Posted on 02/02/2013 5:35:33 PM PST by george76
Legislation that would move the ownership and management of U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands in New Mexico to the state has been introduced at the Roundhouse.
The Transfer of Public Lands Act is sponsored by Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-Alamogordo, and Sen. Richard C. Martinez, D-Espanola...
Herrell said New Mexico has a rich history of farming, ranching, hunting, fishing and oil drilling.
"In our past we have also had a thriving timber industry that is unfortunately near nonexistent ...
...
A healthy timber industry, managed responsibly by New Mexicans, would not only help our economy by creating a large number of jobs, but it would also help to protect our watersheds and keep our forests as livable habitat for all wildlife. Additionally, by responsibly thinning our overgrown forests, we can help decrease the devastation of wildfires. As it is currently, the federal government has logging restrictions that keep our forests overgrown, creating a hazardous environment. When a fire starts, the overgrowth serves as kindling, creating a massive forest fire that threatens the safety of our homes and communities." Herrell said it is time to put an end to the wildland fire danger.
...
five other Western states are looking at similar legislation.
(Excerpt) Read more at ruidosonews.com ...
Why haven't the Western States (specifically NV) done so before?
In the USA, governments shouldn’t be owning large tracts of land.
Never been there, huh?
You need to get out more...
Well, whatever you want to think about it, but that’s not the way it’s ever been done in this country.
That’s an old volcano?
Indeed, it is.
http://seethesouthwest.com/2402/valles-caldera-new-mexicos-supervolcano/
yep, make em homestead it like everyone else. Or patent it under 1866 mining law, etc., etc.
Actually, many inland areas have volcanos in this country ~ there are two under Lake Superior ~ and there's definitely a serious hotspot (denoting some really old volcanos) in Southern Indiana, and under the Appalachians.
Death Valley has more than its fair share of volcanic vents ~ and up until recently folks hadn't even noticed those volcanoes.
Much of our continental crust is crisscrossed with failed rifts, and really ancient volcanos covered over with thousands of feet of shale and disaggregated schist. What is most disturbing with this structure is that it was recently discovered that if the upper mantle decides to surge upward it can MELT those ancient volcanic plugs and come right on up to the surface!
I remember the fire near Cloudcroft back in 2000. The Feds would not let the electric co-op clear some trees along the right of way. Such trees would come in contact with the transmission lines. FedGov gave as the reason the “spotted owl habitat”. Of course some trees eventually made contact with the lines, there was a fire. What was found in the aftermath? Well done baked spotted owl. Can’t say if it tasted like chicken.
There were a lot of wildfires in New Mexico that year due to FedGov’s Charlie Foxtrots.
Thanks for the post.
Related: CONGRESSMAN PEARCE TO ATTEND LESSER PRAIRIE CHICKEN RALLY IN ROSWELL
Roswell, NM (January 31, 2013) - Congressman Steve Pearce will attend a rally in Roswell, New Mexico, to oppose the listing of the lesser prairie chicken under the Endangered Species Act. The rally will be held on Tuesday, February 12th at 4:30 PM at the AVFlight Hangar (Formerly the Great Southwest Aviation Hangar). Immediately following the rally, Pearce will join the hundreds of concerned New Mexicans expected to attend the Fish and Wildlife public hearing at the ENMU Performing Arts Center at 6:30.
“Our jobs and our way of life in southern New Mexico are under attack,” said Pearce. “The prairie chicken is yet another example of federal species regulation not based on science, but rather driven by lawyers for extreme interest groups. I encourage New Mexicans to join me in Roswell on February 12 to make our voices heard, and hold Washington accountable for the policies and regulations that will affect our lives. Only if we speak up and stand together can we protect our jobs and our communities.”
The BLM, NM department of Game and Fish, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and private entities, including the oil and gas industry, have been working together on the issue of protecting the lesser prairie chicken. Despite the success of these efforts, the Fish and Wildlife Service began working to list the chicken as threatened late last year due to legal pressure from extreme interest groups. Listing the species has the potential to jeopardize energy, farming, and ranching jobs in Southeast New Mexico, threaten future development of farm and ranch lands, and endanger alternative energy development in Eastern New Mexico, especially wind energy.
Could Arizona do this to get water to Tombstone?
Absolutely he will not allow it. Ninety Percent of Alaska is too big a holding to let go of.
Never know until it's tried. Much to be weighed here - how would the Feds stop it? Would they amass an army and kill a bunch of folks? What would be the fallout of something that made Kent State look like a slight firearms accident?
The environ feds have been milking this lessor species prairie chicken thing for 25 years. Every time there is a drought the numbers of fowl decline and the feds blame livestock grazing and anything else that would apply to people making a living in this wonderful state. Couple of years of good rain and the numbers will be right back. The BLM and Forest Service should be evicted from the West.
Speaking of forest fires, how about the one in the Sacremento Mountains about 8 years ago that just about devastated that part of the State. Turns out it was intentionally set by a chick Forest Service employe who was upset about breaking up with her boyfriend. The government spent days talking about what they were going to do to whomever set that fire. I think she either walked or was promoted and transferred.
Or how about the Los Alamos fire a couple of years later? The Forest (dis)Service set a “controlled burn” in 90+% dry conditions in a 50 plus mile an hour wind! The fire burned thousands of acres, burned or threatened hundreds of homes, and blackened the region. Those responsible lied, altered and destroyed the authorizing documents, and as far as I know weren’t even reprimanded, but rather were transferred and, if true to government policy, promoted. They should have been hanged.
So New Mexico is telling the Congress what it will do? Let us know how that turns out.
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