Idaho Gov't privitizing public land!

[clearwater150]

I felt gut shot when I read in the Lewiston Morning Tribune that Gov Otter and Congressman Labrador plan to privatize our public lands and/or transfer them to the state. Congressman Labrador announced he is working on Federal legislation to sell our public lands off to make money. I personally spent about $2700 bucks on gas, hotels, food and in-field repairs to my hunting stuff this fall! My son and grand son come from out of state every year and my son-in-law comes up from Southern Idaho. It would be a safe bet to say that, together, we spent over $5000 bucks this fall...and that is not counting my new bow ($900), clothing and the other hunting related stuff I spend money on throughout the year! This is money that goes directly into the Idaho economy! I see RED when politicians don't count our sportsman dollar as a real dollar! Gov. Otter and Congressman Labrador went on and on about timber harvest and oil and gas leasing as though dollars that land in the pockets of big business are the only 'real dollars' worth considering! Not one word about quality of life or hunting opportunity or how recreation contributes to our economy! Even the livestock industry came out opposed to this. Turns out they don't trust Big Business to protect their grazing privileges! Even a spokesman for Timber Industry panned the plan....but I admit it...I am not good at spotting a wolf in sheep's clothing in this world of spin/politics. If our Big Business lobby, i.e Idaho Govt., pulls this off you can be sure it will spread to other Western States. Yeah, turn the public lands over to Big Timber and Oil and Gas. Up here in the Panhandle we get road city, trashy clear cuts and dirty water from timber industry. Who is speaking up for us sportsmen? Any one else feel the way I do? Any one else skeptical about our big game habitat being protected if Big Business gets their hands on it?

 

[440sixpack]

Don't know anything about it but let me guess, they're republicans.













Stay thirsty my friends

 

[triggerman308]

Does it matter, their politicians!
Big business and money is all that matters and the common man is insignificant as a gnat buzzing around their head.

 

[piper]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-01-12 AT 07:30PM (MST)[p]Butch Otter has tried this stuff before, so I would imagine there are going to be lots of threats to public lands coming down the pike.
Santorum says he would push to sell off most public lands, Ron Paul says the same thing, Mitt Romneys son Josh personally told me his dad would push to transfer public lands to the states.
Its going to interesting and were really going to have to fight to be able to leave this great American legacy for future generations.

 

[clearwater150]

I am 62 years old and have been through enough presidential races to pretty much ignore most of what is thrown around during the nominating process. Having said that, I am really concerned that so many candidates are talking about getting rid of the land we hunt on. It is scary. When a local Congressman and the Gov. starts spouting off about it, I get downright mad....and even more worried. I don't know how many of you are from Northern Idaho, but up here, Potlatch Corporation, which owns something like a million acres in Idaho, most of which is around here, requires a permit to hike, hunt, camp, drive or otherwise, use their lands. I am retired, but I was involved in Timber industry during my working years. Potlatch wanted to leased their lands to outfitters (as they do with their holdings in every other State). They were unable to do that because our Idaho hunting trespass law makes it impossibly expensive to post their land and no outfitter could take on that expense and still make money. As it is, we are required to pay to play on all Potlatch Corp lands, whether its driving for pleasure, camping, hiking riding horseback, ATV riding or hunting! This is the future of Idaho if Otter and Labrador have their way! I am appalled a person like Otter, who is from Idaho, doesn't see how important our public land is to the State. Any one have an idea on rousing the Idaho Hunter and getting an e-mail campaign going? Has such been tried in the past? Any success stories out there? I would be willing to put some time into it if enough hunters were like minded.

 

[440sixpack]

Hard to imagine Teddy Roosevelt was a republican isn't it? his party fought him on this issue and he won , now they're trying to correct it. the libs think it's a bambie world and the wingnuts think it should be paved, choose your poison.


I'm not much into Idaho politics but what effects you effects us all , any sportsman worth a crap will be behind the battle wherever it is. get involved and put the word out through the hunting and fishing organizations you want help. you'll get it.




Stay thirsty my friends

 

[RELH]

Clearwater 150;

Are they purposing to sell the land to private companies, or are they purposing to turn over federal land to the state that the land is located in?

There is a big difference in selling public land off to private companies as apposed to allowing the states to control the land and it's use.

