Liberty Matters News Service

August 27, 2003  

Goosed

Canadian geese have taken up permanent residence in New Jersey gorging themselves on the delicacies that abound in farmers' fields, lolling about lavish corporate grounds and cooling themselves in fancy golf course ponds, all the while leaving their calling cards in abundance. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, whose duty it is to protect and manage the birds under the 1917 Migratory Bird Treaty, have a plan to relinquish their jurisdiction of the birds to the New Jersey state government by early next spring. The proposal would allow local authorities to reduce the goose populations without going through lengthy federal permitting procedures. New Jersey officials view the plan with a jaundiced eye because it will shift to the state the sizeable costs of issuing hundreds of annual harvest permits to sportsmen and farmers and to others for whom the birds have become an overwhelming burden, but will provide no extra funds. Environmental groups have weighed in on the issue, expressing the opinion that land management practices are part of the goose problem. In a convoluted statement, Eric Stiles of the New Jersey Audubon Society claims "[T]he geese are indicators of poor land management practices. They are attracted to the large corporate lawns, which are manicured wastelands. We need to stop mowing and stop the deforestation."
Geese Management Could Fall To State

Eco-Terrorists On Dangerous Rampage

Dozens of sport utility vehicles were damaged or destroyed by an arson fire that swept through the Clippinger Chevrolet dealership in West Covina, California, early last Friday morning. In the wake of the destruction, the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) issued an e-mail calling it, "ELF actions." Vehicles that were not burned were spray-painted. "Fat, Lazy Americans," was a favored slogan. Two other SUV dealerships in Arcadia and Duarte were vandalized. SUVs parked on residential streets were spray-painted with ELF slogans and one was set ablaze. The underground eco-terrorist group has stepped up attacks on endeavors they view as being harmful to the environment, although it is difficult to understand how smoke pollution from burning SUVs is beneficial. Damage from the latest episode is estimated at $1 million. Eco-terrorists are believed to be responsible for breaking into a mink farm in Sultan, Washington, this week, and turning10,000 of the helpless animals loose into the wild. Neighbors of brothers Brad and Jeff Roesler helped locate and return many of the mink to safety. "The attack on the mink farm is estimated at over $500,000 in damages and uncalculated losses in lost genetic history for the animals. Obviously, eco-terrorists are on a road trip doing damage in Western States," said Teresa Platt, Executive Director of Fur Commission, USA.
Dozens Of California SUVs Targeted By Graffiti
Terrorists Strike Washington Family Farm

Just Desserts

Kieran Suckling is a sore loser judging from his behavior at a news conference where he forced his way into the offices of the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association (SAHBA) last Tuesday. Suckling and about twenty cohorts dressed in owl suits trespassed onto SAHBA property to protest a ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Court found Fish and Wildlife Service had not proved the cactus ferruginous owl significantly different from Mexican owls. Suckling attempted to disrupt the press conference ignoring orders to leave. SAHBA officials called the cops and Suckling was booked into the Pima County jail for assault, trespassing and disorderly conduct. After his release on Saturday, Suckling complained to the Arizona Daily Star that the charges are false, a "pack of lies from the beginning to the end," and that he planned to sue them for false arrest. He claimed he only went to "expose the outright lies of the home builders" regarding the court decision and his arrest was the result of political maneuvering designed to shut up anyone who is trying to protect the desert.
Activist Charged In Office Protest

NC Taxpayers Fund NGO Land Grabs

Back in 1996 North Carolina established the Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF) to help local governments and state agencies improve the state's water quality. Fifty percent of the funds are earmarked for land acquisition and riparian buffer zones and the other half goes to improve storm water management or waste water treatment systems. The grants are available only to local and state entities and non-profit conservation organizations. Since its inception, CWMTF has funded 407 grants of over $320.7 million for restoration projects and land acquisition. The fund has been a bird nest on the ground for the non-profit organizations that are able to tap into huge reserves of public money to buy land or conservation easements. The Nature Conservancy has been the recipient of millions of dollars used to gobble up thousands of North Carolina private acres. Their latest coup was a $3.3 million grant to preserve 925 acres on Grandfather Mountain. The conservation easement gives them control of an important watershed and will prevent any road construction or other development in the area. With this purchase, TNC now controls more than 3,500 acres in the area. This year the NC General Assembly included $62 million for CWMTF projects and it is interesting to note that in the June 2, 2003 Grant Request Cycle, TNC applied for $38,246,139.00 for land acquisition projects in NC. That figure is nearly twice as much as the combined requests from all other conservation organizations.
Easement Will Protect 925 Acres
Grant Cycle Requests List