Obama trying to reserve right to designate wilderness for himself

[Dogmeat]

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/article/2010/12/23/id/380949

Obama Administration Reverses Bush Wilderness Policy
Thursday, 23 Dec 2010 11:18 PM Article Font Size


By Keith Coffman

DENVER(Reuters) - The Obama administration has restored U.S. land managers' powers to curb development on vast tracts of America's back country, undoing what conservation groups called a "no more wilderness" policy put in place under President George W. Bush.

U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced on Thursday that the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will again have the authority to set aside large areas of federally owned territory in the West that it deems deserving of wilderness protection.

It would still be up to Congress to decide whether to grant those areas formal wilderness status, putting them permanently off-limits to energy development and other commercial uses.

An official wilderness designation by law prohibits the building of roads or other structures, or any human activities that would alter the natural landscape, such as farming, logging, mining, or oil and gas drilling.

In years past, lands classified by BLM as eligible for such protection were to be protected as de facto wilderness until or unless Congress acted.

But Salazar's new "wild lands" policy gives BLM latitude to allow limited energy development or other activities in such areas, even if they "may impair wilderness characteristics."

"For the last seven years, the BLM -- which manages more land than any other federal agency -- has not had a comprehensive national wilderness policy," Salazar said.

"Americans love the wild places where they hunt, fish, hike and get away from it all, and they expect these lands to be protected wisely on their behalf."

The new policy reverses a 2003 out-of-court settlement by then-Interior Secretary Gale Norton with former Utah Governor Michael Levitt that effectively put millions of acres of public land outside BLM's land management purview.

The deal outraged environmental and conservation activists who feared the decision would open up 2.6 million acres in the American West to unfettered mining and oil and gas development.

"That should never have happened," Salazar said of the agreement.

Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch denounced Thursday's policy shift as a "brazen" attempt by the Obama administration to usurp congressional control of wilderness designations.

"It is time for this administration to put the needs of Utahans and other Americans above those of a few radical special interest groups who want to make the nation's public lands their own personal playgrounds," Hatch said in a statement.

"I will continue to do everything I can to ensure that it does and that the authority to designate wilderness stays where it belongs -- with Congress."

The BLM manages 245 million acres of public lands, mostly in 11 Western states.

Salazar said the new policy is in line with the BLM's multiuse mission of balancing recreational activities, livestock grazing and energy production with wild land conservation and preservation. Thousands of Americans make their livings from those public land uses, he noted.

"Wise stewardship isn't just the right thing to do, it's good for business and it's good for jobs," Salazar said.



Read more: Obama Administration Reverses Bush Wilderness Policy

Great.

 

[2XM3]

Well no biggie, they can do what they want i'm just ignoring it. everyone should do the same. I pay taxes, its public land,i'll go where I want to. a$$hole federal goverment

 

[Team Wild]

I saw this article and wasn't surprised. Lets just slip this in right before Christmas when everyone isn't paying attention.

 

[Ryan-41]

I VERY MUCH DIS LIKE OBAMA!!!

 

[wrtmani]

I VERY MUCH DIS LIKE OBAMA!!!

Mr. President, I regrettfully cannot accept this Christmas gift from you. It is S**T!!

 

[Xrider]

Well no biggie, they can do what they want i'm just ignoring it. everyone should do the same. I pay taxes, its public land,i'll go where I want to. a$$hole federal goverment

Totally 100% agree. That's what it's come down to. And I've been doing it for a while too. Go right around the sign with dirtbike in summer, never see anyone all day, what the heck am I hurting?

 

[psychoneurosis]

Seems that Obama missed that School house rock that everyone else in the country appears to have seen.

I just can't imagine how much cash was given to Obamagod to get this level of access. Omnibus dies and within a few days he does this???? SAD

Time to fire up the pen and write your newly elected congress person and voice the sentiments that are being put up here. I know I am going too

 

[paulharris]

im curious how many snowmobile areas in the west are located on BLM land? are anyones favorite snowmobile areas on BLM? Or Will this affect the lower elevation dirt bike/ atv/ jeep areas like moab more?

 

[skooter]

Now I know how outlaws are made. Between the forest (sabatogers/service) and all the folks back east, we won't have anywhere to ride (legally).

 

[hymarkin754]

What a line down near the bottom of the quote from Salazar.
When has wilderness created jobs?

its a bunch of bs.
politicians being politicians.

