wilderness bill 2009 and impact on us??????

I don't know about this particular piece of legislation, and hate to be cynical, but any new bills I am aware of from our government only strip more of my rights away. It seems to be the constant drip, drip, drip of BIG business and BIG government in colusion for gain, and that usually includes more repression of the citizen.
 

This bill is a giant omnibus package. Over 150 seperate bills thrown into one. One bill alone The National Landscape Conservation System would take 26 million acres of various lands and place them under national park regulations. Much of this land is open to multiple uses. Everything from hiking to cattle grazing. Some of it even to detecting. That would all end. Eventually it would probably be all become parkland.

The rest of the bills deal with a lot of designations changing or creating historical areas etc. Some of these even effect private lands. Add it all together and it is a massive land grab that will take billions of dollars to administer and control. Another expansion of government and costs to the taxpayers.


Below is a more detailed look at it but it is quite long. At least read the first few paragraphs to get the idea of this beast. It may come up for a vote at any time. Contact your senators and give them a firm NO.


Mark S.







Land Rights Network
American Land Rights Association
PO Box 400 - Battle Ground, WA 98604
Phone: 360-687-3087 - Fax: 360-687-2973
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Address: http://www.landrights.org
Legislative Office: 507 Seward Square SE - Washington, DC 20003

Update - Harry Reid Forces Vote On Omnibus Land Grab This Week

Alert - Alert - Alert - Alert

Omnibus Federal Land Grab Bill Number is now S. 22

Urgent Action Required

-----You must call your Senators and Congressmen immediately. They must be
deluged with calls now at (202) 224-3121.

-----See Washington Times news article at the bottom of this e-mail.

-----Also see the Energy and Environment Daily article below.


You must call your Congressman as well as your Senators. Even though S 22
is likely to pass the Senate, it is important your Senator hear from you.
Your calls are important not only to try to defeat S 22, but for future
bills like it.

All Senators may be called at (202) 224-3121.

You must urge your Senator to oppose all Omnibus Bills that put a bunch of
bills together. That means that nearly all Senators and Congressman don't
read the whole bill. This bill is between 1,000 and 2,000 pages. So the
Senators and Congressmen only pay attention to the parts they are interested
in.

A lot of bad stuff passes this way because bills they might ordinarily
oppose, they ignore because they are part of this larger package.

This is a really bad way of doing business. You must let your Senators and
Congressmen know you not only oppose S 22 but the use of huge omnibus
packages the bunch bills together.

Using the omnibus bill approach, most Senators and Congressmen have no idea
what is in the rest of the bill. They are not doing their job and they are
letting you down.


-----You can read the Washington Times article below to see how Senator
Murkowski of Alaska is supporting the bill even though it does great damage
to Alaska because of one provision in the bill that she likes. She is
ignoring the National Landscape Conservation System part of the bill which
affects so much more of Alaska. This is just an example of how usually
friendly Senators and Congressmen end up voting for bills that hurt their
states when the vote on these Omnibus Bill packages.


Each bill should be considered individually. S 22 has over 150 different
bills included.


-----The bill will then have to go back through the House if it passes the
Senate. So calling, faxing and e-mailing your Congressman is critical.


-----All Congressmen may be called at (202) 225-3121. They must know in no
uncertain terms that rural America opposes this massive Wilderness and land
grab bill.

You must let your Senators and Congressman know you will hold them
responsible for their vote on S 22. This is the largest land grab in 20
years. They must know they will be held accountable.

Please forward this message to as many people as possible as quickly as
possible.




150 Bill Omnibus Federal Land Grab Bill Is Back

You must act, call, fax, and e-mail both your Senators and your Congressman
until Congress leaves town.


-----This bill is one of the largest land grabs in history. Just one bill,
the National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) covers 26 million acres
and will lock you out of BLM multiple-use and energy lands. It will add
dozens of new National Heritage Areas that will eventually be a land use
control noose around the necks of local people and rural America.

You can see a map of the National Landscape Conservation System at
www.landrights.org.

Senator Diane Feinstein plans to add 6,000,000 more acres to it on the floor
of the Senate.

Majority Leader Harry Reid is buying votes by putting every bill he can find
in the package to buy off opposing Senators. Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho is
helping Harry Reid, Democrat Majority Leader in the Senate. Has your
Senator sold his heart and soul?

Senator Crapo is planning to vote for the bill and is leading the charge to
get other Senators to vote for it.

