Subject: Fwd: GRAZING BILL ALERT!: Long
Date: Feb 22 21:03:28 1996
From: MWKG at aol.com - MWKG at aol.com


Tweets,

Thought this might be of interest.

Mike Waller
WP Zoo
---------------------
Forwarded message:
From: fran_hunt at tws.org (fran hunt)
Sender: actgreen at envirolink.org
Reply-to: actgreen at envirolink.org
To: mwkg at aol.com
Date: 96-02-22 18:51:33 EST

ACTION ALERT -- ACTION ALERT

This alert was sent by Fran Hunt of The Wilderness Society.

Please make your calls as the alert outlines!

The capital switchboard number is: (202) 224-3121

If you wish to add your group to The Wilderness Society letter,
please reply to fran_hunt at tws.org *NOT* to the list or to me.

Thank you,

Roger Featherstone
GREEN

********************************************************
Help!

As most -- but perhaps not all -- of you know, Senator
Domenici's office released a new -- and still
terrible -- version of S. 1459 on 2/8.

We were told that the bill was being released for
"comments" and that none of the western Democrats had
signed-off on it.

HOWEVER, in the last few days I have been
persistantly hearing rumors that the D's very much want to
get this issue behind them by actually passing a grazing
bill.

PLUS, it appears they are meeting TODAY to discuss this
issue...

I am very worried that our collective efforts to generate
comments on this latest draft (which has actually gotten
worse in significant ways!) have not had time to mature.

So, I am asking you all to try to use the various
networks at your disposal to generate -- in the next 24
hours -- calls and faxes to the following offices: Daschle,
Dorgan, Bingaman, Reid, Conrad, (and David Brooks on Senate
Energy staff). Please send the message that this bill
remains fatally flawed from both a fiscal and environmental
perspective! Urge them not to support it!

The text following is a draft of a group letter we hope to
finalize next week, I include it for your use in generating
calls, faxes, etc. I AM ALSO INCLUDING IT TO GET YOUR
ORGANIZATIONS TO SIGN-ON.

Please help... I regret having to send you this urgent
request, but I am very worried that events have snuck-along
without us!

My phone number is 202/429-2657. <fran_hunt at tws.org>

THANKS for whatever you can do!

__________________________________

DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT


February 29, 1996

Re: Public Rangelands Management Act (S. 1459)
-- February 8, 1996 review draft version

Dear Senator:

The undersigned organizations represent the diverse interests of
millions of citizens who currently participate in the multiple
use of America's public lands. On their behalf, we strongly urge
you to oppose S. 1459, the Public Rangelands Management Act,
including the February 8, 1996 version now being circulated by
Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM). This latest version of the bill,
like previous versions, is an attack on balanced, multiple use
management of our public lands, resource protection, and public
participation. We have the following serious reservations about
this draft:

* The draft's public participation opportunities are a sham.
America's public lands and the resources they contain belong
equally to all citizens. The February 8 version of the bill
allows members of the public to receive notice of, and to comment
informally on, specified range management decisions -- but that
is all they can do. The new draft allows members of the public
no recourse in the case of either final action or inaction by
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or Forest Service officials.
Only livestock grazers may protest or challenge agency decisions
under this draft.

* The draft would give livestock producers new "rights" that
would make grazing the dominant use of public lands. Currently,
public lands are managed for a variety of multiple uses,
including grazing, mining, timber production, wildlife habitat,
and other recreational and commercial activities. This draft
would sacrifice those multiple uses by, for example, giving
livestock permittees brand-new "rights" that will severely limit
the ability of professional resource managers to adjust livestock
grazing to meet the needs of other uses now and in the future.
Current levels of livestock would be locked-in as a "right,"
rather than a privilege, regardless of environmental impacts, and
permittees would get title to permanent range improvements as
well as private water rights on the public's lands.

* The new draft would result in widespread environmental and
ecological damage to public lands. The current version would
exempt all on-the-ground grazing activities, actions and
decisions from the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). As
a result, wildlife populations, including sport fish, game
animals, and threatened and endangered species, and their
habitats would be jeopardized. Other environmental impacts that
would occur include increased soil erosion, declining water
quality, and long-term deterioration of overall range quality.

* The new draft would continue the burden on taxpayers. This
draft would cost American taxpayers millions of dollars in
subsidies and lost revenues. It would create dozens of new
grazing-dominated Advisory Councils and impose huge new paperwork
burdens on the agencies, all at great cost. At the same time,
the bill would provide a multi-million dollar subsidy to ranchers
by adopting a fee formula that would charge fees far below those
charged on state or private lands. Ultimately, this draft
amounts to little more than another massive federal subsidy for
the western livestock industry.

If enacted, the latest version of S. 1459 would set public range
management and public range conditions back decades. Do not
allow the Public Rangelands Management Act to turn America's
public lands over to the grazing industry. Support responsible
land management, prudent resource conservation, and continued
multiple use of these national lands. Please oppose S. 1459,
including the February 8 version.

Sincerely,

Groups Signing Letter

==========================================================
GREEN
GrassRooots Environmental Effectiveness Network
a project of Defenders of Wildlife

1101 14th St. NW, Suite 1400, Washington, DC 20005
(202) 682-9400 x290 fax:(202) 682-1331 e-mail: rfeather at clark.net

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