Public Lands Legislation February 13, 2019, 05:08:24 pm Just came across this article. Hadn't heard anything about it previously. Overall, good news, I think. Now if they can just agree on a budget! The Senate just passed the decade’s biggest public lands package. Here’s...
Re: Public Lands Legislation Reply #1 – February 13, 2019, 05:39:46 pm These bills are a mixed bag. Here is the key item from the article:QuoteThe package is crammed full of provisions for nearly every senator who cast a vote TuesdayThe problem is that the expansions never come with an adequate increase in funding and the end result is a drain from our core national treasures to comparatively marginal lands that happen to be in the district of someone who voted for the bill.In other words, it's too often pork for lawmakers at the expense of the crown jewels of our NPS. Former NPS director James Ridenour was one of the first to speak loudly about this problem:QuoteNow, I've coined that term, which I'm pleased to see Congress using from time to time, which is "thinning of the blood."By that I mean thinning of the blood by stretching the Park Service people so far across so many properties, many of which do not deserve to be National Park Service properties ant shouldn't be in the system, those people are stretched thin, and then I think you stretch the quality of the system, too.If I'm a visitor from Europe and I'm going to go to all the National Parks and I stop at some of the places that have got that arrowhead and I think, "Wow, what's so great about this?"It's kind of like...I hate to use examples, but the beaches of New York City, why did the National Park Service ever get into running beaches in New York City?Well, you go back and look at the history, it's because New York City ran out of money.But, you know, what world traveler is planning his vacations to the National Park beaches of New York City?I mean, those are truly local and regional parks.Very badly needed, very important parks, but I sometimes would rather see the Park Service or the Congress send money to the local government to run what they should be running and put the Park Service in the business of running the truly National Parks.Interview with Director James M. RidenourSorry to be a negative nelly, but it's probably not as much of a net positive as it seems.Reaction from an expansion in 2014 explaining the same idea:'Thinning the blood' of the national park system | TheHillRich'03 MB in NC
Re: Public Lands Legislation Reply #2 – February 13, 2019, 05:53:33 pm Quote1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the5 ‘‘Natural Resources Management Act’’.It could also be titled QuoteThe First Pork Barrel Act of 2019 It does add a few more spots on the LD cross country itinerary.
Re: Public Lands Legislation Reply #3 – February 13, 2019, 07:03:49 pm I'm nothing if not opinionated and rarely if ever am on the fence about anything but this may be one of those rare exceptions. I will need more time and information to formulate an opinion on this.
Re: Public Lands Legislation Reply #4 – February 13, 2019, 07:13:14 pm If nothing else, it does show can Congress can still work together, as long as everyone gets something.
Re: Public Lands Legislation Reply #5 – February 13, 2019, 07:52:39 pm We think it best to discuss and read about this legislation elsewhere. Inevitably threads on what goes on inside the Beltway don't end up well, devolving into political opinions.Chris, Judie and Larry 1 Likes
Topic: Public Lands Legislation (Read 97 times)
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Topic: Public Lands Legislation (Read 97 times)
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