Showing posts with label Arizona. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

News in the West; Bad, Better, and Best ~~Bear Essentials 2/27/2019

News in the West:

Bluff Town Hall Meeting with John Curtis March 21

Recording of 2/19 SJC Commission Meeting (start at 57:53)

George Washington's Farewell Speech: Prophetic Advice

$22 Trillion Debt and both Parties say "Spend More"

Utah Ranked #1 in "Social Capital"

"Variables for ranking: family unity, family interaction, social support, community health, institutional health, collective efficacy, and philanthropic health"

Environmentalists Call on Herbert to Veto Bill Related to Spent Uranium

Current Government Policies would Rather Burn Forests than Log Trees

"Federal wildfire statistics show the average number of acres burned

every year since 2000 is double what it was the preceding four decades."

Zinke Accepts Post with Lobbying Firm

Moab Council Votes for Moratorium on More Building

~~ A Good Site to Follow: Balanced Resources

~~ Winter Storms Help Against Four Corners Drought

~~ Senator Mike Lee Opposes Natural Resources Management Act

It fails to reform federal land acquisition programs and adding new restrictions to how Americans are allowed to use land already under federal control.

25 percent of all Land and Water Conservation Funds have been given to states while 61 percent of the funds have been spent on federal land acquisition

LWCF keeps on buying new federal lands without securing any method for maintaining the land they already own. According to a 2017 Congressional Research Service report, the maintenance backlog on federal land is up to $18.6 billion

The bill creates another 1.3 million acres of wilderness in the West — half of it in Utah

~~ 2019 AUM Grazing Fees Lowered

~~Commissioner Adams Asks State for Litigation Help

~~Signs that Republican Tax Cuts are Working

~~Aztec Commission Passes Resolution Against UnConstitutional Gun Control

~~ Rural Lands Bill "Reflects Utah Priorities, Op ed Mitt Romney,

~~ Land Grabbing Avalanche of Bills Will Harm Rural Economies

~~ SL Trib: San Juan Should Build a Wall Around Itself

~~ N. Arizona Faces 1.7 M. Acre Environmental Land Grab

In defense of mining: "Uranium and depleted uranium are critical to the U.S. military and our national security. The U.S. military uses depleted uranium in armor plating for tanks, Phalanx gun systems, armor-piercing munitions and cruise missiles, naval propulsion reactors, as well as A-10s, Harriers and other military and civilian aircraft. The U.S. Navy cannot maintain its global presence nor maintain its nuclear deterrent against countries like Russia without uranium.

In 1986, the United states produced 100% of the uranium ore used in U.S. domestic nuclear reactors. Today in 2018, 3% is produced domestically with virtually all of the remaining fuel for domestic reactors produced in Kazakhstan, under heavy Russian influence. The U.S. desperately needs domestic uranium given this high 97% import penetration into domestic market. The U.S. Navy is fit-to-be-tied over the prospect of being dependent on Putin for uranium. The situation is untenable.

Americas’ 98 nuclear power plants provide clean energy while generating electricity for one of every five U. S. homes and businesses. Nuclear energy has unmatched reliability in the U. S. electrical system. In 2014, as has been the case every year for the past decade, the nuclear industry’s average capacity fact (a measure of efficiency) was an electric sector leading 91.7 percent."

~~ State House of Rep. Gridlocks over County Government Bill

~~National Debt Spiraling Out of Control $22 Trillion!

~~Massive Land Bill Has Hits and Misses for Ranchers

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Submitting Letters to Salt Lake Tribune

Sunday, January 6, 2019

2019 -- Times are a Changin' -- Bear Essentials and More

News in the West

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Utahans Will Pay more for Gas and Out of State Purchases in 2019

Normally, most citizens believe we are already taxed enough as we pay for government services which are often antiquated, ineffective, and most often wasteful; however, when it comes to lost tax revenues which affect our San Juan County Schools, I believe out-of-county shopping has been a great detriment to our schools, our teachers, and the services provided to our children.

I know many people who prefer to drive 160 miles to Walmart, rather than support local stores. Thus they give those taxes to Colorado schools and agencies. Nor does Amazon and other on-line services share any of their wealth with anyone in San Juan County. If we want a thriving economy in San Juan, without more businesses closing, we need to shop locally first. Then, and only then, should we shop out of county, or at Amazon, or any other on-line business. Jeff Bezos has no interest nor concern about lack of services, personnel or materials in our schools. I think requiring the collection and payment of out of state sales tax revenues to San Juan County is a good thing. JW

Senator Graham Gives Warning to Mitt Romney

Utah Congressmen Push to Keep Nat'l Parks Open

Tribute to Mancos Times: Renewal Project

Old News: Opening of Bluff Bears Ears Visitor's Center Free Press

Suit Challenges Willie Greyeyes' Candidacy

The 15-page complaint filed with the court, claims, “Mr. Grayeyes is a resident of the state of Arizona, not of the state of Utah, thus he is ineligible to run for, or serve, as a San Juan County Commissioner.”

The 15-page complaint filed with the court claims, “Mr. Grayeyes is a resident of the state of Arizona, not of the state of Utah, thus he is ineligible to run for, or serve, as a San Juan County Commissioner.”

