Putting
the "Public" Back In "Public Trust"
"Now,
because of our deafening silence and the fact that we did not
mobilize earlier, something that people thought was inconceivable
… is actually a plank in the Republican National Committee.
Clearly it has gained momentum."
Peter Metcalf
In
about a month - Celebrating Out Public Trust Dinner
EMWH, networking the Public
for the benefit of our wildlife and habitat, is supported through
public donations. If you would like to contribute to this work,
please click the Contribute link to the right and thank you.
Public
Wildlife
FWP
Elk Brucellosis Management Acceptance Surveys
FWP elk brucellosis management actions have not maximized acceptability.
Instead, the more awareness of the situation has generated increased
public comments against the program, many upset hunters going
to Helena to speak to the FWP Commissioners at the April 10th
meeting, a lawsuit, even public statements and comments from some
of the Statewide Elk Brucellosis Working Group Members and a former
FWP Commissioner, involved when the Proposed Recommendations were
originally passed.
House
GOP pass bill to limit Endangered Species Act
Bozeman Senator Mike Phillips - " 'I think all four are unnecessary.
I think they're aiming to weaken the act and when you look at
the trends, the extinction crisis is not growing less dire. If
anything we should be looking at strengthening the Endangered
Species Act,' said biologist Mike Phillips, executive director
of the Turner Endangered Species Fund... Phillips said all ESA
decisions already include clear references to the supporting science
and a public process is already in place to draw attention to
additional information...'The law recognizes that while there
are many ways to redress economic consequences, there is no redress
to extinction. So this (requirement) is oversimplifying and is
in contradiction to the spirit of the law,' Phillips said."
Elk-viewing
tour to CMR refuge offered Sept. 30
"The Central Montana Education Center in Lewistown is partnering
with the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge to offer
people a trip to the Slippery Ann elk viewing area during the
peak of the elk rut.
Participants must preregister by Sept.
25 by stopping in the center’s office, 773 Airport Road,
or by calling 406-535-9022. A small fee per person will be charged.
Participants should bring a sack lunch and folding chair. A box
lunch with beverage is available for a fee but must be ordered
at preregistration."
Range
War - Dan Rather documentary on bison restoration in Montana
password - danrather
While this is predominately about the private bison ranch, the
American Prairie Reserve, and Native American Tribes, which are
sovereign nations, the documentary does interview local residents
and their views and concerns about bison restoration. I like Schweitzers
comments on the subject. This documentary does not address, except
in a few passing statements, the restoration of wild bison to
Montana public lands.
Silencing
the Thunder, 26 min. documentary
This film does address wild bison on public lands and does mention
no documented case of wild bison to cattle. In mentioning elk
as a transmission vector, no mention is made that not all, if
any, transmission from elk to cattle in Montana has occurred.
Public
Lands
Former
Interior Secretary Slams GOP Effort to Seize and Sell America's
Public Lands
"Former Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar called out
the Republican National Committee (RNC), the national organization
of the Republican Party, on Thursday for endorsing efforts in
some Western states to seize or sell-off of America’s parks,
forests, and public lands.
Salazar said the Republican Party’s endorsement of public
land seizures and sell-offs would 'cause Teddy Roosevelt to turn
over in his grave.' "
Proposal
to transfer federal lands to state ownership divisive, and debated
'This is the first installment in a three-day special report on
proposals to transfer federal lands to state ownership. Today,
we look at the latest proposal. Is it political theater, or a
viable option?
Whether debated over a steaming cup
of coffee in a rural café or deliberated in the chambers
of the Montana Capitol, the transfer of federal lands to state
or private ownership has become a divisive political issue from
Eureka to Ekalaka."
Bills
to sell Federal Public Lands to cities - this
is how they will do it, piece by piece
H.R.
5205 - "That title would allow the city
of Yerington to partner with Nevada Copper to acquire
at fair market value approximately 12,500 acres of federal lands,
which would be annexed into the city... That bill also includes
a Title 4, the Fernley Economic Self-Determination Act, which
would transfer certain federal lands to the city of Fernley."
They also would sell land to the city of Carlin, Storey and Elko
counties.
Nevada
Copper Advances Lyon County Bill "The
project is located near Yerington, Nevada, close to road, rail,
and power infrastructure, and with all future water supply requirements
met." The water is part of the bill.
Also on the transfer of Federal Public Lands in Nevada front
Nevada
panel’s land control move killed
"The discussion of such a public lands transfer has received
heightened interest since the recent cattle grazing dispute between
Bunkerville rancher Cliven Bundy and the BLM.
But the effort to take over federal lands dates back to the Sagebrush
Rebellion, a controversial movement involving public land use
in the West during the 1970s and 1980s. Other Western states,
including Utah, are pushing the lands transfer issue as well."
State
lawmakers talk strategy on Utah's public lands war with federal
government
"Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes said the state has a 'monumental'
fight on its hands in the public lands war with the federal government...
Reyes said the state will not have a legal complaint ready by
its self-imposed Dec. 31 deadline found in the 2012 passage
of the Transfer of Public Lands Act, which advises the
federal government to take action by that date or risk a lawsuit."
Transfer of
Public Lands Machinery - If you
are wondering where some of this BS might be coming from, take
a look at these pages - ALEC is the American Legislative Exchange
Council associated with the Koch Brothers.
Their Public Lands Archive page has template
documents that the special interest groups pushing these agendas
can use with their modifications.
Disposal
and Taxation of Public Lands Act "Section
2. Disposal and taxation of public lands. (1) On or before December
31, 2014, the United States shall:" Sound familiar?
Resolution
Demanding that Congress Convey Title of Federal Public Lands to
the States
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
-
Backcountry
College videos This
one is Knots & Such
Skyline/Anaconda
Elk Litigation Fund
PO Box 173, Butte, MT 59701
Skyline
Sportsmen and Anaconda Sportsmens Associations lawsuit against
FWP & the FWP Commission
Thank you,
Kathryn QannaYahu
406-579-7748
www.emwh.org
