a finger in the eye to sportsmen everywhere

[katqanna]

Federal public land transfers get a Congressional boost

The federal government is under no obligation to transfer public lands over to the states. But there might be another way to achieve the same goal: Go through Congress, instead of the courts...

believes Murkowski was "testing the waters" with the amendment, attempting to gauge how her colleagues might vote on land transfer bills in the future. Such bills are likely in the pipeline. E&E Daily reported earlier this month that Michael Swenson, a D.C.-based lobbyist for the American Lands Council, the Utah-based group leading the states' movement, is educating "lawmakers on the benefits of relinquishing federal lands to the states." Swenson told E&E that he "expects federal legislation to be introduced by fall."...

Whit Fosburgh, head of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, called the Murkowski amendment "a finger in the eye to sportsmen everywhere." ...

On the Senate floor, however, Murkowski was unambiguous about why she believed the amendment was necessary: It is too difficult to drill, mine and otherwise develop energy on federal land. It's true that it is much easier to develop certain state lands. "Trust" lands, for instance, are explicitly intended for development and to make money for the states; they have no real conservation mandate, and are subject to few environmental regulations.

 

[smarandr]

Idaho Senator Mike Crapo has officially sided with the land grab nitwits too:

About 62 percent of Idaho is federally owned. Crapo said he also supports the recent recommendations of a state interim committee’s report that Idaho should investigate options to convert more federal land to state control.

http://www.capitalpress.com/Idaho/20150223/crapo-eyes-monument-designation-public-lands-policy

 

[James Riley]

I'm a'feared cognitive dissonance in the electorate will get these folks re-elected. I must shrug my shoulder's in the face of Christopher Stone's ontological problem, for I've been beat by my species. I'll send a little money but my lawyers and guns are tapped out. :W: