing the lockup of 13 million acres of public lands with the stroke of the President’s pen, the American people have a right to know what their government is doing. I encourage my Democrat colleagues to help the Obama Administration adhere to their claims of openness and transparency by bringing this resolution to a vote on the floor of the full House,â€

[Grumpy]

MONTANA ALERT: Obama Administration Announces Meetings on New Conservation InitiativeMay 26th, 2010

BRC MONTANA ACTION ALERT
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES MEETINGS ON NEW CONSERVATION INITIATIVE

Dear BRC members and supporters in Montana,

We have an important Action Alert on several so-called “listening sessionsâ€

[Grumpy]

Response to all of this from Susan's cousin, Jack, in Kalispell:


Dave,
This is a very real threat and there is another threat which is located just southeast of Glacier National Park. We who live in Montana and those who want to visit Montana and want to use wheeled vehicles, motorized or non-motorized, including bicycles and wheeled carts to haul camping gear are going to lose an enormous amount of land.

One of the guys that started the Blue Ribbon Coalition, Clark Collins, lived in Pocatello. He was instrumental in pushing the USFS to set up a system where bicycles/motorcycles and horses had use of a prized trail on alternate days or weekends -- I can't remember which. Hikers had continual use. The hikers hated the horses, bicycles, and motorcycles that were using the same trail. The hikers wanted it exclusively for themselves. The same is true today -- only worse.

Jack

[Grumpy]

The Honorable Ken Salazar
Secretary
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, N.W.
Mail Stop 7229
Washington, D. C. 20240

Dear Mr. Secretary,

We are writing to you as retired land managers from both the U. S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management and as members of Professionals for Managed Recreation (PMR). PMR advocates sustainable management of public lands. We are following up on our letter to you dated March 17, 2010 regarding the possible designation of 17 monument areas in 9 western states that appears to be part of the broader Treasured Landscape Initiative. In our letter we noted that we were encouraged that in testimony before the Congress, you assured members that it is your intent to foster an open process whereby all views will be considered before finalizing any recommendation you might send to the President for his consideration. It is our belief that open collaborative processes are the best way to move forward on land designations.

We are concerned that some environmental organizations may have had the opportunity to provide input on the Treasured Landscape Initiative, while other stakeholders feel shut out of the process. As former land managers, we understand that it is no easy task to have each impacted interest group satisfied with a process or outcome; however, this should be the goal at the outset. It is also our experience that once a stakeholder or group of stakeholders believes that any other interest is being favored it becomes much more difficult to achieve consensus or even to move forward with the management of public lands. We fear this is the case with the Treasured Landscape Initiative.

While you have indicated that the development of the leaked document was part of a “brainstorming session,â€

[Grumpy]

This is what all the uproar is about:


http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Nati ... ternal.pdf

[Grumpy]

Thursday, June 3, 2010
National Monument Shell Game Continues at DOI


The Recreation HQ continues its efforts to break down the Obama Administration’s “Wall of Transparencyâ€

[Grumpy]

Monday, June 28, 2010
Update on Obama Outdoor Program - LA Meeting July 8


The Recreation HQ wants to make sure that riders in CA (and elsewhere for that matter) are aware of (and hopefully can attend) upcoming “listening sessionsâ€

[tobyw]

According to BRC…this is the list of other meetings scheduled throughout the country

July 1 Seattle, WA

Do we have delegates available for this??? Is the mothership PNW4WDA going to have a voice there?

[Grumpy]

As far as I know, yes. I'll do some more checking tonite...

[Grumpy]

The "mothership" (Arlene) is on it...