ANOTHER LAND GRAB! Take action!

[Jeepstress]

Department of Interior Document Highlights Threat to Access


A leaked Department of Interior (DOI) memo makes it clear that President Obama is considering restricting access to public lands by declaring as many as 17 areas in 11 western states as National Monuments. National Monument designations can be made by the President without input from Congress or other stakeholders. The DOI document says the areas ?may be good candidates for National Monuments under the Antiquities Act?? States that have areas highlighted in the memo include, AK, AZ, CA, CO, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA and WY. Click here to view the memo.


As outlined in a letter from Representatives Doc Hastings (R-WA), Ranking Member, House Committee on Natural Resources and Rob Bishop (R-UT), Ranking Member, House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, sweeping National Monument designations represent a serious threat to recreation including motorized access. Any OHV use would almost certainly be forever banned in areas designated as National Monuments, and riders would have no opportunity to formally weigh in on the process.



Send a letter to your Members of Congress asking them to urge the Administration not to abuse the Antiquities Act by potentially declaring millions of acres of public lands off-limits to OHV use.

[Elliott]

They locked up 80,000,000 acres in AK. Everyone outside of AK seemed to think that was ok, and still do. The feds only grabbed 20 acres of my personal, paid for, property (gold claim in AK, with two creeks running through it, tallest timber in the valley). I'm not exactly fond of BLM.

[[]V[]AXX]

This stuff infuriates me. If someone has the time, and experience with this, could a form letter be made up, and filled out? I have no experience with the making of online petitions, but I've signed a few. Anyone know how to get the ball rolling on stuff like this?

I'm sick of these people that believe that we should all live in cubical like apartments in the cities. They think they're helping nature, by keeping people from enjoying nature! I think it's just spite, to be perfectly frank. I'll do what I can to help, but if BO doesn't need congressional approval, what's to stop this going thru on his whim?

[Elliott]

I think it would be important to learn the boundaries of the areas being considered for monuments. It might make sense. Katmai National Monument in AK is an area it made sense.

[Jeepstress]

This stuff infuriates me. If someone has the time, and experience with this, could a form letter be made up, and filled out? I have no experience with the making of online petitions, but I've signed a few. Anyone know how to get the ball rolling on stuff like this?

I'm sick of these people that believe that we should all live in cubical like apartments in the cities. They think they're helping nature, by keeping people from enjoying nature! I think it's just spite, to be perfectly frank. I'll do what I can to help, but if BO doesn't need congressional approval, what's to stop this going thru on his whim?

Join Americans for Responsible Recreational Access. http://www.arra-access.com/site/PageServer

[grand_wag_85]

That's gonna suck

[Jeepstress]

That's gonna suck

We have to speak up. Altho - that didn't help when Clinton grabbed the Canyons of the Ancients right out of our back yard! Massive public protest from the local community but Slick Willy signed it anyway.

[Fiodh. Argus]

I wheel out in Carrizo Plain National Monument in South Central California pretty regularly, there's no control, no patrol, and lots of dirt roads. Not sure if it's the same for the rest of them, but this place is desolate open land just waiting to be driven on, albeit (hmm, just used that word for the first time!) on the dirt tracks... it's often muddy in the spring and there are some good slippery climbd and large puddles.

while I am definitely against losing access, it is nice to know another cubicle based city won't crop up out there.

[djongeward]

I think it would be important to learn the boundaries of the areas being considered for monuments. It might make sense. Katmai National Monument in AK is an area it made sense.

I have to agree with Elliott here. Some areas make sense, some don't. Golden Trout Wilderness in the Eastern Serra for instance does. You have to work to get in there on foot, I would hate to see what it would be like if it wasn't protected. They even restrict how many can enter because it can't take the pressure. Some of the recent attempts to take large desert sections in SE California just don't. There are not enough people who want to go there, as in none, they're just plain desolate, remote areas. I suspect some of the areas mentioned in the memo meet the latter description as I have been to a few of them.

Some in the recreational community are partially to blame for closures due to vandalism, destruction, and a general lack of respect.

We have issues like this here in the local desert prompting closures. Some folks just can't seem to keep on trails and think it's ok to toss beer cans and dump trash in sensitive areas.

I don't like the National Monument designation to be given out willy nilly and there better be a good reason for it. Unfortunately, it's often due to our own negative impact. Isn't there some other type of designation that sets aside these areas while allowing appropriate access? When I hear the words National Monument, I think of foot access only, or am I mistaken and it's different for each one?