I would have a big problem with selling it off, but I might not be too quick about complaining if they are turning control over to the states that the land is located in.

Several reasons why! If under state control, you do not have persons or politicians from another state telling you what you can do with your state owned public land. One example would be putting damn wolves on them or excluding certain uses like hunting. The voting people in that state will have more say so on what the land can be used for instead of someone on the East coast telling Wyoming what is best for the public land as they do with federal public land.

Give us a little more information.

RELH

 

[piper]

I get so sick of hearing that childish drivel about people from New York telling us what to do with our land. American citizens cannot even camp overnight on Wyoming state land, and giving any land to the states would be a huge mistake as all state and local governments are whimsical and inherently corrupt. RELF- you don't have a clue about what your talking about and only repeat tired worn out sayings.

 

[440sixpack]

You're 100% correct, it's federal land and it needs to stay under federal control.

State control leads to county control, county control leads to Boss Hogg's control.

It's worked since we stole it from the indians there's no reason to screw with it now.








Stay thirsty my friends

 

[RELH]

Piper that is the most stupid comment I have ever heard concerning our public lands. I will not comment anymore as it would be talking to the mushroom in the deep dark cave.

RELH

 

[clearwater150]

Good question. As I understand from the news articles, there are two different things in play here. The concept being proposed by Gov. Otter would keep the public land under Fed ownership with the State of Idaho managing it. (Under this scenario US Tax Payer would pick up the cost of owning the land while Idaho would pocket the profits from the sale of timber/oil gas leasing etc.) Under Congressman Labrador's concept, Federal Land would be transferred from Fed ownership to State ownership and some would be sold outright. (Details are very, very sketchy on how all this would occur.) The 10,000lb gorilla in the room here is that once land is transferred from the Fed to the State, the State can sell the land, as they do all the time here in Idaho. It is important to understand that Idaho State Trust Lands are not "public" lands. The State of Idaho considers them private lands owned by the Government (go figure how that logic works!)

From working in the logging industry for 35 plus years, I have some insights into how well the State is managing their lands at this time if anyone is interested. It is a side issue to the real issue but I would be happy to share my observations and beliefs on the topic if someone wants me to. My opinion, without going into details, is it would be a travesty for the big game hunter (and all other outdoor recreation) if our public lands were to be either transferred to the State or managed by the State.

 

[JustMuleys]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-02-12 AT 03:26PM (MST)[p]The Feds can sell land under certain circumstances.

http://www.blm.gov/flpma/FLPMA.pdf- Section 203.

Some argue that public lands should stay under federal control, some argue that public land should be turned over to the states as it was originally intended. Natural Resource income and the associated economic growth is the big reason why states like Nevada, Utah, Idaho want control over land within their borders.
Others want control to prevent stuff like HR1505 being implemented. Which is a republican sponsor bill.

There is a couple of sections of BLM land beyond my west pasture, that is currently land locked, I would like to buy.

 

[piper]

I don't see any bills to get rid of large parcels of federal land going anywhere, the west has too many people anymore and public lands are a big reason why we live here, In fighting this stuff Im hoping that this is where the internet and information age are going to come in handy.
Idaho is a beautiful state, but the dynamics behind many of their political figures over the last 30 years or so baffles me, Helen Chenowith? Butch otter? Larry Craig? just to mention a few.

 

[clearwater150]

I did some checking w/Forest Service. There is lots of uncertainty over how this would/could happen. If land is moved under State control, Federal Laws would still apply UNLESS there was legislation written and passed excusing the State from operating consistent with the Federal Laws (Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Multiple-use Sustained Yield Act and so on.) The FS person I talked to said he seriously doubted the State could ever afford to take on Forest Service land because of the cost to manage all the resources. So....lots of uncertainty from everyone, State and Fed alike, on how this would happen.

I encourage all sportsmen to e-mail our Idaho Legislators and the Governor's office with the simple message.."don't give our federal lands away".
For Idaho Gov go to: [www.idaho.gov]
For Feds go to: [www.idaho.gov/government/federal.html]

 

[GSJ]

Any Sagebrush Rebels still left?

State land is easily transferred to private. That is essentially all I need to know. Dead nuts opposed.







the artist formerly known as "gemstatejake".