Report Identifies Top 15 'Public Lands Enemies' in Congress

The Center for Biological Diversity released a report today identifying the top 15 members of Congress trying to seize, destroy, dismantle and privatize America’s public lands. These “Public Lands Enemies” are part of a growing movement to industrialize public lands for profit, including increased exploitation for oil and gas drilling, fracking, logging, mining and development. The Center’s report analyzed 132 bills that were introduced in the past three congressional sessions and the lawmakers who authored and cosponsored the bills. “These 15 members of Congress are trying to turn America’s public lands into an open cash register for corporations,” said Randi Spivak, the Center’s public lands director. “For everyone who cares about our national forests, wildlife refuges, national parks and monuments, these elected officials need to be watched very closely and opposed at every step.” The Public Lands Enemies list includes nine members of the U.S. House of Representatives and six U.S. senators from eight western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. These members consistently put the narrow interests of extractive industries ahead of native wildlife, habitat protection, clean water and clean air. The report includes in depth dossiers of each public lands enemy...more 

° Given the criteria used by CBD in establishing this list, I'm really disappointed that Steve Pearce is way down there at #13

° The report appears to be sexist, as they only include one female on their list

° Is this an objective report that took into consideration the various means most appropriate to management of these lands?  Not hardly. It's clearly a flagrant attempt to establish a "dirty dozen" list for federal lands, to hope local and national media will use this "brand" on each politician, and to marshall money and people to aid in opposing their re-election.

°  The report states, "The ultimate goal of these Public Lands Enemies is to wrest control of these lands out of public hands and give it to corporate polluters and extractive industries." All 15 members on the list are Republicans, so what it should have said is, "The ultimate goal of this report is to wrest control of Congress by Republicans and give it to left-leaning Democrats who will enact our whacko agenda."