Threats to Big Bend

[SHANEA]

This was submitted to the editor of the Big Bend Gazette www.bigbendgazette.com by Roger Siglin and is being forwarded around by email.

Subject: Threats to Big Bend NP

There are many enemies of publicly owned resources. Not surprisingly many come from states like Nevada and Utah where most of the land is federally owned. Texas has the 4th lowest amount of federal land and you would expect more support for national parks, refuges, and US forest service lands. On a local basis that may be true but in our current political climate that does not seem to be true at the state level. But I think in the Big Bend area most residents treasure our federal lands.The biggest threat to our nearest national park is H.R. 1505, the National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act, sponsored by Utah Representative Rob Bishop: On June 19, 2012, this act passed the House of Representatives as part of a larger package of 14 bills approved within H.R. 2578. The Bishop border bill will waive more than 15 federal laws within 100 miles of the Mexican and Canadian borders, and give the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) virtually unlimited power to do whatever the agency wants to achieve “operational control” over these lands. It would explicitly allow DHS to construct and maintain roads, set up monitoring equipment, construct a border fence, and use off-road vehicles on patrol. The 1964 Wilderness Act, the 1916 National Parks Organic Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, and many more laws would be waived. Neither DHS or its Border Patrol say the legislation is needed. As expected Representative Francisco Canseco is a co-sponsor along with several other Texans including Louie Gohmert.
 
    For Big Bend NP this could mean ATV trails up arroyos and ridges, upgraded backcountry roads included the River Road, lights and sensors along the river, and fencing. An example of what can happen is the 8,000 miles of access roads across the Cabeza-Prieta wilderness in Arizona. There is no public benefit from this bill. Anti-wilderness and anti-public lands legislators are simply playing on border security fears to gut our nation’s bedrock environmental protection and public lands laws.
   
   Action is currently stalled on this bill while the U.S. House works on preserving tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans and creating several fiscal cliffs, but it will be back after the elections if not sooner. 

Roger Siglin

[DuneYeti]

Thanks for posting.  I read HR 1505 and feel much more informed.  Some might be interested in sec. 2  (d) (1) and (2) and sec. 3.  http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr1505/text

[SHANEA]

http://www.pewenvironment.org/uploadedFiles/PEG/Publications/Other_Resource/HR1505am_CONUS%282%29.pdf

[brave6]

http://www.pewenvironment.org/uploadedFiles/PEG/Publications/Other_Resource/HR1505am_CONUS%282%29.pdf

The poor people of Maine!

But this looks like a good well thought out plan that will finally close down that leaky border with Canadia.

[SHANEA]

But this looks like a good well thought out plan that will finally close down that leaky border with Canadia.

Yea, and will prevent more 9/11 terrorists from crossing at Big Bend.

CALL TO ARMS:
https://secure.sierraclub.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=6457

I've been in touch with Luke @ Environment Texas about setting up an ACTION NETWORK for this.

If you do a http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=%22HR+1505%22+opposition you will find unusual common ground between hunters, fisherman, backpackers, bird watchers, etc. opposing this. 

[SHANEA]

Let's just trample over everything.  Line up the bull dozers and graders, we are cutting new roads at Big Bend.  Artifact, WTF is that?  Just dozer it over.   Old cemetery, get that dozer running.  String up the massive flood lights, dark sky rules don't apply to us.  We're going to light up the river like Vegas.   We're going to light up river road and make a new river road all the way from end to end.   

http://www.pewenvironment.org/uploadedFiles/PEG/Publications/Report/HR%201505%20Laws%20Waived.pdf

[Undertaker]

Last dark place in the US getting ready to be screwed over. Last trip to Bend and Terlingua, did not even answer question about citizenship just ask if I was being detained. Homeland Security is a joke.

[RichardM]

You think HR 1505 is bad?

HR 1505 (National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act) has been rolled into HR 2578 carrying with it the misleading title Conservation and Economic Growth Act.  This bill allows Homeland Security militarization of lands within 100 miles of the US border. It affects not only federal land but also affects state and private property.
 
HR 1505, along with 13 other bills are piled into HR 2578 and this is a typical ploy to slip one over on the American public. Some parts of HR 2578 are worthwhile but Title XIV: National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act was tacked on so it would get approved as a rider on a larger package of legislation. For a clear explanation of this bill, please see:
 
http://www.attheedges.com/2012/06/15/misleading-hr-2578-conservation-and-economic-growth-act/
 
HR 2578 was passed in the House of Representatives. It is under review by the Senate.
 
And now, please write your senators and the White House and voice strong opposition to HR 2578.
 
Track its progress here:
 
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr2578

[fartymarty]

Well that's just great. I emailed my Rep. yesterday about H.R. 1505, and it turns out it passed as part of H.R.2578 back in June.
I looked up her vote, and it turns out she voted against it, so now I need to thank her.

If anybody gets a handle on how to find it when it gets to the Senate, please put a link here. Thanks.

[Homer67]

Ok, I emailed Kay Bailey Hutchison, and here is the response I got back:

Dear Friend:
     Thank you for contacting me regarding environmental issues.  I welcome your thoughts and comments.
 
      I believe our natural landscape is irreplaceable and should be preserved for the enjoyment and education of future generations.  However, we must seek a balance between maintaining the integrity of our natural resources and encouraging economic growth, which will shape America's future.  I am convinced of the need for closer scrutiny of environmental regulations and of the imperative for legislation that will allow businesses across this country to flourish.  These are mutually achievable goals, and they are the principles by which I will judge any legislation concerning the environment.
 
     I appreciate hearing from you, and I hope that you will not hesitate to contact me on any issue that is important to you.
 
Sincerely,
Kay Bailey Hutchison
United States Senator
 
284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC  20510
202-224-5922 (tel)
202-224-0776 (fax)
http://hutchison.senate.gov
 
PLEASE DO NOT REPLY to this message as this mailbox is only for the delivery of outbound messages, and is not monitored for replies.  Due to the volume of mail Senator Hutchison receives, she requests that all email messages be sent through the contact form found on her website at http://hutchison.senate.gov/?p=email_kay .
 
If you would like more information about issues pending before the Senate, please visit the Senator's website at http://hutchison.senate.gov .  You will find articles, floor statements, press releases, and weekly columns on current events.
 
Thank you.

I could be wrong, but this sounds bad.

I am awaiting a response from Cornyn.

[SHANEA]

Last dark place in the US getting ready to be screwed over. Last trip to Bend and Terlingua, did not even answer question about citizenship just ask if I was being detained. Homeland Security is a joke.

I take it you "asked if you were being "detained"?

Oops.  You are now on the watch list.   

 

DHS Monitored Social Sites

[brave6]

I don't think Kay (or her email interns) quite understood what you were concerned about which speaks to the problem of our legislators tacking on and tacking on and tacking on to bills until noone knows exactly what's in them.  Kay may have seen the need to open old growth forest in Alaska to lumber concerns, but might not have had a clue what a tiny portion of this law could do to a 100 mile swathe across the western and southern halves of her home state.

"Our" guy Conaway voted "aye" as well.  I will email and ask for his opinions on the portion of bill that are of  greatest concern to Big Bend.

I cannot vouch for any right / left leanings of the site below, but it seems to give a decent history of the bill and a breakdown of who did what.
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h2578/show