He tried to sell us out on the Endangered Species Act a number of years ago
and we stopped him. Now we must do it again.

It appears you cannot trust Senator Mike Crapo's heart to protect your
private property and access and use of Federal lands.

-----Action Items:


-----1. Forward this e-mail to your entire e-mail list nationally.

-----2. Call both your Senators (202-224-3121) and Congressman
(202-225-3121) to ask them how they will vote on the Omnibus Federal Lands
Bill S 22. If they won't tell you, you can assume they are going to vote
for it. Their phones must not stop ringing. Ask for their fax and e-mail
address.

-----3. E-mail and fax both your Senators and your Congressman opposing the
Omnibus Federal Lands Bill S 22.


-----This may be the largest land grab bill in the last 20 years.

Your immediate action by making calls, faxing, e-mailing your Senators and
Congressmen as well as your friends and neighbors is critical to stop this
bill.

Chuck Cushman
American Land Rights Association
(360) 687-3087
[email protected]



Background:

Giant 150 Bill Omnibus Federal Land Vote Nov 17 In Lame Duck

This is one of the largest land grab bills in history. Just one bill, the
National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) covers 26 million acres and
will lock you out of BLM multiple-use and energy lands.

Senator Diane Feinstein plans to add 6,000,000 more acres to it on the floor
of the Senate.

Bills Included In Omnibus Federal Lands Bill For Senate Vote. It May Be HR
5151 or Some Other Bill Number.

Description of the bill: Senate Bill - Senate Bill Sponsor - House Bill -
House Sponsor:

Wild Monongahela Wilderness: S 2851-Byrd (D-WV) - HR 5151 - Rahall (D-WV)
VA Ridge & Valley Wilderness: S 570 - Warner (R-VA) - HR 1011 - Boucher
(D-VA)
Mt. Hood Wilderness, OR: S 647 - Wyden (D-OR) - HR 6290 - Blumenauer (D-OR)
Copper Salmon Wilderness, OR: S 2034 - Wyden (D-OR) - HR 3513 - DeFazio
(D-OR)
Cascade-Siskiyou Natl Monument, OR: S 2379 - Smith (R-OR)
Owyhee Public Land Management: S 2833 - Crapo (R-ID)
Sabinoso Wilderness, NM: HR 2632 - T. Udall (D-NM)
Pictured Rocks Natl Lakeshore Wilderness: S 3017 - Levin (D-MI)
OR Badlands Wilderness: S 3088 - Wyden (D-OR)
Spring Basin Wilderness, OR: S 3089 - Wyden (D-OR)
E. Sierra & Northern San Gabriel Wilderness, CA: S 3069 - Boxer (D-CA) - HR
6156 - McKeon (R-CA)
Riverside Cnty Wilderness, CA: S 2109 - Boxer (D-CA) - HR 3682 - Bono Mack
(R-CA)
Sequoia & Kings Canyon Natl Parks Wilderness, CA: S 1774 - Boxer (D-CA) -
HR 3022 - Costa (D-CA)
Rocky Mountain Natl Park Wilderness, CO: S 1380 - Salazar (D-CO) - HR 2334
- M Udall (D-CO)

***Natl Landscape Conservation System (NLCS): S 1139 - Bingaman (D-NM) - HR
2016 - Grijalva (D-AZ) (26 million acres)

Prehistoric Trackways Natl Monument: S 275 - Bingaman (D-NM)
Ft Stanton-Snowy River Cave Natl Conservation Area: S 260 - Domenici (R-NM)
- HR 1989 - Pearce (R-NM)
Snake River Birds of Prey Natl Conservation Area: S 262 - Craig (R-ID) - HR
3734 - Simpson (R-ID)
Dominguez-Escalante Natl Conservation Area: S 3065 - Salazar (D-CO) - HR
6162 - Salazar (D-CO)
Rio Puerco Watershed Management Program: S 1940 - Bingaman (D-NM) Land
Conveyances & Exchanges
Carson City, NV land conveyances: S 3606 - Reid (D-NV)
Southern NV limited transition area conveyance: S 1377 - Reid (D-NV) - HR
2299 - Heller (R-NV)
NV Cancer Institute land conveyance: S 758 - Ensign (R-NV) - HR 1311 -
Berkley (D-NV)
Turnabout Ranch land conveyance, UT: S 832 - Hatch (R-UT) - HR 3575 -
Matheson (D- UT)
Boy Scouts land exchange, UT: S 900 - Hatch (R-UT) - HR 6097 - Matheson
(D-UT)
Douglas County, WA, land conveyance: HR 523 - Hastings (R-WA)
Twin Falls, ID, land conveyance: S 2354 - Crapo (R-ID) - HR 4184 - Simpson
(R-ID)
Sunrise Mountain Instant Study Area release, NV: S 2898 - Reid (D-NV) - HR
816 - Porter (R-NV)
Park City, UT, land conveyance: S 532 - Hatch (R-UT) - HR 828 - Bishop
(R-UT)
Release of revisionary interest in certain lands in Reno, NV: S 2443 -
Ensign (R-NV) - HR 2246 - Heller (R-NV)
Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians of the Tuolumne Rancheria: HR 3490 -
Radanovich (R-CA)
Watershed Restoration & Enhancement: S 232 - Wyden (D-OR)
Wildland Firefighter Safety: S 1152 - Cantwell (D-WA) - HR 4832 - M Udall
(D-CO)
WY Range: S 2229 - Barrasso (R-WY)

