Department of Interior Document Highlights Threat to Access

A leaked Department of Interior (DOI) memo makes it clear that President Obama is considering restricting access to public lands by declaring as many as 17 areas in 11 western states as National Monuments. National Monument designations can be made by the President without input from Congress or other stakeholders. The DOI document says the areas “may be good candidates for National Monuments under the Antiquities Act…” States that have areas highlighted in the memo include, AK, AZ, CA, CO, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA and WY. Click here to view the memo.
http://republicans.resourcescommittee.h ... 021810.pdf

http://www.foxnews.com/projec...ntlist.pdf

As outlined in a letter from Representatives Doc Hastings (R-WA), Ranking Member, House Committee on Natural Resources and Rob Bishop (R-UT), Ranking Member, House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, sweeping National Monument designations represent a serious threat to recreation including motorized access. Any OHV use would almost certainly be forever banned in areas designated as National Monuments, and riders would have no opportunity to formally weigh in on the process.

http://www.arra-access.com/site/PageServer

Not surprising. He seems to enjoy pissing the public off as much as he can.
If this dude isn't a one termer, I never seen one.

Between land and firearms issues, he has to be the Worst President Ever.

Greg

I think Obama and Jimmy Carter are pretty near to tied. Woodrow Wilson has to come in a close second for worse ever.

I wish President Obama would go ATV riding with me. He might gain a new perspective on ATV riding.

As a landowner I've had problems with ATV riders accessing my property without permission, riding like hell, making their own trails, chewing up hay fields and then refusing to man-up to their actions. As a result my property is posted against all ATV riding - with a few exceptions. I understand why ATV riders have a bad reputation.

This is why it's so important for all of us to ride responsible and encourage others to do the same.
There are some people who will always hate ATVs and I can't do anything about that except give them less reason to complain.

Gene

We need change, right? So far all of his changes suck and prolly gunna get worse. U.S.S.A by the end of his term? Wouldnt be surprised.

As you may recall, ARRA recently asked you to send a letter to the Members of the House Natural Resources Committee supporting a Resolution of Inquiry (H. Res. 1254) that would have required the Secretary of Interior to turn over information related to potential National Monument designations and other public lands initiatives. Thank you for the thousands of letters you sent. A vote to favorably report that resolution was narrowly defeated in Committee by a vote of 20-22, a much smaller margin than expected. However, there is more to the story.

Prior to the vote Committee Chairman Rahall (D-WV) indicated he would be more likely to support a scaled back version of the measure that focused on requiring DOI to turn over the full document that contained the National Monument recommendations that were leaked to the Natural Resources Committee earlier this year, but not the more than 2,000 pages of background documents. As a result, House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member, Doc Hastings (R-WA) and Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Ranking Member Rob Bishop (R-UT) introduced a second Resolution of Inquiry (H. Res. 1406) that was drafted in an attempt to garner Rahall’s support. A Resolution of Inquiry is a method used by the House to obtain information from an executive branch official.

The House Natural Resources Committee will vote on H. Res. 1406 on June 16th.

TAKE ACTION NOW!

We know from what has been leaked that the Administration is considering designating millions of acres of western lands as National Monuments. Passage of H. Res. 1406 will help us better understand what else the Administration is considering behind closed doors.

Sweeping National Monument designations like those outlined in the leaked DOI memo represent a serious threat to recreation including motorized access. Any OHV use would almost certainly be forever banned in areas designated as National Monuments and riders would have no opportunity to formally weigh in on the process. Any decision that could potentially lock OHVs out of huge swaths of public lands should be made in the light of day, and that is why it is important for you to weigh in to support transparency.

I URGE YOU to sign up at the ARRA for our Future !

http://www.arra-access.com/site/PageServer

obama is stupid. i have joined NRA.

ARRA Obtains Remainder of Leaked DOI Document Detailing BLM Agenda that Leaves Little Room for Motorized Recreation

ARRA alerted you to a leaked Department of Interior memo earlier this year that outlined that the Administration is considering restricting access to public lands by declaring as many as 17 areas in 11 western states as National Monuments. The leaked pages were part of a bigger “Treasured Landscapes” document. Since the leak, the House Natural Resources Committee passed a Resolution of Inquiry (H.Res. 1406) directing DOI to turn over the full document. The full House has yet to act on the inquiry; however, ARRA has obtained a copy of the full document, which can be found here;
http://www.arra-access.com/site/DocServ ... ?docID=281

In addition to the pages we knew about addressing National Monuments there is an attachment that highlights wilderness bills that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) believes “may be appropriate for Wilderness or National Conservation Area designation,” including potential designations in NM, NV, OR, CO, CA and UT. Particularly troubling is the inclusion of the Hidden Gems proposal in CO, which has yet to be formally introduced and has faced significant opposition from motorized and other organizations in Colorado.

The document also lays out BLM’s intention to “…transition from the current land management system, which is based on jurisdictional boundaries, to a modern landscape-level management system…” Part of this transition includes supporting Congressional efforts to designate Wilderness, National Conservation areas and other special designations, and the designation of new National Monuments, which are outlined in the attachments. The document also makes it clear that BLM intends to use its own “land-use planning process to manage for conservation values” in areas where legislative or Monument protection is unlikely.

All of this is likely to have a negative impact on motorized recreation on BLM lands. All OHV use is forever banned in wilderness areas, and will almost certainly be banned in areas that receive other special designations. Further, the document lays out a clear desire to elevate managing for conservation over BLM’s mandate to manage for multiple uses. While conservation is certainly important, there is no reason that lands managed for all forms of recreation, including motorized, cannot be conserved.

ARRA has also alerted you about the Administration’s “America’s Great Outdoors Initiative (AGO),” and has notified many of you about AGO listening sessions in your area. DOI Secretary Ken Salazar has made it clear that he envisions implementing the Treasured Landscapes agenda laid out in the leaked documents as part of the AGO recommendations.

This makes it especially important for all OHV users to get involved and participate in any local AGO listening sessions and/or submit comments on the America’s Great Outdoors website here: http://ideas.usda.gov/ago/ideas.nsf/