ATTN: CONGRESS ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE AZ LAND!

[pityocamptes]

CAN WE MAKE THIS A STICKY ON ALL BOARDS?

It looks like Raul Grijalva (I will contain my thoughts of this man!) is wanting to turn 84K acres of land into wilderness in the Tumacacori Mtn (AZ) area. He will be proposing a bill to Congress. Frankly. I'm tired of these politicians trying to make decisions for the elite few. What about the people who enjoy hunting, 4x4ing, prospecting, MDing, mining, etc.? Appearently they do not matter. I ask that everyone contact Rep. Raul Grijalva and voice your opposition to this measure. Please support the AZ Fish and Game (they are against it) as well as Arizona Multiple Use Coalition. Raul Grijalva;s intentions are known, as can be seen from this excerpt: "The last thing we want is for the area to start getting dug up" - he is AGAINST mining! Please also give support to:

www.tumacacorifreedom.org

Thanks!

 

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[coinshooter]

Typical bureaucratic glad handing

Obviously they are trying to save valueable land for the gov't, not the people! Somebody is benefiting at the expense of the normal citizen in this.
We here in CA have already been through your predicament. We can thank DIANE FEINSTEIN for helping lock up our deserts for the rest of our lifetimes with the "Desert Protection Act".
Because of this, we are no longer able to do ANYTHING in most areas of the California Deserts (Like the Mojave Desert) that they deem to be damaging. Just about the only thing you can do is walk on it (and in some areas, the areas are completely closed off to any type of human intervention- period!).
If you are seen driving, mining, collecting anything, shooting, hunting, etc. on these lands you are ripe for a ticket from BLM.
Don't let people do this to AZ too!!!!!
The thing that pisses me off about it, is if you find something in the ground such as a nice rock, an artifact of ancient times such as an arrowhead, or an old coin, who would EVER see it if you didn't pick it up anyway.
BIG GOV"T IS GOING TOO FAR with YOUR LANDS!!!!!!
WRITE YOUR CONGRESSMAN OR WOMAN AND TELL THEM YOUR TIRED OF THIS!!!!!

 

[Lasivian]

Frankly, I support turning this into wilderness.

I'll tell you why.

Arizona is 114,006sq. Miles.
The area they want to protect is 84k acres (or 131.25sq. Miles).
this is 0.115126% of the surface area of Arizona, that's a little more than 1/10th of 1%.

Well, how much Arizona land *IS* open to the public for what we might call "invasive" use? (IE. things that leave more of a mark than a footprint)

National Forest Lands in AZ:

17,983sq. Miles
15.69% of AZ Surface Area.

Bureau of Land Managmenet (BLM) Land in Arizona:

18,125sq. Miles
15.89% of AZ Surface Area.

State Trust Land:

14,500sq. Miles
12.71% of AZ Surface Area.


That's 50,608sq. Miles.
44.29% of the state.


Arizona has a problem, it's called "Sprawl". Our cities sprawl relentlessly into what was once virgin desert, and nobody cares. Why NOT protect another chunk of wilderness? Especially one as small as this. Personally i'd be happy to see far more wilderness out there, most of the areas I hunted in as a child are now a mess, the trees are damaged, or the land has been sold off to developers. I've lived in AZ for 30 years guys, i've seen it go way downhill.

Mining? Have you ever seen a copper mine? In AZ copper mines are given total control over their land, they leave it as barren as the moon, and Bush supported giving miners MORE rights to do what they want with land. I'll support many a tax to raise revenue before I mine my state into a wasteland.

Ranching? To me the Beef industry is powerful enough as it is, if they have to have their stinky non-indigenous cattle roaming around the wilderness eating feed that the indigenous deer/antelope/elk should be eating then they need to pack up and move out. They should try Buffalo, they're a far less damaging beast than cattle.

And i'm sorry to say Coinshooter that on National Wilderness Land you ARE allowed to hunt and fish. (You are also allowed to hunt in the Mojave Desert under the Desert Protection Act BTW). The AZ Game and Fish are against it because they don't have the manpower to patrol more wilderness land, well frankly let's raise taxes to cover it, it's alot more important than the new 100,000$ in new furniture they just installed down in the AZ Capital building.

You guys don't like Raul Grijalva because he's a Democrat, he thinks more for the people than for business, and i'm sorry to say it but most Detectorists are old "set-in-their-ways" Republicans.

The Constitution says "In order to form a more perfect UNION", not "In order to form a more perfect ME".

 

[Lowbatts]

Well Lasivian I can't say I disagree with you except that no wilderness becomes one by any act of legislature. Simple zoning laws could restrict corporate development and not put restrictive prohibitions against public use.

Having seen way too many cornfields and soybean fields become literal seas of rooftops in this area has a really depressing view on me as well. I used to be able to go around the corner and pop off a few rounds with friends on the nearby country roads, they are now four lane highways full of strip malls.
Those areas that the county or state have setup as "wildlife refuges" or "wilderness areas" around here have small trails you are allowed to walk on when they are open to the public, which only some are. Most are fenced off. Many places I once could go, throw a bag down and sleep the night away now gone to either government "care for the wilderness" or some mall.

The end result is the same to me. If I can't go there, use it or enjoy it then why have you spent my money on it? That is not a selfish perspective, it's pragmatic. Boxing people into socially engineered communities and denying their natural yearnings for free decision making processes is a failure wherever it is being or has been done.

The Constitution was written by people who were in the process of limiting governance, not enhancing it. It was designed to give me the opportunity to form a more perfect me. Oh yeah, Chicagoland is pretty much run like the state of Illinois by old, set in their way Democrats. They've made a lot of money off the gravel mines that have cratered this neck of the woods and even after they are finished are put off limits to people and turned into "wetland projects" or "nature preserves."