In his first outreach to employees of the Interior Department and all its agencies, including the National Park Service, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke wrote Thursday that his top priority is to address the maintenance backlog within the National Park System and ensure that any bill to address the nation's ailing infrastructure includes "shoring up our nation's treasures."
"The parks are part of our nation's crown jewels, famous the world over. The president is committed to a jobs and infrastructure bill, and I am going to need your help in making sure that bill includes shoring up our nation’s treasures," the secretary, who was confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday and sworn in later in the day by Vice President Mike Pence, wrote in an email.
In his message, Secretary Zinke reiterated his admiration for President Theodore Roosevelt and his commitment to conservation.
"I'm an unapologetic admirer and disciple of Teddy Roosevelt. I believe in the traditional mixed use 'conservation ethics' doctrine laid out by (Gifford) Pinchot, but realize that there are special places where man is more an observer than a participant, as outlined by Muir," wrote the secretary. "I cherish our public lands. I have absolutely and unequivocally opposed any attempts to transfer, sell, or privatize our public lands, and serving as their top steward is not a job I take lightly. I approach this job in the same way that Boy Scouts taught me so long ago: leave the campsite in better condition than I found it."
Muir and Pinchot, the first chief of the U.S. Forest Service, came at conservation much differently. Muir favored preservation of wild areas, while Pinchot thought resources on public lands should be utilized.
Pinchot and Muir became major antagonists on the issue of Hetch Hetchy Valley. The deepening schism between Muir and Pinchot eventually grew into a great split between the preservation wing and the utilitarian wing of the conservation movement. -- Sierra Club history
Beyond the National Park Service's maintenance backlog, which has been estimated at $11.9 billion but which Secretary Zinke pegged at $12.5 billion, the secretary also placed a high priority on improving employee morale and to respect the sovereignty of Indian Nations and territories.
Regarding morale, Secretary Zinke said he intended to "ensure those of you on the front lines have the right tools, right resources, and flexibility to make the decisions to allow you to do your job. We serve the people, not the other way around. Washington has too much power. I think we need to return it to the front lines."
As for Native Americans, he wrote that, "I'm proud to be an adopted member of the Assiniboine-Sioux from Northeast Montana. My commitment to the territories and Nations is not lip service. I worked hand in hand with many of Montana's tribal governments to advance important legislation in the House. My first bill in Congress was to federally recognize the Little Shell of Chippewa Cree and most recently my Blackfeet Water Rights Settlement Act was signed into law earlier this year."
Secretary Zinke now must work on filling out his staff, including finding a director for the National Park Service.
Comments
Actually, lead shot has been banned for shooting waterfowl for about 25 years. The Obama "ban" was actually just an extension of some already existing rules and clarification of some others.
http://www.wildfowlmag.com/gear-accessories/shotguns/lead-shot-still-con...
I have not been able to find much solid information on this latest wrinkle. What exactly, did this action do and not do? Based on what little I've been able to find, it appears that it is not a complete reversal of the long standing ban that has existed since about 1992 or thereabouts.
I did find one article from a magazine. Interesting. And so are the comments.
http://www.alloutdoor.com/2017/01/30/obama-last-minute-ban-lead-ammuniti...
But I'm still not sure where all this fits into the big picture. Is there anyone knowledgeable out there who can fill in the blanks for us?
Hopefully just giving us the facts without taking sides.
On the issue of wealthy New York Hunters:
Former President TR Roosevelt, the hunter, had some knowledge to
imagine Earth's Human Population Exponential Growth 115 Years into the future and its cumulative negative Impacts Upon Earth's Biota. TR clearly achieved amazing results protecting America's public lands.
http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/espada/roosevelt.htm
The Anthropocene is a proposed epoch that begins when human activities started to have a significant global impact on Earth's geology and ecosystems.
The United Nations, however, estimated that the world population reached seven billion in October 2011. According to current projections, the global population will reach eight billion by 2024, and will likely reach around nine billion by 2037.
The "Anthropocene" epoch: Scientific decision or political statement?
http://www.geosociety.org/gsatoday/archive/26/3/article/i1052-5173-26-3-...
And the Importance of the EPA. TRUMP's Administration currently is IMPACTING/DESTROYING:
ihttps://www.nrdc.org/stories/why-we-need-epa?utm_source=newsletter&utm_m...
The majority of Californians are not in favor of secession.
Dear Dex. Glad to hear it. It would mean that my Ph.D. is from a foreign country. However, I do believe California has "lost it," from social programs to state-sponsored retirements that cannot possibly ever be paid. Forty years ago, still with a population of only 20 million, California was Heaven on Earth. Now, even Santa Barbara is so clogged with traffic I hardly recognize the place. At least, California did move to a magnificent program of state-sponsored, passenger rail. From Santa Barbara, I believe there are now seven daily trains to Los Angeles, for example, and more are on the way.
Lead Poisoning Is Serious for both Wildlife and Humans:
http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/06/18/bald-eagles-are-dying-lead-po...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4180344/Female-bald-eagle-dies-l...
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/chemical-study-ground-zero-...
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/whistleblowers-marc-edwards-and...
Yes birds are killed by lead bullets/shot. But as your first article indicates, not at a rate that is threatening to the species. In fact from that study the birds were being killed by other factor at 4 times the rate. And what does lead in Flint's water have to do with bullets and birdshot?
Summary Lead Ammo Effects in Humans and Animals
Multiple types of hunting ammunition are available with varying ballistics and public health implications.
Game meat harvested with lead ammunition may be contaminated with lead fragments.
Ingestion of lead fragments in game meat may present health risks, especially to women and children. There is no level of lead exposure in children known to be without adverse effects.
Public health risks can be mitigated by use of alternative hunting ammunitions.
https://www.foodpolicy.umn.edu/policy-summaries-and-analyses/hunting-amm...
So m13, provide us with a list of people that have died from lead ammuniation in harvested meat.