While U.S. Sen. Harry Reid on Friday introduced a 1,000+-page omnibus land bill, one that would touch many ends of the National Park System, opposition to the measure cast doubts on whether it could gain passage before Congress adjourns this year.
The America's Great Outdoors Act of 2010 would add units to the park system, expand others, and order studies of prospective units. It also would create wilderness areas, both within existing units of the system and elsewhere on the public lands empire.
One measure, for instance, would transfer Valles Caldera National Preserve from the U.S. Forest Service to the National Park Service, another would create Waco Mammoth National Monument, yet another would expand Oregon Caves National Monument. Plus there's a bill that would add Castle Nugent on the island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands to the park system. And another would designated 32,577 acres of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore as official wilderness.
“I want to get this package done before Congress adjourns,” the Senate Majority Leader said Friday night. “These are bipartisan bills. There is nothing divisive about protecting historic battlefields, improving our most critical water sources, or making sure that our best wildlife habitat remains wild and healthy.”
There also are controversial measures, such as one that would allow the Interior secretary to order the stocking of "non-reproducing" fish in lakes within North Cascades National Park.
While there is opposition within the Capital to the measure, groups outside the Congress also voiced their opposition to the legislation.
Among the opponents to the 1,003-page measure is the American Motorcyclist Association.
...the AMA has been informed that the bill contains multiple land designations that threaten to end responsible motorized recreation across the country. There is also an effort to include designations that have never been voted out of their relevant Committees and vast spending measures that are irrelevant to public land access.
This land grab is reminiscent of the 2009 closure of 2.1 million acres of public land to the American people. This legislation, as before, was created behind closed doors and without the transparent process new laws should have.
Also standing in opposition is the Heritage Foundation. In a post on its blog, the group said the measure contained:
* $17 million for 30 acres to expand ownership of lands near Jimmy Carter’s boyhood home. That’s almost $600,000 an acre.
* $500,000 for a study to see if the Hudson River Valley is of national significance.
* $26 million for submerged and privately owned areas in the Virgin Islands—another 8,600 acres.
* $10 million to create a 100-acre “buffer” expansion of Morristown National Historical Park and $100,000 for signs.
* $16 million for 89,000 acres (or 139 square miles) of Valles Caldera National Preserve.
In the House Natural Resources Committee, where Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Washington, will take over the chairmanship next month, the representative called for the bill's quick death.
“One bloated, costly Senate omnibus was just killed and this monster deserves the same fate," Rep. Hastings said in a statement. “This thousand-plus page omnibus would create entirely new spending programs, stifle job creation, expand EPA's power to control the economy and kill jobs, block more American-made energy, and complicate Border Patrol's ability to secure our border from criminals, drug gangs and potential terrorists.
“Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer and Senate Democrats are ignoring the stark message sent by voters in November that they want an end to backroom deals that produce giant bills loaded with new spending and job-killing policies. The American people loudly declared that this isn’t how they want business conducted by Congress.
“This Reid-Boxer omnibus needs to be blocked, shelved or defeated. There will be plenty of time in the next Congress to individually consider the measures piled into this omnibus. They shouldn't be jammed through in the last days of a lame-duck session.”
Comments
If the Heritage Foundation opposes it you can be sure it's good legislation. Just my opinion.
Not sure about the 16 million for the Valles Caldera being and issue because it is already a federal property and it's going to be funded 3.5 million / year for 5 years regardless...
For those of you who are running roughshod over the rest of us who want to use public lands for other than on foot or horseback, keep in mind the law of unintended consequences. There will come a time when large commercial interests will mount an attack on your closures and you will need all the support you can get to stop it. I speak for many of my friends who have had our recreation impacted by recent closures: we will reluctantly sit back and laugh as some of the most deserving of the closed lands become part of emergency energy legislation and opened again to mining, wind farms, hydro generation, etc.
Enjoy it while you have it.
i agree with rep hastings,i think reid thinks money grows on trees,enough of pork barrel...noo matter what its for.
REP supports this bill and will work hard all week to get it through. It also includes permanent funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Rob Sisson, President
Republicans for Environmental Protection
www.rep.org
Add the pending Stock Use Ea for the Grand Canyon that all but sets in motion the elimination of Mule Rides into the grand Canyon. A 103 year old cultural, historical and very transformational Ride that is considered the best ride on the planet. The EA sits on IMR Director John Wessels's desk waiting for his signature(and Supt. Steve Martin's departure, apparently). With $200 Million additional funding going to IMR, Superintendent Steve Martin could not find the funding to continue the Ride other than to discontinue completely two all day rides originating from both North and South Rims while continuing mule support for hiker duffels and support for Phantom Ranch. Very apparent elitist leanings by NPS and failure of concessionaire support.
Mountain biking is a healthy, low-impact form of recreation. This sport brings jobs and prosperity to struggling towns. If large portions of our National Forest are suddenly closed to non-motorized bicycles, many local businesses will have to shut down. This includes bike shops, hotels, restaurants and markets. This is very controversial. Can we find a special designation, such wilderness plus bicycles? Then, you would have huge support for the bill from the Mountain Biking Community.
I'm sorry you gave Doc Hastings so much ink. When the right wingers talk about the EPA and public lands in the same breath, they tip their hand that they are talking nonsense. The EPA has almost nothing to do with public lands but the right hates the EPA and brings it up as the ultimate boggy man anytime they want to froth about the federal government and their hatred of all things public.
Hastings is a reactionary. We will suffer his prattle in the next Congress and there will be no conservation for the next two years as he reigns on behalf of ranchers, dirt biker adolescents, foreign gold mining companies subsidized loggers. In the meantime, I urge everyone to call the Senate and urge passage of the Omnibus bill. Its a good bill that has been thoroughly vetted by good people. The far right opposes land protection because they believe jobs are created by exploiting and ruining nature. This is the frontier mentality that should have died 30 years ago .
Thank you Senators Reid and Bingaman. Let's get it done.