Bill to turn lands back to States

[Sourdough]

I was talking to US Congressman Don Young last week.  We were discussing issues between the States and the Federal Government.  Don informed me he is planning to turn in a bill after the election to have the Federal Government turn lands administered by NPS over to the States.  Not National Parks them selves, but the preserves, refuges, Seasides, and Wild and Scenic Rivers.
 
Here in Alaska the NPS sends Rangers to enforce their regulations in the areas.  These Rangers are over zealious and go above and beyond their authority.  They harrass people visiting the area.  They look for reasons to arrest people that have done nothing other than be on their lands.  They want to keep the general public off their lands.  This is wrong.
 
Now I see Arizona is trying to take back the Grand Canyon.  Wish them luck in their endeaver.  The Federal Government claims too much land in Western States.  Especially Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and Alaska.
http://www.newsmax.com/US/Arizona-canyon-sovereignty-claim/2012/10/22/id/460860?s=al&promo_code=10770-1

[Empty Quiver]

I wouldn't hold my breath Soudough. The chances of the Fed giving up contol of that many mineral, timber, oil exploration rights is between slim and snowballs chance in hell. The tree huggers and bunny lovers would march en masse on every congressional office in the nation when wind got out what could happen.
 
 

[Ranch13]

It will never happen. In the first place most of the western states had to give up the equal footings claus to even get a vote to statehood from territorial status. Then I seriously doubt that the states want to take on the additional expense and burden of taking over that land.
 But the really big thing that would crop up is all the cry and furor about the loss of "public" lands by folks that probably have never even seen it...
Want to really see how something like that will go over take a look at the delisting of the grizzly in the lower 48, or an even better example is the mess caused by Bruce Babbit transplanting Canadian Grey Wolves into Yellowstone.

[Ranger99]

over zealous?
you mean like walking out in the
bush to your hunting area in the
middle of a hunt to do a permit
and tag check instead of waiting
at your truck that they know you
have to come back to?
with no orange on?


nah! ! !
that would never happen.
you must be mis-tookened. . .

[powderman]

I'd love to see the feds get out of states business. POWDERMAN. 

[Sourdough]

Ranger99:  A few weeks ago NPS Rangers went into a camp after dark, with guns drawn.  Demanding the Hunters drop their weapons and move back.  They told the Hunters they had tapes, and witnesses, of them making illigal kills.  They (the Rangers) were going to confiscate all the guns, boats, and gear, then take everyone in camp to jail. 

After three hours, and finding out they had grabbed a Military Cop and an Army Pilot, along with a known Fairbanks business owner, they backed down.  Then tried to get the Hunters to give them some Backstrap.  The Hunters (Army Cop) knew better, they did not want to be charged with bribery.  The Hunters had done nothing wrong, or nothing to cause the NPS Rangers to to go looking for these guys be begin with.  Their was no witnesses or no tapes.  The Rangers were out just pushing their weight around, simply because these people were on a river that happens to run through their land.

Because of the same thing happening last year Congressman Young was able to cut the NPS budget by $30 Million.  Don Young is on the war path again, and seeing he is one of the most powerful Congressmen in DC he gets things done.  He is the only one there to represent Alaska.  While he may not be completely successful, he will accomplish something I am sure.

The FEDs Claim 74% of Alaska.  Now they are coming in and telling us what we can and cannot do on State Lands.  This has gone too far.   

[Ranch13]

One would think that if this story to be true, the "hunters" involved would have probable cause to file charges with the local and federal jurisdicitions. Especially in view of the fact there was a "military cop" in the mix.
Feds claim that much of Alaska for the same reason they claim 50% of Wyoming, the territorial legislature signed off on the equal footings claus as a condition of being granted state hood.
Mr. Young is not the only congressman being the soul representative of their state, Wyoming and South Dakota both know the woes of only having one congressional rep.

[Sourdough]

Ranch13:  this story did not come to me hearsay, I personally put the Auto shop owner (I'm not going to use his name at this point) in touch with Don Young.  Last Thursday night I attended a dinner with Don Young.  Don sat at my table, and he and I had a nice conversation till the man that was actually accosted by the NPS Rangers.  I then introduced his and Don Young.  I sat there and listened as he told his story to Don Young.  He also had statements from the other two men to give to Don Young.  So there is no doubt this is a true story.  We have since gotten a copy of the Rangers report.  Big difference between what the Rangers reported and what the three men reported.  We contacted the Alaska State Troopers as well.  They can not believe the NPS Rangers responded to this concidering the call they recieved.  The Troopers first response was that the NPS Rangers were bored looking for some action.  The NPS Rangers created something out of nothing.

[Ranch13]

All the more reason they need to be at the district attorneys office filing charges.

[Conan The Librarian]

I don't see a net improvement forthcoming from a change like this. Federal abuses will be replaced with state abuses, and the states know how to work their corruption systems for land a lot better than the feds do. Consider the crazy mining proposals that have come up in Minnesota. Basically, if somebody has money they will buy themselves into the state so they can rape the land. The people that do the work will be companies from Canada and South America, so when the lawsuits come, they will be a lot more difficult to sue. A lot of the environmental protections, like protecting the soil from arsenic just won't happen.
 
I'm not a big fan of the EPA, but this state vs fed thing is definitely one of those "be careful what you wish for" scenarios.
 
I'd really like to see this thread become an informed debate. I know a handful of things about my own state that are quite disturbing about state abuses. But I don't live in a western state either. I'd be happy to learn more because you are way more tuned into your own state.
 
If you think the rivers of Alaska are threatened now by mining, just wait until the state has more control.
 
We had that pre 1960s and those were the days of rampant pollution and land despoiling, and we can very easily return to that.
 
 
 

[yellowtail3]

NPS rangers sound like they need some donuts; unfriendly bunch. I've no first-hand experience with them; last I remember reading about them before this thread, was when some Ranger Grrrrrrrl tazed a man for walking his dogs somewhere near San Francisco.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Tasered-Dog-Walker-Case-Gets-Federal-Attention-138565219.html

[Ranger99]

like everything else.
not all are that way. the ones who are
need to to have "gung-ho" or "overzealous"
tatooed on their forehead. the jerks
just make it hard on the rest.
the jerks will go way out of their way
to disturb your hunting if possible.
or give you a lecture about fires even
if you don't have one or intend on
building one. had a lecture about trash
once , i had to interrupt " sir, none of this
is my trash. this is what i picked up from
the campground before you got here"
they don't want to hear it. . . .