vision2020
Re: Our Public Lands
I would suggest reading the The Federal Lands Task Force Working Group Report, "Breaking the Gridlock: Federal Land Pilot Projects in Idaho." It is available at http://www2.state.id.us/lands/LandBoard/fltf.htm.
Philip Cook
Date forwarded: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 07:51:37 -0800 (PST)
Date sent: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 07:46:08 -0800
To: Moscow <vision2020@moscow.com>
From: "William K. Medlin" <dev-plan@moscow.com>
Subject: Our Public Lands
Copies to: foc@wildrockies.com
Forwarded by: vision2020@moscow.com
> Visionaries: While our rural economy presents serious problems for
> those who work in extractive industries (timber, mining, farming),
> economic development in other areas of the NW has found viable
> alternatives. So can Idaho. But Senator Crapo informs me (letter, Jan
> 23, 2001) that he intends to support Federal measures to insure that,
> "proper and effective stewardship of our public lands will arise not
> from federal dictates, but from locally-led discussions among public
> land managers and Idahoans who enjoy and depend on public lands",
> adding that, "This is the way I ... approach resource and
> environmental issues."
> In terms of public lands that, over the past 100 years, were
> put into trust for me and my heirs, what does it mean that "land
> managers and Idahoans" will now decide upon their uses? What is the
> mechanism for placing 16% of Latah County, which are publicly owned,
> under some new kind of decision-making? I it legitimate? Who are
> these people that the Senator has in mind? Has anybody on this list
> been informed about this process? Are we facing another kind of
> "dictate" as to the fate of our lands? Who chooses these land
> managers and other Idahoans intent on making different uses of
> forests, streams, lakes, mountains, meadows and wildlife? What indeed
> is the scheme? Why aren't we informed?
> Before it's too late, we ought to raise these and other
> questions of our legislators and Bush administration officials.
> Otherwise one morning we will wake up to a totally new system for
> economic development of Federal and possibly also state forests.
> Kindly give these issues some thought and action!
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