CouesWhitetail Report post Posted December 7, 2005 Hi Guys, the Senate and House recently passed a bill that included sections to update the mining laws on fed. land. However, the House version included provisions for selling quite a lot of acres to private companies. The Senate version didn't include that. The Senate and House are meeting to settle the differences in the bill. I believe the final decision is to be made next week. I urge you guys to read over some of this info and if you feel strongly, please write or email your Senators! Most all of the hunting organziations in AZ are opposed to this and have sent a joint letter to McCain. Here are some files with info: Q__A_public_lands_sell_off.doc Dear_Senator_McCain.doc Sale_of_Public_Lands_fact_sheet.pdf Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az4life Report post Posted December 8, 2005 I read about this over the weekend and thought it had some good points but like a lot of thing in government, They Screwed it up in comittee and in this case they turned it to a free for all for developers. As I understand, The original intent was to allow mining companies to more easily improve claims and access to them, then leave in place all of the improvements and infrastructure, (roads, Power, Water) after they finish their work on their claim. That way it would encourage development since there is a head start. The legislators totally blew it with so many loopholes that now anyone cn say "I want to stake a mining claim for research" and never mine a pound of ore. then build another Anthem like development for 1K per acre land costs. The lobbyists won on this one and I read our Illus-turd-us senator McCain supports the bill. I can't say I am Surprised, That sorry sellout is too full of delusioned presidential aspirations and is just a pompous power hungry media darling windbag who has never seen a camera he did not want trained on him. Politics aside This one's pretty easy, that's why he got it wrong. I will email him but he will not care. He don't listen to constituants as they voted him "in" and he says it is up to him to make the tough calls. This needs to be written up by people who care, not those who are sellouts.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tucson John Report post Posted December 8, 2005 Amanda, I read the atachments and it sounds like a Bum deal for sportsmen and a sweetheart deal for developers. What exactly can we do to stop this? TJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted December 8, 2005 Send letters to AZ Senators. You can find phone numbers, faxes and addresses on the following site: Contact info for Kyl and McCain Get writing! Amanda Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COUESAZ Report post Posted December 8, 2005 They actualy try doing this to us prospecting outdoorsman every year. I just wish they would stop bugging us with this kind of stuff. Every time they try sneaking in some other laws. I am glad we have some folk dedicated to keeping an eye out for us. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tucson John Report post Posted December 8, 2005 This is what I sent to McCain and Kyle. Please draft something similar, or copy/paste this in a message to them. The Coues link and contact link is below. Come on guys it only takes a few minutes and once our hunting land is gone, there is no getting it back. JO http://www.coueswhitetail.com/forums/index...t=0entry25864 http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_info...fm.cfm?State=AZ "I am writing to express my concern about S. 1932. Sections 6201-6207 of this bill allow for the sale of millions of acres of public lands to real estate developers, mining companies, and other development interests. Please protect our public land and vote against this. Thank you for your time. John Olvey " Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted December 8, 2005 Here is the letter the conservation groups sent. You may want to send letters to the house reps as well as senators. Amanda Dear Representative --------, We represent the sportsmen?s organizations of Arizona. We are writing this letter to express our concerns regarding the provisions in the House Budget Reconciliation bill which would permit the privatization and sale of Arizona?s Public Lands though modification of the 1872 Mining Law. Wildlife and open space define the character of Arizona. They are an important part of our quality of life in Arizona and they significantly impact our state?s economy. Our Public Lands are home to over 751 different species of wildlife. Public Lands in Arizona are used by a large majority of our resident?s and our visitors for hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing. These activities contribute millions of dollars annually to Arizona?s economy and support over 17,000 jobs. Our rural communities benefit significantly from these dollars. The sale of Public Lands in Arizona would adversely affect our opportunities for hunting and fishing, our way of life, and our economy. We strongly urge you to critically examine these provisions, and to do what is right for Arizona. Thank you for your attention regarding this matter. Yours Truly, Anglers United Arizona Antelope Foundation Arizona Bowhunters Association Arizona Predator Callers Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society Arizona Elk Society Arizona Flycaster's Club Arizona Trout Unlimited Arizona Wildlife Federation Scottsdale Sportsmen's Club Southern Arizona Sportsmen's Alliance Southwest Walleye Anglers Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted December 8, 2005 Here is the Call to Action that the AZ wildlife federation has sent out to sportsmen and wildlife enthusiasts, with instructions on making calls to Senators. I thought some of you might want to use the following directions to make a call. Amanda CALL TO ACTION! CALL YOUR SENATORS AND CONGRESSMAN NOW TO STOP THE PUBLIC LANDS GRAB! If the House Budget Reconciliation Bill becomes law, your favorite hunting or hiking area may soon have a ?No Trespassing? sign. The Bill would sanction the sale of hundreds of millions of acres of public lands to corporations at fire-sale prices. Then the corporations could develop or resell the lands for housing subdivisions, ski areas or other commercial development. If this Bill remains intact, it would authorize the largest corporate sale of public lands in the history of the United States! These provisions would threaten both the Grand Canyon National Park and Oak Flat Campground, which contain areas subject to sale under the Bill. Over 641,000 acres of Arizona?s public lands would be immediately subject to sale, with millions and millions of acres at risk! YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! ACT NOW IN 3 EASY STEPS! 