 

[psychoneurosis]

Not a lot of sled riding on BLM in lower 48 but Alaska is a different story. Don't know anyone that owns a sled that does not do something else in the summer

 

[Dogmeat]

I don't think you guys are understanding the big picture here. He's trying to usurp more power from Congress so he doesn't have to go through them to orchestrate massive federal land grabs and designate them as a wilderness.

It's a lose-lose situation for anyone in the rockies unless you're stupid hippi who doesn't do anything but smoke dope all day.

 

[backcountryislife]

I pretty much just smoke dope all day... so I'm cool with it.

Funny, I've got the Forest circus telling my friends that they're watching me because I set off a slide NEAR the boundary... I'll keep that in mind, thanks.

IF we ride in wilderness, they'll just up the fines until you can't afford to even THINK about riding there anymore.

Do you know what the current fine/punishment actually is now?

 

[Dogmeat]

I pretty much just smoke dope all day... so I'm cool with it.

Funny, I've got the Forest circus telling my friends that they're watching me because I set off a slide NEAR the boundary... I'll keep that in mind, thanks.

IF we ride in wilderness, they'll just up the fines until you can't afford to even THINK about riding there anymore.

Do you know what the current fine/punishment actually is now?

I've heard the fines are as high as $20,000 and having your sled impounded.

Its ****ing rediculous.

 

[Butta]

I don't think you guys are understanding the big picture here. He's trying to usurp more power from Congress so he doesn't have to go through them to orchestrate massive federal land grabs and designate them as a wilderness.

It's a lose-lose situation for anyone in the rockies unless you're stupid hippi who doesn't do anything but smoke dope all day, also known as a "Democrat."

Fixed it for ya....

 

[akhammer]

Well no biggie, they can do what they want i'm just ignoring it. everyone should do the same. I pay taxes, its public land,i'll go where I want to. a$$hole federal goverment

Do you like the current price of fuel? How about multiplying it by 2 or even 3? The majority of the land he wants to designate is in Alaska's north slope. The land is adjacent and/or surounds most of the oil activity in AK. This would and will put a stop to any new Alaska drilling ( We have enough oil in ANWR alone to run the entire US for 90years +). This administration doesn't care about the economy or you, it cares about its own agenda. The liberals have tried to sink the US economy many times during this administration; Cap n Trade, Health care, Entitlements, stimulus, bailouts, and ear marks. What a shame, anyone who voted for him or any of his other left morons should punch themselves in the privates. sorry can't stand stupid

 

[clutch man]

Tea party

If you don't like the far left that the rest of the country voted in. join the tea party movement to get our country back. with less control and back to a free country like we should be.
we broke away from england in 1776 and we can stop the far left now too. join the tea party and get this country back to the people.

 

[suitcase]

If you don't like the far left that the rest of the country voted in. join the tea party movement to get our country back. with less control and back to a free country like we should be.
we broke away from england in 1776 and we can stop the far left now too. join the tea party and get this country back to the people.

This is one thing for sure, we need our country back. With the current Dick head in our white house, it will be a head ache until he is gone. He does not give a darn about what made this country, after all he is not from the united states!! opps. did I say to much? LOL

 

[←snow∞motion→]

This is one thing for sure, we need our country back. With the current Dick head in our white house, it will be a head ache until he is gone. He does not give a darn about what made this country, after all he is not from the united states!! opps. did I say to much? LOL

Wow, lol. And from Oregon.

When I traveled through Oregon and Washington I've never seen so many lefties, you are a rare commodity in that state that's for sure.

 

[2XM3]

Do you like the current price of fuel? How about multiplying it by 2 or even 3? The majority of the land he wants to designate is in Alaska's north slope. The land is adjacent and/or surounds most of the oil activity in AK. This would and will put a stop to any new Alaska drilling ( We have enough oil in ANWR alone to run the entire US for 90years +). This administration doesn't care about the economy or you, it cares about its own agenda. The liberals have tried to sink the US economy many times during this administration; Cap n Trade, Health care, Entitlements, stimulus, bailouts, and ear marks. What a shame, anyone who voted for him or any of his other left morons should punch themselves in the privates. sorry can't stand stupid

BTW, I have done more letter writing and donated more money than you can ever imagine to good right wing "freedom" causes to keep America free. I ran my own company for 25 years fighting unfair taxes all the way. Retired at 42 and hate the current goverments direction. So watch who you call stupid before you know the facts.