Liberty Matters News Service
8 February 1999
Greed Over Principle (GOP) Continues
Despite forceful grassroots opposition, Congressman Don Young is determined to file his Land Acquisition bill this Wednesday. Young’s staff insists "property friendly" changes will be made to the bill as a direct result of the grassroots concerns. There are no changes that can justify giving the federal government more land, more power, and more money to destroy our constitutional protections and individual liberty. Whatever happened to the concept of "limited government?" Keep the pressure on! Faxback doc. 380.
Report Criticizes Gore’s "Livability Agenda"
A new Reason Public Policy Institute Study argues the Clinton Administration’s new urban sprawl initiative, giving federal funds to local communities to preserve open space, is "dangerous." The report counters the Initiative’s goals buy showing that only 5% of the nation’s land is currently developed, 75% of the US population lives on 3.5% of the land, and farmland loss has been slowing from a 6.2% decline in the 1960’s to a 2.7% decline in the 1990’s. The facts do not back up the Clinton-Gore plan. Faxback doc. 389.
Executive Order Controls Alien Species
On Feb 2nd, President Clinton signed an Executive Order launching yet another attack on private property "to prevent the introduction of invasive alien species and provide for their control and to minimize the economic, ecological and human health impacts that invasive species cause…" Despite its purpose, this EO fails to define domesticated species and as a result of this omission most agricultural crop and animal species will fall within the definition of alien as indicated in the order. Clinton’s latest attempt to bypass elected officials jeopardizes our entire agricultural community and needs the review of Congress to determine its full effects. Faxback Docs. 382, 383 & 384.
Three ESA Bills Filed
Rep. Bill Thomas (R-CA) filed H.R. 494, 495, and 496 dealing with changes to the Endangered Species Act. H.R. 495 sets the trigger level of loss of value to private property at 50 percent before a landowner can "request" compensation from the government. In defining mitigation (paying the government with money, land or both to use your own land) it states the landowner will have to pay for the cost of fencing and preserving (in perpetuity) the set aside land. H.R. 496 is a retread of Kempthorne’s ESA reauthorization that codifies Babbitt’s "No Surprises" and "Safe Harbor" agreements into federal statute. Faxback Docs. 385, 386, 387.
Francis Gherini Wins Settlement
A good example of the "unwilling seller – only buyer" travesty that occurs when the federal government wants someone’s property is Francis Gherini. Mr. Gherini, the last private landowner of a small portion of the Santa Cruz Island off the coast of California recently won his case against the National Park Service. In 1987, over 90% of the Island passed into the hands of the Nature Conservancy, and since then, the private landowners on the island have been continually pressured to abandon their holdings by the NPS. It took an act of Congress in 1996 to force the 84 year old Gherini off his land securing the last island for the Channel Islands National Park System, but the government only offered 1/3 the appraised value and Gherini sued. The jury returned a verdict in 5 hours of $12.7 million and is a great victory for private property. For more information, http://www.santa-cruz-island.org
Property Rights Congress Announces Conference
A new organization called the Property Rights Congress (PRC) has formed for the purpose of bringing together a coalition of grassroots groups and individuals interested in the protection of property rights. The conference will be held March 18-21, 1999, at the Conference Center of the National Center for Public Policy Research, 777 North Capitol St. NE, Washington, D.C. For more information, visit the PRC web site: www.freedom.org/prc, for a recorded message with regular updates call 1-888-488-8282. Faxback Doc. 388.