Land Conveyances & Exchanges:
Land conveyance to City of Coffman Cove, AK: S 202 - Murkowski (R-AK) - HR
831- D Young (R-AK)
Beaverhead-Deerlodge Natl Forest land conveyance, MT: S 2124 - Baucus
(D-MT) - HR 3702 - Rehberg (R-MT)
Sante Fe Natl Forest; Pecos NHP Land exchange: S 216 - Bingaman (D-NM)
Sante Fe Natl Forest Land Conveyance, NM: S 1939 - Bingaman
Kittitas Cnty, WA, land conveyance: S 2601 - Cantwell (D-WA) - HR 1285 -
Hastings (R-WA)
Mammoth Community Water District use restrictions: HR 356 - McKeon (R-CA)
Land conveyance, Wasatch-Cache Natl Forest, UT: HR 3473 - Bishop (R-UT)
Boundary adj, Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness: S 1802 - Craig
(R-ID)
Sandia Pueblo land exchange technical amend: Bingaman (D-NM)
CO Northern Front Range Study: S 2508 - Salazar (D-CO) - HR 903 - M Udall
(D-CO)
Forest Landscape Restoration: S 2593 - Bingaman (D-NM) - HR 5263 - Grijalva
(D-AZ)

Additions to the Natl & Wild Scenic Rivers System
Fossil Creek, AZ NWSR: S 86 - McCain (R-AZ) - HR 199 - Renzi (R-AZ)
Snake River Headwaters, WY NWSR: S 1281 - Thomas (R-WY)
Taunton River, MA NWSR: S 868 - Kennedy (D-MA) - HR 415 Frank (D-MA)

Wild & Scenic Rivers Studies
Missisquoi & Trout Rivers Study NWSR: S 2093 - Leahy (D-VT) - HR 3667 -
Welch (D-VT)

Additions to the Natl Trails System
AZ Natl Scenic Trail: S 1304 - McCain (R-AZ) - HR 2297 - Giffords (D-AZ)
New England Natl Scenic Trail: S 923 - Kerry (D-MA) - HR 1528 - Olver
(D-MA)
Ice Age Floods Natl Geologic Trail: S 268 - Cantwell (D-WA) - HR 450 -
Hastings (R-WA)
WA-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route NHT: S 686 - Lieberman (ID-CT) - HR 1286
- Hinchey (D-NY)
Pacific NW Natl Scenic Trail: S 2943 - Cantwell (D-WA) - HR 5926 - Dicks
(D-WA)
Trail of Tears Natl Historic Trail: HR 5335 - Wamp (R-TN)

Natl Trail System Amendments
Natl Trails System willing seller authority: S 169 - Allard (R-CO)
Revision of feasibility & suitability studies of existing NHT: S 580 -
Hatch (R-UT) - HR 1336 - Blumenauer (D-OR)
Chisholm Trail & Great Western Trails Studies: S 2255 - Hutchison (R-TX) -
HR 2849 - Cole (R-OK)
Coop Watershed Management Program: S 3085 - Tester (D-MT)
Competitive Status for Federal Employees in AK: S 1433 - Murkowski (R-AK)
Management of the Baca Natl Wildlife Refuge: S 127 - Allard (R-CO) - HR
1658 - Salazar (D-CO)
Paleontological Resources Preservation: S 320 - Akaka (D-HI) - HR 554 -
McGovern (D-MA)
Izembek Natl Wildlife Refuge Land Exchange: S 1680 - Murkowski (R-AK) - HR
2801 - D Young (R-AK)
Wolf Livestock Loss Demonstration Project: S 2875 - Tester (D-MT)

