clearwater150
Member
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Just recently, the U.S. House passed H.R. 1526, the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act. This bill incorporates an earlier bill introduced by our own Rep. Ra?l Labrador (R-ID), the Self-Sufficient Community Lands Act, which transfers the management of about 200,000 acres of federal land in Idaho to the state as a trust. No one has been told and Mr. Labrador is not letting on, where this 200,000 acres is in Idaho. It is, of course, all about cutting more trees....not about any other value we get from our Idaho public lands.
Here are some more Acts working their way through Congress:
? American Land Act (H.R. 1017, 113th Congress), by Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX). This bill would force the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service to sell 8 percent of their respective federal land to the highest bidder, annually until 2017. This year alone, the two agencies would be forced to sell off nearly 36 million acres of forest and public land to corporate interests.
? Action Plan for Public Lands and Education Acta.k.a. ?Land Division Act? (H.R. 2852, 112th Congress), by Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT). This bill would force the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service to give away, free of charge, 5 percent of their lands to each Western state. This would leave 30 million acres in the West vulnerable to more resource extraction and development.
? Disposal of Federal Lands Act (H.R. 1126, 112th Congress), by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT). This bill would force the Bureau of Land Management in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming to sell off ?excess? public lands to the highest bidder. This bill was also incorporated into the House budget bill in the 113th Congress.
Worried yet? Do you think converting public, multiple-use lands to single use private lands or single use (think industrial timber lands) State lands will affect jobs in Idaho? Here are some facts:
Outdoor recreation and tourism are a vital part of the Idaho economy. The Idaho Division of Tourism reports that the state?s travel and tourism industry provides $1.8 billion in annual gross sales and supports 27,000 jobs and $620 million in annual wages. The Outdoor Industry Association has found that active outdoor recreation supports 37,000 jobs across Idaho, generates $154 million in annual state tax revenue and produces $2.2 billion annually in retail sales and services across Idaho - accounting for nearly 5 percent of gross state product.
Idaho?s Public Lands Provide Opportunities to Hunt, Fish and Watch Wildlife
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that each year more than 838,000 people participate in hunting, fishing and wildlife watching in Idaho - 447,000 fish, 246,000 hunt and 558,000 participate in wildlife-watching activities. The Idaho economy benefits from $1.6 billion in annual spending on wildlife-related recreation. (http://www.idahooutdoorbusinesscouncil.org/news/)
(http://www.ourpubliclands.org/public-lands-report-id)
Mr. Labroador's bill is nothing short of an attempt to move the billions of dollars generated from public lands that go into hundreds of businesses across Idaho into the pockets of a very few wealthy individuals. Absolutely criminal what Mr. Labrador wants to do to our public lands and our State's economy. I have written and called him out on this as well as posted on his web site. I hope all Idaho sportsmen and women do the same.
Here are some more Acts working their way through Congress:
? American Land Act (H.R. 1017, 113th Congress), by Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX). This bill would force the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service to sell 8 percent of their respective federal land to the highest bidder, annually until 2017. This year alone, the two agencies would be forced to sell off nearly 36 million acres of forest and public land to corporate interests.
? Action Plan for Public Lands and Education Acta.k.a. ?Land Division Act? (H.R. 2852, 112th Congress), by Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT). This bill would force the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service to give away, free of charge, 5 percent of their lands to each Western state. This would leave 30 million acres in the West vulnerable to more resource extraction and development.
? Disposal of Federal Lands Act (H.R. 1126, 112th Congress), by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT). This bill would force the Bureau of Land Management in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming to sell off ?excess? public lands to the highest bidder. This bill was also incorporated into the House budget bill in the 113th Congress.
Worried yet? Do you think converting public, multiple-use lands to single use private lands or single use (think industrial timber lands) State lands will affect jobs in Idaho? Here are some facts:
Outdoor recreation and tourism are a vital part of the Idaho economy. The Idaho Division of Tourism reports that the state?s travel and tourism industry provides $1.8 billion in annual gross sales and supports 27,000 jobs and $620 million in annual wages. The Outdoor Industry Association has found that active outdoor recreation supports 37,000 jobs across Idaho, generates $154 million in annual state tax revenue and produces $2.2 billion annually in retail sales and services across Idaho - accounting for nearly 5 percent of gross state product.
Idaho?s Public Lands Provide Opportunities to Hunt, Fish and Watch Wildlife
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that each year more than 838,000 people participate in hunting, fishing and wildlife watching in Idaho - 447,000 fish, 246,000 hunt and 558,000 participate in wildlife-watching activities. The Idaho economy benefits from $1.6 billion in annual spending on wildlife-related recreation. (http://www.idahooutdoorbusinesscouncil.org/news/)
(http://www.ourpubliclands.org/public-lands-report-id)
Mr. Labroador's bill is nothing short of an attempt to move the billions of dollars generated from public lands that go into hundreds of businesses across Idaho into the pockets of a very few wealthy individuals. Absolutely criminal what Mr. Labrador wants to do to our public lands and our State's economy. I have written and called him out on this as well as posted on his web site. I hope all Idaho sportsmen and women do the same.