[KJ Ryu]

Just got this letter from Congresswoman Lummis in my email today. I think I just might support this politician...

Dear Ron:



Thank you for sharing with me your thoughts on a recently uncovered proposal by the Obama Administration to designate numerous federal monuments in the west without Congressional oversight or approval. I appreciate hearing from you on this controversial and important topic.



As you are aware, several Members of Congress obtained a leaked internal document from the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) that revealed the Obama Administration was considering at least 14 sites in the West for potential national monument designation. The areas listed in the document could encompass 13 million acres of federally owned land in 11 western States. The document also alludes to millions of acres the DOI is considering for new federal land acquisition. Two areas in Wyoming were mentioned within the document: the Red Desert and the Upper Green River Valley.



The authority the Administration suggests it would call upon for these designations - in fact the only authority it can call upon without Congressional approval - is the 1906 Antiquities Act. Unlike most land preservation set-asides, the 1906 Antiquities Act 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 without Congressional approval. The Act was designed to protect small areas of land and specific items of archeological, scientific, or historic importance that were in imminent danger of destruction. Unfortunately, the Antiquities Act has been abused in recent memory - the 22 uses of the Act by the Clinton Administration to designate nearly 5.9 million acres of federal land as national monuments being the most often cited. These designations occurred with no formal public input.



Thanks to the foresight of Wyoming's past elected leaders, our State is the only one in the nation exempt from the Antiquities Act. When the Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) was created in1950, Wyoming's lawmakers secured a provision within the bill stating that "no further extension or establishment of national parks or monuments in Wyoming may be undertaken except by express authorization of the Congress." While this provision will protect Wyoming from the potential impacts of the DOI's leaked monument proposal, it does not mean Congress should fail to hold the Administration's feet to the fire on how, why, and with whom they are developing such a sweeping plan to lock-up from public use more than 10 million acres of public lands.



For that reason, I have joined the efforts of Representatives Doc Hastings (R-WA), Rob Bishop (R-UT) and others in demanding that DOI come clean on how this proposal was developed, which outside groups took part in its development, and the status of the each potential designation listed in the draft document. I believe that public input, particularly from the area most directly affected, is an absolutely vital step in public land management decisions. The Administration's latest proposal stands in direct contrast to that time-tested philosophy.



Be assured I will continue to work to protect the multiple-use approach to public lands in the West to which Wyoming and its people have become, as well as halt the progress of this misguided proposal in particular. Again, thank you for your comments.





Sincerely,

z

Cynthia M. Lummis

Member of Congress

[1cdccop]

I have to agree with Elliott here. Some areas make sense, some don't. Golden Trout Wilderness in the Eastern Serra for instance does. You have to work to get in there on foot, I would hate to see what it would be like if it wasn't protected. They even restrict how many can enter because it can't take the pressure. Some of the recent attempts to take large desert sections in SE California just don't. There are not enough people who want to go there, as in none, they're just plain desolate, remote areas. I suspect some of the areas mentioned in the memo meet the latter description as I have been to a few of them.

Some in the recreational community are partially to blame for closures due to vandalism, destruction, and a general lack of respect.

We have issues like this here in the local desert prompting closures. Some folks just can't seem to keep on trails and think it's ok to toss beer cans and dump trash in sensitive areas.

I don't like the National Monument designation to be given out willy nilly and there better be a good reason for it. Unfortunately, it's often due to our own negative impact. Isn't there some other type of designation that sets aside these areas while allowing appropriate access? When I hear the words National Monument, I think of foot access only, or am I mistaken and it's different for each one?

You nailed it. Be responsable when using trails and public lands. Most Jeepers understand this. Unfortunately to many people are just plain disrespectfull as mentioned above, although I believe the main goal of these activist groups and the current folks in the White House are not about wise land use but land closure to everyone.

[shredby4]

I know this is an old post...my advice. GIVE UP! Once they decide to close trails or grab land it's all over. NC lost Tellico no matter how much money and hell raising there was. The government effectively killed jobs, small businesses, tourism. They don't care.

[Jeepstress]

GIVE UP!

That's exactly what THEY want you to do. Why give them the pleasure?

[janie]

That's exactly what THEY want you to do. Why give them the pleasure?

X1000! Never, never ever......give up.

[kennewick]

Wake up!!! Something is comming down the pike. Consider worst case and what you would do if you had to survive. I don't mind dieing, but killing me ain't going to be fun.