Additions to the Natl Park System
Paterson Great Falls Natl Hist. Park, NJ: S 148 - Lautenberg (D-NJ) - HR
189 - Pascrell (D-NJ)
William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home Natl Hist. Site: S 245 - Pryor
(D-AR) - HR 5504 - Ross (D-AR)
River Raisin Natl Battlefield Park: S 3247 - Levin (D-MI) - Hr 6470 -
Dingell (D-MI)

Amendments to Existing Units of the Natl Park System
Funding for Keweenaw Natl Historical Park: S 189 - Levin (D-MI) - HR 3704 -
Stupak (D-MI)
Location of visitor & admin facilities for Weir Farm NHS: S 1247 -
Lieberman (ID-CT) - HR 1836 - Shays (R-CT)
Little River Canyon Natl Preserve boundary expansion: S 1961 - Sessions
(R-AL) - HR 5486 - Rogers (R-AL)
Hopewell Culture Natl Historical Park boundary expansion: S 1993 - Brown
(D-OH) - HR 2197 - Space (D-OH)
Jean LaFitte Natl Historical Park & Preserve boundary adj: S 783 - Landrieu
(D-LA) - HR 1387 - Melancon (D-LA)
Minute Man Natl Historical Park: S 2513 - Kennedy (D-MA) - HR 5853 -
Tsongas (D-MA) / HR 2815 - Meehan (D-MA)
Everglades Natl Park: S 2804 - Nelson (D-FL) / S 3340 - Martinez (R-FL) -
HR 5708 - Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
Kalaupapa Natl Historical Park: S 2502 - Akaka (D-HI) - HR 3332 - Hirono
(D- HI)
Boston Harbor Islands Natl Recreation Area: S 1365 - Kerry (D-MA)
Thomas Edison Natl Historical Park, New Jersey: S 2329 - Menendez (D-NJ) -
HR 2627 - Payne (D-NJ)
Women's Rights Natl Historical Park: S 1816 - Clinton (D-NY) - HR 3114 -
Slaughter (D-NY)
Martin Van Buren Natl Historical Site: S 2535 - Clinton (D-NY) - HR 3063 -
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Palo Alto Battlefield Natl Historical Park: S 3011 - Cornyn (R-TX) - HR
4828 - Ortiz (D-TX)
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace Natl Hist. Park: S 3226-Bunning (R-KY)
New River Gorge Natl River: HR 5137 - Rahall (D-WV)

Technical Corrections
Wright Bro.-Dunbar Natl Hist. Park, OH: HR 4199 - Turner (R-OH)
Fort Davis Natl Historic Site: HR 6176 - Rodriguez (D-TX)

Special Resource Studies
Walnut Canyon study: S 722 - McCain (R-AZ) - HR 1558 - Renzi (R-AZ) /
HR5751 - Pastor (D-AZ)
Tule Lake Segregation Center, CA: S 1476 - Feinstein (D-CA) - HR 2506 -
Doolittle (R-CA)
Estate Grange, St. Croix: S 1969 - Hatch (R-UT)
Harriet Beecher Stowe House, ME: S 662 - Snowe (R-ME)
Shepherdstown Battlefield, West VA: S 1633 - Byrd (D-WV)
Green McAdoo School, TN: S 2207 - Alexander (R-TN) - HR 2695 - Wamp (R-TN)
Harry S. Truman Birthplace, MO: HR 3998 - Grijalva (D-AZ)
Battle of Matewan special res. study: HR 3998 - Grijalva (D-AZ)
Butterfield Overland Trail: HR 3998 - Grijalva (D-AZ)
Cold War sites theme study: S 2561 - Reid (D-NV) - HR 5139 - Berkley (D-NV)
Battle of Camden, SC: S 3051 - Graham (R-SC) - HR 1674 - Spratt (D-SC)
Fort San Geronimo, Puerto Rico: S 3051 - Graham (R-SC) - HR 1545 - Fortuno
(R-PR)

Program Authorizations (Lots of new spending)
American Battlefield Protection Program: S 1921 - Webb (D-VA) - HR 2933 -
Miller (R-CA)
Preserve America Program: S 2262 - Domenici (R-NM) - HR 3981 - Miller
(D-NC)
Save America's Treasures Program: S 2262 - Domenici (R-NM) - HR 3981 -
Miller (D-NC)
Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program: S 3010 - Domenici (R-NM) - HR 6046
- Wilson (R-NM)
Natl Cave & Karst Research Institute: S 3096 - Bingaman (D-NM)

