Liberty Matters 

 6/16/97

Your efforts forced the president to postpone implementing the American Heritage Rivers Initiative on June 9, 1997. A virtual firestorm hit the White House and the president’s staff leaving Katie McGinty, Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)"bewildered and perplexed," according to a White House press release. But now we need to go one step further in the next 60 days and make sure this program dies.

We have been told that thousands of phone calls were received in Washington which resulted in a hard hitting letter signed by five committee chairman in the House of Representatives, accusing CEQ and the president of violating the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Administrative Procedures Act. They demanded that the president prepare a detailed briefing to fully explain his undertaking of this initiative. The Committee has given the president the same amount of time he originally gave the American people. (His response is due June 27, 1997). Following this letter, 30 Congressmen demanded that the president extend the comment period at least 60 days.

While in Washington, Liberty Matters, along with several other grassroots organizations, was summoned to the White House to meet with Katie McGinty. While the president’s staff attempted to appease property rights concerns, it is clear they fully intend to proceed with this initiative. It is imperative that we continue to make clear to Congress and the administration that we do not want any part of this program. This initiative is not about saving rivers, its about controlling our land.

On June 10, 1997, Congressman Helen Chenoweth along with 11 of her colleagues filed H.R. 1842, "To terminate further development and implementation of the American Heritage Rivers Initiative." The bill states that no federal funds can be used to finance the Initiative or any other similar program. Chenoweth’s bill prevents the president from creating this program by presidential fiat. No matter how many days he extends the comment period, we must not allow the President to circumvent the will of the people, nor destroy the unique balance of power that has made this nation what it is today.

1. Call your Congressman today to co-sponsor H.R. 1842. This is more than stopping the American Heritage Rivers Initiative. It is telling the president he cannot run this country by Presidential Proclamation.

 

2 Call your Senators to sponsor a companion bill.

3. Write letters to:

There can be no compromise on an issue as important as this.