Six Western Governors Oppose Plans For Sale Of Miniing Land

[hatrack]

WASHINGTON - Six Western governors and a growing number of senators say they fear a plan in a budget bill allowing the sale of millions of acres of public lands could do permanent harm to their states.

"It's got implications for hunters, sportsmen, people who use lands for grazing and basically anybody who uses public lands," said Angela de Rocha, a spokeswoman for Wayne Allard of Colorado, one of a handful of Western GOP senators who say they are concerned about the proposal. House lawmakers added the provision, which ends an 11-year congressional ban on new applications to buy public land for mining, to their budget bill on the Friday before Thanksgiving.

Supporters say it would help struggling communities recover after mines close. But opponents argue it amounts to a fire sale on federal lands, including wilderness study areas and national parks. The Interior Department says the plan could affect up to 20 million acres, while environmentalists say it could allow the government to sell 350 million acres. Since the provision is not in the Senate's budget measure, lawmakers will hammer out a compromise later this month.

Meanwhile, opposition is mounting from several Western Democratic senators and governors, a group representing Colorado counties, hunters and anglers, outdoor enthusiasts, environmentalists and the Aspen Skiing Co. All are pressuring Western Republican senators to kill the proposal. In a letter Friday to the Senate Budget Committee, the Democratic governors of Wyoming, Montana, Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington said the bill is based on "absurd economics" and threatens people's access to parks and other public lands.

EDIT

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051202/ap_on_go_co/selling_mining_lands_1

[acmavm]

1. There should be lots and lots of responses to this thread. For once our

elected officials seem to understand what a criminal conspiracy the repukes are trying to pull off. We need to get ahold of these people, tell them we support their decision to fight this massive rape of our national lands.

[Dead_Parrot]

2. "Follow the money"

The cynic in me suggests they want to see what money they can get out of the hunting, farming and tourism lobbies before they sign it off. Ahh, I love democracy...

The optimist in me says they actually do give a shit about the countryside: but he's been wrong about most things lately, and I'm inclined not to listen. :(

[Kolesar]

3. We should be able to capitalize on this during deer hunting season

...even in the East, hunters will object.

[skipos]

4. Good! nt