Advisory Commissions
Na Hoa Pili O Kaloko-Honokohau Advisory Commission: S 1728 - Akaka (D-HI)
Cape Cod Natl Seashore Advisory Commission: S 3158 - Kennedy (D-MA) - HR
6336 - Delahunt (D-MA)
Natl Park System Advisory Board: S 3158 - Kennedy (D-MA) - HR 6336 -
Delahunt (D-MA)
Concessions Management Advisory Board: S 3158 - Kennedy (D-MA) - HR 6336 -
Delahunt (D-MA)
St. Augustine 450th Commemoration Commission: S 2359 - Martinez (R-FL) - HR
4258 - Mica (R-FL)
Memorials - Reauthorization of memorial to M L K, Jr.: S 3607 - Burr (R-NC)

Designation of Natl Heritage Areas
Sangre de Cristo Natl Heritage Area, CO: S 443 - Salazar (D-CO) - HR 859 -
Salazar (D-CO)
Cache La Poudre River Natl Heritage Area, CO: S 128 - Allard (R-CO) - HR
591 - Musgrave (R-CO)
South Park Natl Heritage Area, CO: S 444 - Salazar (D-CO) - HR 3335 -
Lamborn (R-CO)
Northern Plains Natl Heritage Area, ND: S 2098 - Dorgan (D-ND) - HR 6678 -
Pomeroy (D-ND)
Baltimore Natl Heritage Area, MD: S 2604 - Mikulski (D-MD) - HR 5279 -
Cummings (D-MD)
Freedom's Way Natl Heritage Area, MA & NH: S 827 - Kerry (D-MA) - HR 1297 -
Olver (D-MA)
MS Hills Natl Heritage Area: S 2254 - Cochran (R-MS) - HR 4457 - B Thompson
(D-MS)
MS Delta Natl Heritage Area: S 2512 - Cochran (R-MS) - HR 4457 - B Thompson
(D-MS)
Muscle Shoals Natl Heritage Area, AL: HR 1483 - Regula (R-OH)
Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm Natl Heritage Area, AK: S 3045 - Murkowski
(R-AK)

Studies - (Editor: They are going to ask the Park Service to study whether
the Park Service would want more land, more money and more power. What do
you think any bureaucracy would say?)
Chattahoochee Trace, AL & GA: S 637 - Sessions (R-AL) - HR 1408 - Everett
(R-AL)
Northern Neck, VA: S 3039-Webb (D-VA)-HR 1483 - Regula (R-OH)

Amendments Relating to Natl Heritage Corridors
Quinebaug & Shetucket Rivers Valley NHC: S 1182 - Dodd (D-CT) - HR 1949 -
Courtney (D-CT)
DE & Lehigh NHC: S 817 - Voinovich - HR 3809 - Kanjorski (D-PA)
Erie Canalway NHC: S 817 - Voinovich - HR 1483 - Regula (R-OH)
John Chafee Blackstone River Valley NHC: HR1483-Regula(R-OH)

Feasibility Studies
Snake, Boise, & Payette River systems, ID: S 542 - Craig (R-ID)
Sierra Vista Subwatershed, AZ: S 1929 - Kyl (R-AZ) - HR 3328 - Giffords
(D-AZ)
San Diego Intertie, CA: HR 1803 - Hunter (R-CA)

Project Authorizations
Tumalo Irrigation District Water Conservation Project, OR: S 1037 - Smith
(R-OR) - HR 496 - Walden (R-OR)
Madera Water Supply Enhancement Project, CA: S 1473 - Feinstein (D-CA) - HR
1855 - Radanovich (R-CA)
Eastern NM Rural Water System Project, NM: S 2814 - Bingaman (D-NM) - HR
5710 - T Udall (D-NM)
Rancho CA Water District Project, CA: HR1725 - Bono Mack (R-CA)
Jackson Gulch Rehabilitation Project, CO: S 1477 - Salazar (D-CO) - HR 3437
- Salazar (D-CO)
Rio Grande Pueblos, NM: S 2805 - Bingaman (D-NM) - HR 6024 - T Udall (D-NM)
Upper CO River Basin Fund: S 3189 - Bingaman (D-NM)
Santa Margarita River, CA: HR 29 - Issa (R-CA)
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District: HR 31 - Issa (R-CA)
North Bay Water Reuse Authority: S 1472 - Feinstein (D-CA) - HR 236 - M
Thompson (D-CA)
Prado Basin Natural Treatment System Project, CA: S 2259 - Feinstein (D-CA)
- HR 813 - Miller (R-CA)
Bunker Hill Groundwater Basin, CA: S 1474 - Feinstein (D-CA) - HR 1139 -
Calvert (R-CA)
GREAT Project, CA: HR 1737 - Capps (D-CA)
Yucaipa Valley Water District, CA: HR 2614 - Calvert (R-CA)
Arkansas Valley Conduit, CO: S 2974 - Allard (R-CO) - HR 6502 - Salazar
(D-CO)

