Liberty
Matters News Service
April 14, 2005
Two Senate Bills on the Move
Congress is expected to take action on two critical
environmental programs: CARA and Invasive Species. A provision authorizing new
funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund was slipped into an amendment
added to the Budget Bill passed by the Senate several weeks ago. This "CARA"
like provision appropriates money to the fund for the purchase of private
property if drilling for oil in ANWAR is approved. The House Budget Bill does
not have this provision. A conference of the two Houses is expected to occur
within the next two weeks. Call your members of Congress and ask that the CARA
provision be stripped from the Senate bill, which can be done without hurting
ANWAR. Also on the move is the "Invasive Species" provision tucked into the
transportation bill (SAFETEA 2005). Under the Senate version of SAFETEA, the
federal government will dictate to the states what types of grasses and plants
are allowed to be planted next to roads. This is a dangerous first step in the
greens long term goal of regulating all land where these "non-native" weeds,
grass, trees, shrubs or weeds reside, meaning every acre of America. You can
contact your Senator through the Switchboard number: (202) 224-3121.
Senate OKs Oil Drilling in the Arctic
Take a Day to Learn How to Beat the Environmentalists
Fighting for the core
property rights principles that built this nation means learning how to defend
against the new arsenal of tools government agencies and environmentalists are
developing. The experts who know how to fight these programs will be giving
their best advice to attendees of the Southwest Landowner Conference slated for
May 13th in Austin Texas. The pitfalls of conservation easements, purchase of
development rights, habitat conservation plans and other mechanisms government
agencies are using will be discussed in detail. Also, a landowner whose family
signed a conservation easement several years ago will be there to share the
nightmare they have been living under the control of a land trust. Other key
issues topping the agenda are the push to reauthorize the Endangered Species
Act, key cases now in the courts showing real promise to swing the pendulum
back in favor of property rights, and a groundbreaking program showing how much
of the Wildlands project has been implemented in America. Also, private
consultation is being provided by LandGuard, giving attendees the opportunity
to privately discuss their issues with one of the nations top property rights
attorneys. For more information or to register call 1-800-452-6389 or go to
www.stewards.us.
$626 Million for Colorado River Deal
In an agreement hammered out by a consortium
of state and federal officials along the Colorado River, 8,100 acres of
farmland will have to go. The agreement does keep water flowing to people but
was initiated as a means to protect wildlife along the Colorado River. The deal
will pump $626 million into the River protection project over the next fifty
years. Environmental groups were invited to join in the planning phase but many
refused because the project does not include 100 miles of the Colorado that
flows into Mexico. An official of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agency signed the
permit that allows water and power operations to continue for the next fifty
years if the terms of the agreement, the Lower Colorado Multispecies
Conservation Program, are followed to the letter. The plan calls for protecting
things like, yuk, the razor-back sucker and the bonytail which will be raised
in hatcheries for release into the river. The cost of the project will be
shared by the federal government and local and state agencies, but landowners
will be the ones who contribute the most. The 8,100 acres of habitat will be
taken from local farmers and landowners along the river in order to protect the
Yuma clapper rail and the Colorado River cotton rat.
50-Year Renewal Program Planned for River
Report Exposes Environmental Groups' Deceptions
Chairman of the powerful Senate
Environmental Public Works Committee, Sen. James Inhofe, (R-OK), released
information exposing the "intricate web of political fundraising and spending
by environmental groups." The information was contained in a 15-page report,
"Political Activity of Environmental Groups and Their Supporting Foundations."
"Environmental organizations have become experts at deceptive activity,
skirting laws up to the edge of illegality, and burying their political
activities under the guise of non-profit environmental improvement. These
reports demonstrate this interconnected 'environmental family affair' of
non-profits and their benefactors," Inhofe said on the Senate floor this week.
The League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club and the Natural Resources
Defense Council are among the five most politically active groups named in the
report. The report also names the foundations that give heavily to the
organizations, including several of the Heinz foundations in which Theresa
Heinz Kerry is involved. "These groups profess to be the greatest stewards of
the environment," stated Sen Inhofe, "… but they demonstrate more interest
in hyping apocalyptic environmental scenarios to raise money for raw Democrat
political purposes …"
Inhofe Releases Detailed Report on
Environmental Group Political Fundraising