PLAN TO SET ASIDE LAND IN ARIZONA FOR OWLS SLAMMED

The Washington Times ^ | Dec. 15, 2002 | Audrey Hudson

[madfly]

The federal government wants to set aside 1.2 million acres of public and private Arizona land as critical habitat for 18 endangered pygmy owls, a move critics say threatens development of the land for private business and public recreation.

Designating the Tucson land as a critical habitat for the tiny creatures, which span 6 inches and weigh 2 pounds, is necessary because they live in an area facing rapid growth and development, said Maeveen Behan, project director for Pima County.

[yoe]

Wasn’t it the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge that was supposed to be the “new Bob White Quail habitat? And didn’t those birds, onceocated to the BANWR simply spread their wings and fly back to Mexico? Then there was the hue and cry over the Red Squirrel and Mt. Graham; the fear was that the 7-12 ounce rodent’s habitat would be ruined forever with the new telescopes at the top of the mountain. Well the Red Squirrel population has doubled since then. And the Spotted Owl lives and thrives through out all of Pima County.

The proposed habitat in Tucson would be nearly as large as the spotted owl's habitat in California, where 1.4 million acres were put off-limits after the bird was declared endangered in 1989. The move devastated the local economy.

I suppose all cats will be next on the list of critters that that pose a problem to the endangered (so they say) pygmy owls. In truth, it is people who are endangered.

[RnMomof7]

Soon ALL the US will be owl country..

[tubebender]

The governor-elect has picked Lori Faeth as her environmental policy advisor. Faeth currently serves as the Arizona lobbyist for the Nature Conservancy — one of the top environmental and conservation advocacy anarchist groups.

If birders (I are one) in this Arz area want to see a P owl they can just step across the border into NM and bird away.

[Critter]

Well, in about a month, our republican president, republican house, and republican senate are going to make all this crap go away, right?

I'm not holding my breath.

[yoe]

federal government wants to set aside 1.2 million acres...

Not normally being a conspiracy theorist, however when it comes to the Federal Government, I waver...is it just possible that the 1.2 million acres will provide a more un-encumbered access for illegal aliens? Since the government will not seal our borders, every swarthy, mid-eastern terrorist can simply cross over unimpeded, and they are! Not just Mexicans looking for work, but drug smugglers and now terrorists dressed as Hispanics.

[Russ]

That sounds like a great recipe. Since we don't have
Pygmy owls around here I'll try it out on a Horned owl or two. Probably tastes just like chicken...

[lavaroise]

Let the Owl graze your business, it is so good to be ruled by the Owls and the government.

[Free the USA]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[Red Jones]

in arizona the federal government, state government and 31 indian communities own 87% of the land. Usage of the rest of the land is so highly regulated that the majority of the rest even can't be used for most purposes. A few decades ago some people bought land that had been at the time zoned for development, then the state legislature passed a law that if there is a small slope on your land, then you can't develop it. Land that should be very inexpensive is sky-high instead as a result of all this regulation. Even in the rural areas land prices are artificially very high. Then we wonder why people can't afford housing as the sheeples cheer for yet more regulation of land use.

[madfly]

YES. The UofA is a hotbed of socialists and the likes. But haven't all Universities been infiltrated by NGO's and UN supported groups? I don't think there's anything American left on campuses today. Imported teachers, Imported students, revised text books. Tax supported think tanks to influence government policy and breed enviro-whackos.

[gaspar]

If this is what the Libertarians of Arizona wanted, they got in. In spades!

[HiJinx]

Probably tastes just like chicken...

HeHe...the original called for quail, but I 'spect pygmy owl works as well!

[AAABEST]

What kind of country squanders it's future for an effen 0wl? An owl that's not even endangered.

"How can anyone in the public determine what land is needed to protect a species when the government won't even tell us where the owl lives?"

Bastards. Never mind junk science, that was the good old days. Now they don't even have to show us science anymore. Just come along and wave a bureaucratic finger and millions of acres is "declared" off limits to everything and everybody.

Forget "public comment". Does anyone think that these people give two craps what any stakeholders think? The public comment is strictly for show, your input is totally ignored.

"Endangered" species have become a pestilence worse than any vermin. I'd say #8 shot is about right for this bird.

[Doomonyou]

"The government has never produced any valid science for its decision-making,"

Understatement of the year...

[cake_crumb]

1.2 million acres to protect 18 "endangered" pygmy owls??

Since those owls were put on the endangered list in 1997, I call for another COMPLETE study to PROVE the little buggers are actually "endangered". New additions to the endangered species list, combined with HUGE land grabs makes me think of spotted owls, lynx hair and stuffed grizzleys.

[cake_crumb]

"The owls are abundant in Mexico, but not so in the northern tip of their habitat in Pima County, which runs along the U.S.-Mexico border"

So the owls are "endangered" HOW, exactly? YEP...it's a rerun of the spotted owl fiasco.

[cake_crumb]

"Did you hear where they are going to band wood burning stoves in CA?!!!!!!!! Incredible!!!!!!!!!"

As if the smoke from wood burning stoves is more plentiful and the smoke from MASSIVE FOREST FIRES due to mismanagement??

[Fish out of Water]

bump

[hsmomx3]

Yep. Just remember many women voted for Janet and her agenda. And, the Indian population voted for her in droves. I pray she's a one-termer. I think we've had enough women running this state into the ground.

[tacticalogic]

Check it out. More Commerce Clause madness.