Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., said he spoke with Bureau of Land Management Director Neil Kornze Monday about the BLM's original request for more than $1 million encampment at the colossal Burning Man artsy wing-ding in the Black Rock Desert later this year.
Heller said the BLM requests – that included flush toilets, washers and dryers -- plus 24/7 access to soft ice cream "was a bit over the top."
He said Kornze feels the same way, predicting the request will be scaled down.
"I think it was a bit over the top," Heller said about the BLM's original request. "And I believe that Director Kornze believes the same thing – that it was a little bit over the top."
Heller was speaking publicly about the BLM's proposed luxuries for the first time Monday.
"They are going to augment it and come back to our delegation and let us know what it is," Heller said about the BLM's request. "Then we'll see where we go from there."
KORNZE, AN ELKO COUNTY native, was a senior policy adviser for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., before joining the BLM. Kornze took control of the BLM last April, just days before Cliven Bundy's standoff with the BLM first became a nation news story.
Now his agency is in another pickle in Nevada, again looking bad in his home state. Nevada's 2nd U.S. House District Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Carson City, has expressed ethical concerns about the BLM's requests.
There seems to be a concern from Nevada's federal delegation not to harm the Burning Man event. In about a quarter of a century, it has evolved into a cash cow for Northern Nevada, with estimates of its economic impact starting at $44 million annually...
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When is somebody at Interior going to rein in the LEOs? It was their "planning" that led to the many fiascos in the Bundy situation, and I'm sure they are the primary mover behind this ridiculous request.
These cats were managed by line personnel until 2001 when the Office of Law Enforcement & Security was created with them reporting directly to the Secretary (thank you George W. Bush). There may have been problems associated with line management, but nothing like this.
Notice some of this was for a VIP Compound. This is so typical of federal law enforcement. Bring in media, Congressional staff or anyone else who can influence their budget. Then feed'em "soft ice cream" and bullshit while the LEOs march around in their government costumes and lobby, all at the taxpayers' expense.
This also another example of where the Forest Service makes a mistake and the BLM is bound and determined to be a copy cat. Their LEOs were envious of the Forest Service LEOs who had their own "office" and were independent of line management. No one was buying the BLM proposal until guess what - 911 happened. One month later the LEOs got their wish.
Please take a look at FLPMA to see Congressional intent when originally authorizing this stuff. Section 303 states:
The Secretary may authorize
Federal personnel or appropriate local officials to carry out his law
enforcement responsibilities with respect to the public lands and their
resources...
In connection with the administration and regulation of the use and occupancy
of the public lands, the Secretary is
authorized to cooperate with the regulatory and law enforcement officials of
any State or political subdivision thereof in the enforcement of the laws or
ordinances of such State or subdivision. Such cooperation may include
reimbursement to a State or its subdivision for expenditures incurred by it in
connection with activities which assist in the administration and regulation of
use and occupancy of the public lands.
So local law enforcement can contract to administer both federal and state law on public lands. I wonder what percent of the total law enforcement budget is spent this way?
Neil Kornze wasn't "burned by Burning Man". He's been burned by Interior's LEOs...twice.
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