Title Transfers & Clarifications
Transfer of McGee Creek pipeline & facilities: S 177 - Inhofe (R-OK) - HR
2085 - Fallin (R-OK)
Albuquerque Biological Park, NM, title clarification: S 2370 - Bingaman
(D-NM)
Goleta Water District Water Distribution System, CA: HR 3323 - Capps (D-CA)
San Gabriel Basin Restoration Fund: HR 123 - Dreier (R-CA)
Lower CO River Multi-Species Conservation Program: S 300 - Kyl (R-AZ) - HR
2515 - Heller (R-NV)
Secure Water: S 2156 - Bingaman (D-NM)
Aging Infrastructure: S 2842 - Reid (D-NV)
San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act: S 27 - Feinstein (D-CA) - HR
24 - Radanovich (R-CA) / HR 4074 - Costa (D-CA)
Northwestern NM Rural Water Projects: S 1171 - Bingaman (D-NM) - HR 1970 -
T Udall (D-NM)

U.S. Geological Survey Authorizations
Reauthorization of the Natl Geologic Mapping Act of 1992: S 240 - Craig
(R-ID) - HR 5171 - Costa (D-CA)
NM water resources study: S 324 - Domenici (R-NM) - HR 2071 - Wilson (R-NM)

Miscellaneous
Management & distribution of ND Trust Funds: S 1740 - Conrad (D-ND)
Amdts to Fisheries Restoration & Irrigation Mitigation Act of 2000: S 1522
- Wyden (D-OR) - HR 3830 - DeFazio (D-OR)
Amendments to the AK Natural Gas Pipeline Act: S 1089 - Murkowski (R-AK)
Additional Assistant Secretary for the Dept of Energy: S 1203 - Bingaman
(D-NM)
Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute: S 3179 - Bingaman (D-NM) - HR 6592
- Wilson (R-NM)
Auth. of appropriations for Natl Tropical Botanical Garden: S 2220 - Akaka
(D-HI) - HR 5999 - Hirono (D-HI)


-----Washington Times

Monday, January 12, 2009

Massive lands bill clears filibuster

Tom LoBianco (Contact)

Senate Democrats flexed their new legislative muscle Sunday, using the first
vote of the new Congress to break a Republican filibuster from the previous
session of Congress, and advance a wide-ranging land-conservation measure.

The omnibus land bill would preserve more than 2 million acres of land,
establish new layers of bureaucracy in the Bureau of Land Management, and
designate former President Bill Clinton's childhood home a national historic
site.

The bill's supporters, who had been stymied last year by a Republican
filibuster, said the measure was long overdue.

"Some have suggested that these bills are not a priority deserving of Senate
floor action. I disagree," said Sen. Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico Democrat, the
bill's sponsor and chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Committee. "Many of the bills in this package resolve major land- and
water-policy issues that have been contested over for years, and in some
cases for decades."

A handful of Republican senators, led by Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn, bristled
at the Sunday vote called by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

"When the American people asked Congress to set a new tone, I don't believe
refusing to listen to the concerns of others was what they had in mind," Mr.
Coburn said in a statement. "The American people expect us to hold open,
civil and thorough debates on costly legislation, not ram through 1,300-page
bills when few are watching."

But a large number of more-liberal Republican lawmakers, including Alaska
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, sided with the Democratic majority to move the lands
bill forward.

"On balance, this omnibus bill is widely supported," said Mrs. Murkowski,
the ranking Republican on the Senate energy committee.

The 66-12 vote to end the filibuster was buoyed by 11 Republicans who voted
with Democrats.

Mr. Reid, Nevada Democrat, said the Senate would not vote on the bill until
seeing how President Bush and President-elect Barack Obama decide to use the
remaining Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds.