1. CALL THE CAPITOL SWITCHBOARD AT 202-225-3121 AND ASK FOR SENATOR MCCAIN?S OFFICE. ONCE YOU ARE CONNECTED TO HIS OFFICE, TELL HIS STAFF THAT YOU WANT TO LEAVE THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE; ?I?M CALLING TO SAY I OPPOSE THE PUBLIC LANDS GRAB IN THE HOUSE RECONCILIATION BILL. PLEASE ASK THE SENATOR TO STOP IT NOW! ? 2. THEN ASK TO BE TRANSFERRED TO SENATOR KYLE?S OFFICE AND LEAVE THE SAME MESSAGE THERE. 3. NOW ASK TO BE TRANSFERRED TO YOUR REPESENTATIVE?S OFFICE TO RELAY THE MESSAGE. THIS MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE WE CONFRONT IN THIS DECADE! PLEASE ACT NOW! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted December 8, 2005 If you don't know who your Representative is, here is a link to find out. I put the senate link a few posts earlier. Find my Rep and contact info Amanda Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lfootmatt Report post Posted December 9, 2005 SO what exactly would it take to put up a "Research" mining claim? Gee, I wouldn't mind laying claim to 30 or 40 thousand acres in a nice monutain range in Southern Arizona!!! I mean I'm a pretty smart guy, I'll get a book on mining, a shovel...... Then I've got a couple of mountains full of wildlife at my disposal that is private land. Right? Perhaps we can turn the legislation around on them and tie up all of that land and then use it for hunting. I didn't read the proposals, I'm just thinking out loud. t Matt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted December 14, 2005 Just figured I would let you all know that the public lands sell-off has been dropped from the bill. I have put in an email and article about it. The email was to the Wildlife Conservation Council by Mary Jo Forman Miller who is president of the AZ Wildlife Federation. Thanks to everyone who called or wrote about this!!! Amanda Greetings WCC Folks! > > I just got a phone call confirming that all proposed reforms to the > Mining Act have been stripped from the Budget Reconciliation Bill! We > WON! We killed it dead! > > A huge THANK YOU to all of you that assisted in this battle-give > yourselves a pat on the back. > > Then get ready for a go-round next year because if you look at the > last paragraph of the AP article below, Pombo and his friends are > saying "We'll be back". But then again, do they really want to mess > with us again after the uproar we created? > > Thanks again! > > Mary Jo Forman Miller > 602-743-9955 > > _________________________________________________ > > > By MARY CLARE JALONICK > The Associated Press > Tuesday, December 13, 2005; 7:05 PM > > > WASHINGTON -- House Republicans have dropped a provision in budget > legislation that would have allowed the sale of public lands for mining. > > Western senators had criticized the provision, which would have > overturned an 11-year-old congressional ban that prevents mineral > companies from "patenting," or buying, public land at cheap prices if > the land contains mineral deposits. > > Nevada Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., author of the mining legislation, > revised the provision Monday in an attempt to gain some Western support. > The new version dropped language that would have allowed the direct > sale of some lands that no longer contained minerals. > > On Tuesday, Gibbons said it was clear that even the revised provision > would not make it through the Senate, where some senators had > threatened to use parliamentary maneuvers to block it. > > Critics _ including hunters, anglers and several Democratic Western > governors _ said the legislation could prompt the sale of millions of > acres of public lands. > > Gibbons, a mining lawyer before he came to Congress, said those claims > were exaggerated and development would have helped boost the economy > in mining towns. > > The mining provision was included in the House version of larger > budget legislation designed to cut federal spending. House and Senate > negotiators are attempting to finish work on that bill this week. > > Wyoming Sen. Craig Thomas, one of the Republicans opposed to the > language, said Tuesday that "the mining provision never belonged in > the budget reconciliation package." > > "It's important to give a voice to those who are so closely connected > to our public lands," Thomas said. > > A spokesman for House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo said > he would work with Gibbons to modernize mining law next year. > > > > Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azyoung Report post Posted December 14, 2005 Thats great news! Thanks Amanda for keeping us informed and providing links to our Reps. Great job everyone! Thanks azyoung Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
couesdiehard Report post Posted December 14, 2005 Amanda, Thanks for the update. With all the turmoil AZG&F is stirring up with fee hikes and hunt structure changes it is nice to get some good news! Lee Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KGAINES Report post Posted December 14, 2005 Thanks Amanda, that is great news. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az4life Report post Posted December 14, 2005 Finally some good news. Hope we have as good of luck with the AGFD on the new hunt structures. I got the typical brush off when calling the setate offices but at least is was a call opposed to add to the pile. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
