Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship.
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Editorial: Wilderness reversal welcome
The Obama administration made the right call in reversing its plan to have millions of acres in the West protected as federal wilderness. The December announcement angered many in the West who oppose such an arbitrary decision. It would have reversed a Bush-era policy that allowed some development of wildlands. Western governors had filed suit against that plan, announced by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, and Congress, with strong Republican support, had not allocated funding or approval for the administration to implement the wilderness designations. In essence, the budget had blocked Salazar’s plan. Instead, Salazar and the Obama administration will work with Congress to craft recommendations for what lands should be protected and what lands could be used for development. Utah Sens. Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee and Utah Rep. Rob Bishop praised the administration for its new stance. And we agree with their positive sentiments. When it comes to wilderness designation in the West, where so much of the land is wild, Congress and the administration must work together. The attempt by the Obama administration late last year to circumvent Congress’ role in wilderness policy was an example of overreach by the Executive Branch. We are glad that Salazar and the administration understand that...more
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