Washington
Newsletter
March 2010
Monumental
Problem!
A couple of weeks ago, word leaked out
about a secret, internal study, ordered by U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Salazar, on potential areas that could be declared National Monuments under the
Antiquities Act. An Interior Department spokesperson described the list of 17
hot spots as something that came out a brainstorming session held at the
department. What a session! Under the Antiquities Act, Mr. Obama could make
such a declaration with the simple stroke of his Presidential pen.
Negative reaction on the part of western
members of Congress has been swift. Many remembered the creation of eight new
National Monuments and the expansion of one existing Monument area,
encompassing more than 1.1 million acres, during the closing days of the
Clinton Administration. These designations came much to the surprise of many
local citizens living in or adjacent to the designated areas. Secretary Salazar
has sought to reassure Governors and legislators from the 17 targeted areas
that no decisions would be made by the Obama Administration without first
seeking local input. This response is reassuring, but we also know from sources
within the Department, that once the list saw the light of day, sheer panic
reigned in the Department as political appointees worked to come up with an
explanation for the report. Damage control was priority number one because of
the potential political fallout in the west.
Fortunately, the news of this plan became
publicly known before the Secretary was able to send his recommendations to the
President. Since this disclosure, legislation has been introduced in the
Congress that would exempt certain states from the Antiquities Act:
Utah,
Montana,
Alaska,
Colorado,
Nevada and
California.
This exemption would not become effective until Congress passes the appropriate
legislation, so the threat remains.
Wyoming
is currently the only western state to have this exempt status.
For a few days in February, the Interior
Department had a monumental problem once they realized their secret document
was public. In a democracy, a little sunlight has a way of cleansing the
process as well as motivating those who care. The revelation of the Interior
Department document has accomplished both. The Department is now treading a bit
more carefully and more Americans are now aware that monument designations can
happen with the simple application of some Presidential ink on a piece of
paper. If you would like to read about the 17 areas identified in the now
famous Interior Department brainstorming session, check it out here:
Prospective
National Monument Designations
Forest
Service Planning Rule
The Forest Service is planning to launch a
series of roundtable discussions in many parts of the country on a new planning
rule it hopes to develop for the management of our national forests. This is an
important undertaking, especially since previous efforts over the last
twenty-five years have not been all that successful, primarily due to
litigation. The Forest Service is hosting these sessions in order to
"facilitate public participation, dialogue, and action
collaboration." The ARRA website will provide you with detailed
information on where and when these roundtable discussions will be held. To the
degree that you and your friends can participate and share your views about how
our national forests should be managed, your efforts would be extremely helpful.
This is especially true since the Notice of Intent announcing this undertaking
barely mentioned the concept of recreation on Forest Service land. We find this
a very serious oversight on the part of the agency. So, from a process
standpoint, we are very pleased the agency is providing these roundtable
sessions. This is something that ARRA specifically requested when we submitted
our comments during the scoping process. But from a subject matter, recreation
interests, and specifically motorized recreation interests, need to be very
proactive throughout this process.
One new issue that deserves your attention
is that for the first time ever, the Forest Service is directing its land
managers to manage on the basis of climate change issues. This is a rather nebulous
issue since the science surrounding the topic of global climate change is very
hotly debated. During the last few months, we have seen charges and
countercharges over the validity of some of the so-called scientific studies
about climate change. Until the controversy can be cleared up (the United
Nations has formed a special committee to review the charges that some of the
scientific studies weren't all that scientific), it seems premature to throw
this requirement into the Forest Service management process.
Over the next twenty months, this planning
process will be a topic we will be covering, so pleased keep referring to the
ARRA website for the latest information:
USFS
Issues Notice of Intent to Issue New Land Management Planning Rule – Click Here
to Learn More and to Weigh in to Protect Access
Enforcement
Legislation
We readily admit that enforcement
legislation is not a popular subject with some people, but ARRA has long
believed that a key component to retaining access to public lands is greater
law enforcement. That is why we have consistently supported a revision of our
enforcement laws including stiffer fines and penalties for those who do not
take good care of the lands owned by all Americans.
We are very pleased that Rep. Salazar (D.
Colo.) and Senator Mark Udall (D. Colo.) have introduced companion pieces of
legislation in the House and the Senate, H.R. 4589 and S. 2999, which would
impose stiff penalties on those who are found guilty of damaging federal lands.
We have worked closely with both of these offices on this issue and will
continue to work for its passage in the Congress. In previous years, this
legislation passed the House of Representatives, but the Senate failed to take
similar action.
The Bush Administration supported this
legislation and we are hopeful that the Obama Administration will do the same.
If you would like to learn more about this legislation, please see the
Enforcement
Legislation Fact Sheet. Also, please contact your elected officials
and encourage them to support H.R. 4589 and S. 2999. Our future access to
public lands is dependent upon enhanced law enforcement.
Other
News
The Recreational Trails Program (RTP)
continues to be held hostage by the failure of Congress to resolve funding
issues relating to federal transportation programs. The House and the Senate
remain at loggerheads in reaching a compromise, so the future of RTP remains up
in the air. We will keep you posted as this issue continues to evolve, but we
are hoping for a resolution in the very near future. In the meantime, be sure
to use the ARRA website to nominate your favorite RTP project for the 2010
Coalition for Recreational Trials award.
Many of you were probably amused when the
Washington area received
upwards of 40 inches of snow in two successive snowstorms in February. We had
real gridlock for a while, not the political kind but rather the kind only
Mother Nature could deliver. This is a city that becomes paralyzed by the
prediction of 2 inches of snow let alone the actual delivery of more than
twenty times that amount. One amusing sight was seeing a snowmobile riding
around
Dupont Circle
while a massive snowball fight by hundreds of Washingtonians was going on at
the same time. To say the least, we are weary of winter and are looking forward
to the arrival of spring later this month.
Here's to spring!
Sincerely,
Larry E. Smith
Executive Director
Americans for Responsible Recreational Access