After their first vote, Senate Democrats met, along with senior Obama
economic adviser Lawrence H. Summers, to discuss what will happen with the
remaining $350 billion of funds for bailing out the nation's financial
institutions and what Mr. Obama will include in his economic-stimulus plan.

Sen. Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, called Senate Democrats to make
sure that there will be stricter conditions put on the money and tighter
oversight.

Sen. Richard J. Durbin, Illinois Democrat, said that while Mr. Obama's
economic advisers provided some more details about their economic-stimulus
proposal, he said senators have yet to receive anything "in writing."

The first vote of the Senate in the 111th Congress also marks a key victory
for Mr. Reid over Mr. Coburn.

Mr. Coburn's allies in the Senate said the land bill, which is composed of
160 separate land measures considered in previous Congresses, is being
rammed through the Senate with little debate.

"I smell the same stale air of good old boy, backslapping, lobbyist-driven
politics," said Sen. Jim DeMint, South Carolina Republican. "This is not the
greatest deliberative body in the world. This is the greatest chokehold body
in the world."

-----End of Washington Times article.



-----Energy and Environment Daily Article

7. PUBLIC LANDS: In rare Sunday vote, Senate moves past Coburn's filibuster
on omnibus (01/12/2009)
Noelle Straub, E&E reporter

In a rare Sunday session designed to rebuke one senator for his delaying
tactics, the Senate yesterday voted overwhelmingly to move forward with an
omnibus package of more than 160 public lands, water and resources bills.

The 66-12 vote easily overcame a filibuster by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.),
who was trying again to prevent the Senate from taking up the measure that
had slipped from the schedule last year due largely to his objections.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) said the
package, S 22, "reflects possibly the most significant conservation
legislation passed by the Senate in the past decade."

Negotiations will take place through today with Coburn over whether he will
insist the Senate hold a second procedural vote before taking up the
1,294-page bill, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said. If Coburn demands
a vote on adopting the motion to proceed, normally done by voice vote but
requiring a simple majority if any senator asks for a roll call, it will
likely take place today, Reid said.

House Natural Resources Chairman Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) said the omnibus
would pass the House soon if the Senate approves it. "It will come back here
and we will do something quick over here to pass it," he said Friday, adding
that it will not need to go back through committee.

Coburn said yesterday was the first time in 40 years the Senate held a vote
on the first weekend of a new session. Reid regularly threatens to keep the
Senate in over the weekend as a way to encourage senators to cut deals more
quickly, but yesterday was one of the rare instances where he carried
through with the threat.

The package was set to come up during a lame-duck session in November. But
Reid, running short on time, opted instead to hold it and promised to bring
it up as the "first or second" actions taken by the new Congress. Coburn had
threatened to filibuster the package if it came to the floor, saying the
legislation would increase government spending and curtail energy
development.

Coburn wanted votes on some of the dozen amendments he hoped to offer last
week, but Reid denied him the chance. If Reid had allowed votes on four or
five amendments, the Senate could have completed final action on the bill
Friday, Coburn said.

The bill would designate more than 2 million acres of wilderness in nine
states, establish three new national park units, a new national monument,
three new national conservation areas, more than 1,000 miles of national
wild and scenic rivers and four new national trails. It would enlarge the
boundaries of more than a dozen existing national park units and establish
10 new national heritage areas.

It would also authorize numerous land exchanges and conveyances to help
local Western communities, address water resource and supply issues, and
includes provisions to improve land management, such as the Forest Landscape
Restoration Act.

It includes some contentious measures, such as proposals to codify the
26-million-acre National Landscape Conservation System and allow
construction of a road through Alaska's Izembek National Wildlife Refuge.

Fiscal, property rights objections

Coburn outlined his objections in speeches on the Senate floor Friday and
yesterday. The majority of the items in the bill are parochial and not
priorities for the country given other pressing problems Congress should be
addressing, he said.

"It's time for us to refocus on the important things in this country, and
that is not our next election," he said.

Coburn said the bill authorizes $10 billion to $12 billion in new spending
and contains 45 earmarks at a time of huge deficits. Through wilderness
designations and other protections, the bill puts 1.3 trillion barrels of
oil and 9.3 trillion cubic feet of natural gas permanently off-limits,
Coburn said.

Most of the measures in the omnibus also lack specific prohibitions on
government use of eminent domain and therefore "trample" property rights,
Coburn said. No new units should be added to the National Park Service when
it has a $9 billion maintenance backlog and cannot maintain the properties
it already has, he said.

