Richard Pombo (R-CA) and James Gibbon (R-NV) have inserted a provision into the budget reconciliation act that would allow the Bargain Basement Sale of public lands–under the guise of making adjustments in the Mining Act.
There are two things that need to happen. Neither Mr. Pombo nor Mr. Gibbons should be appointed to the conference committee regarding this bill. And, the provision should be stricken.
The message is simple: sections 6201-6207 of HR4241 must be deleted.
While members of Congress are home for the holidays, please consider contacting their offices and sending some letters to editors. Our National Forests and public lands are not for sale to developers? Well, yes they are if these provisions stay in the bill!
The extended copy includes some sources that are useful rebuttals for this latest Republican Giveaway. This diary includes information from discussions on DKos.
Sources and Information:
U.S. Newswire, Tony Lallonardo- National Environmental Trust
“There must be better ways to generate revenue than selling off our national heritage. This is an unprecedented give-away of millions of acres of public lands to special interests at bargain-basement prices.
While the provision’s primary backer, Rep. Richard Pombo, says it will raise some $150 million over 5 years, it in fact sells public assets for far less than their value, and it raises less than half the revenue that could be raised by imposing a royalty fee on hardrock minerals taken from federal lands.”
“Unfortunately, our federal public lands are now under siege in Congress. It seems that some folks simply do not like the idea of the public owning land. These radicals and ideologues are taking advantage of the fact that Americans are preoccupied with economic insecurity, high fuel prices and a war abroad to promote their personal interests by pushing language in the federal budget bill that would put a “for sale” sign on 270 million acres of national forest and other public land.”
Additional Information:
Amanda G. Little’s article in Grist Magazine
Westerners for Responsible Mining
