A new National Monument is not “free” to the public, no matter how it comes about. It is going to cost the federal budget a great deal of money over the years. Plus, it brings a large federal govt presence into northern Maine that the legislature, governor, and public majority all strongly object to.
Correct, the donation is only in the sense of the consideration for the transfer of the deed. Fed mgmt means taxpayer money.
As long as the gov has the authority to designate a monument or park, that process can be used. I actually would like to see the government get out of the “park” business. Gov needs to acquire property to perform functions, but beyond that I would rather see freedom in action, which also means someone may do something with the property others won’t like.
I don’t see what the large fed presence is, other than acreage. Parks and monuments have some Dept of the Interior personnel, but they seem to be relatively few in number per site.
I lean pretty far to the right on property rights. That means I should be able to do what I want with my property even if the governor, legislature, and public majority object to it.
It also means that others may do something I don’t like w/their property. I can accept that tradeoff because I believe, in aggregate, everyone is better off that way because it represents freedom.
I acknowledge that not many rights are “absolute”, meaning there is a balance of rights, e.g. my right to free speech doesn’t include shooting people as an expression of my ill feelings for them.
If they wanted to donate their land to a lumber company, I wouldn’t have a prob w/that either.
This will make the economy in Maine even worse. People now go to Northern Maine to fish, hunt, snowmobile, etc. Now they can’t. That Vile Quimby women started Burts Bees in Maine and sang Maines virtues. She then moved her business to make more money, buy 30% of the State and give it to the Feds.