He specifically singled out a provision that would prohibit future
development of oil and gas on 1.2 million acres in the Wyoming Range.

That prompted Wyoming Republican Sen. John Barrasso, who authored the
measure, to take to the floor and dispute the statistics and assertions
Coburn made.

No power lines or transmission lines can be built across a wild and scenic
river, hampering energy development, Coburn added. He also objected to
specific provisions, such as $3.5 million to commemorate the 450th
anniversary of St. Augustine, Fla., and $12 million for the Smithsonian
Institution to build a new orchid greenhouse.

Bingaman strongly disagreed with Coburn's charge that the package is not a
priority, saying it resolves major land and water policy issues that have
been contested for many years.

The legislation contains roughly an equal mix of Democratic bills,
Republican bills and measures with bipartisan sponsorship, Bingaman said. He
added that 159 of the bills were approved by his committee during the
previous Congress, almost all by a unanimous vote.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), the top Republican on the panel, also
defended the bill, saying it represents a huge commitment of time and effort
by the committee and that especially for states with a large amount of
public lands, such legislation is "necessary for the day-to-day functioning
of the Western economy."

Murkowski: "In the West, simple transactions often take literally an act of
Congress."

The bill maximizes energy development while protecting natural resources,
she said. Almost all the wilderness designations are in national parks or
other areas already managed with restrictions, so it would not further
curtail energy development, and the "significant amounts of funds"
authorized by the bill depend on the oversight of the appropriations
committees and president's budget requests, she added.
Senior reporter Ben Geman contributed.

Here is how they voted on the filibuster. Vote on full bill will come later
this week.


.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 111th Congress - 1st Session
as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction
of the Secretary of the Senate
Vote Summary
Question: On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to
Proceed to S. 22 )
Vote Number:
1
Vote Date:
January 11, 2009, 02:00 PM
Required For Majority:
3/5
Vote Result:
Cloture Motion Agreed to
Measure Number:
S. 22
Measure Title:
A bill to designate certain land components of the National Wilderness
Preservation System, to authorize certain programs and activities in the
Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, and for other
purposes.

Vote Counts:
YEAs
66

NAYs
12

Not Voting
20

Grouped By Vote Position
YEAs ---66
Akaka (D-HI)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Begich (D-AK)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Clinton (D-NY)
Cochran (R-MS)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Crapo (R-ID)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Enzi (R-WY)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Hagan (D-NC)
Harkin (D-IA)
Hatch (R-UT)
Inouye (D-HI)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lugar (R-IN)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Merkley (D-OR)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Risch (R-ID)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Snowe (R-ME)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Tester (D-MT)
Udall (D-CO)
Udall (D-NM)
Warner (D-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wicker (R-MS)
Wyden (D-OR)

NAYs ---12
Brownback (R-KS)
Coburn (R-OK)
Corker (R-TN)
DeMint (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
McCain (R-AZ)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Thune (R-SD)

Not Voting - 20
Alexander (R-TN)
Biden (D-DE)
Bond (R-MO)
Brown (D-OH)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Ensign (R-NV)
Graham (R-SC)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Martinez (R-FL)
McConnell (R-KY)
Roberts (R-KS)
Specter (R-PA)
Vitter (R-LA)
Voinovich (R-OH)


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Thank you Mark S. I just got done emailing my senators for my state and urged them to vote no!!! i like being able to use government land and dont want locked out of it which is what this bill will do!!!!

I hope other members will do the same!!!
 

Just remember that We The People are the government, and that is our land! This bill represents a bunch of special interest groups who essentially want to rob us, we need to stand up to them! Contact your Congress Critters and voice disapproval of this landgrab legislation before it's too late.
 

If we stand by and let these folks lock any fraction of this land, they will try to lock up all the land in the near future. Public land that is locked up for non-use by the public. is an infringment on our rights. That is YOU AND ME that I'm talking about. Do we really want our public land locked up for non-use? Think about it, but don't take to long to think without getting involved. We(that's you and me) will loose if we think to long without action.
 

Update on this bill

It passed the Senate a couple weeks ago. Passed by a wide margin. All the Dems voted yes but two. Those two did not vote. Repub's were split.

This same bill with the SAME NUMBER - S22 will come up for a house vote anytime. So get ahold of your House representative and voice your opinion.


Mark S.
FMDAC
 

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