~~Petition Filed Dec. 28, Showing Greyeyes as Arizona Resident: 64 items

~~What are Public Lands to be used for? Dexter Gill

~~Constitutional Amendment Proposed Limiting Congressional Term Limits

~~Navajo Technical University Awarded 3.5 M Grant

~~Republican's Impressive Congressional Score Card

~~KSJD Radio: Colorado Native Acting Sec. of Interior

~~ Utah's Pension Plan #8 in the Nation, While Other States Falter

Bankrupt Fed Government Runs out of Money; Parks Suffer

Drought Affecting Colorado Dry Farmers

Dove Creek "bills itself as the “Pinto Bean Capital of the World,” but the proclamation doesn’t attract many tourists – farming is still the primary economic driver here. In a typical year, Pribble will take in 3 million pounds of pinto beans grown without irrigation water – dryland beans. This summer, despite their admirable thrift, the bean plants withered in bone dry conditions. Southwest Colorado’s entire 2018 dryland bean crop failed, along with almost all of its wheat, sunflower, and safflower.

Monday, July 17, 2017

Paul Gosar, Arizona Congressman, Fights Against Government Overreach

Rep. Paul Gosar (Arizona) to Sharon Holmes (Nevada) :

"In general, the ability to set aside federal land rested with Congress -- however the presidential power to establish national monuments on federals lands was established via the Antiquities Act of 1906. The law was enacted at the turn of the 20th century because of concerns about protecting mostly prehistoric Indian ruins and artifacts-collectively termed "antiquities"-on federal lands in the West. However, this authority has been misused to limit public access to vast areas of public lands and restrict job-creating economic activities, including responsible energy production and recreation in recent years.

The national monument designation process, as any public land designation, is of particular interest to states where the federal government owns a large chunk of all land. This is the case in many Western states like Arizona whereless than 20% of land is privately held and the federal government manages 24 National Parks, Monument and Recreation Areas - more than any other state in the country. The way lands are administered by the federal government has a direct impact on many of my constituents in a way that can be hard to contextualize for many who live east of the Mississippi River.

Under the Obama Administration, this century-old law was used as an excuse for the executive branch to lock up millions of acres of land and water against the will of both Congress and local stakeholders. The 1.35 million acre land grab for Bears Ears National Monument provides a case-in-point. During his waning days in office, President Obama unilaterally designated this national monument, locking up land over and above the nearly 550 million acres of land and water he had already added to the federal footprint, despite no significant local support and unified opposition from the Utah congressional delegation.

I fought this unjustifiable overreach from President Obama and pushed to give voice to local concerns from citizens and experts on the ground. To ensure public participation in decision to designate national monuments, I introduced H.R. 1495, the Arizona Land Sovereignty Act. This legislation would prohibit further extension or establishment of national monuments in Arizona, except by express authorization of Congress. In addition, I am a cosponsor on H.R. 1459, the Ensuring Public Involvement in the Creation of National Monuments Act. This legislation would guarantee public participation in national monument decisions by requiring that any large-scale presidential designation be subjected to the National Environmental Policy Act. Additionally, it will only allow a President to provide emergency protections for a genuinely threatened site of up to 5,000 acres.

Unfortunately, the narrative spun by radical environmentalists is that anyone who does not support top-down, command-and-control land grabs as exercised by former President Obama is an enemy of our national treasures. This simply is not true. The current debate is not over whether to protect precious natural and historic sites, but how. I believe firmly that there should be input by the public, interested parties, and others affected by the decision to designate a new parcel of land before a decision is made. I have supported legislation that protects new national and historic sites but I also believe that open-ended, transparent participation is critical, so I will support legislation that encourages this process. Regardless of what political party controls the government, these initiatives make sense.

As the Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, I look forward to working alongside my fellow members to enact commonsense reforms in the House of Representatives that preserve our treasured lands while respecting local stakeholders and our sacred separation of powers. I am especially encouraged by President Trump's nomination of former Western Caucus member Ryan Zinke as the Secretary of the Department of Interior. Secretary Zinke, having represented a state that was 30% federally owned, understands both the majesty and importance of our land as well as the unique relationship that Western states and the federal government have on matters of land use. I will continue to fight for policies that respect local decision-makers as well as our Constitution across any area of policy, especially land management.

Again, I appreciate your thoughts and concerns. It is an honor to serve Arizona as part of its congressional delegation. Your suggestions are always welcome, and if ever I may be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. To receive the latest legislative updates and news you can sign up for my e-newsletter at gosar.house.gov."

Sincerely,

Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S.
Member of Congress

Saturday, June 10, 2017

~~ Bear Essentials ~ June 10, 2017 ~~

Sowing Clover: by Tonya Stiles

The Intolerable Intolerance of the Internet Leftists

“More than ever, our lives are lived online. You’re as likely to see your next-door neighbor on Facebook as you are in your front yard. So we have to speak to each other online the same way we would speak over the fence—with humor, humility and empathy. Surveying the broad swath of political grandstanding I’ve witnessed over the past few election cycles, I notice that lack of empathy more than any other failing.” Tonya Stiles

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Other Issues Impacting San Juan County Utah

n Though the Bears Ears Review is past, we can help Gold Butte, and other states fight similar battles. Write now up to July 10

n What Utah’s Canyon Country can tell us about Trump’s Monument Review – NPR June 10

n The New Wests Big Lie by Jim Stiles

n The War on Private Property, Part 4

n New evidence shows Recapture Canyon Road was never under Federal Jurisdiction

n Comparing Moab With Blanding; Interesting Facts and Stats

n Letter Written by Cassy Moon July 21, 2016. Her facts are still true! We have greatly appreciated Cassy’s untiring efforts during this effort to Protect the Bears Ears and not let it turn into another Grand Staircase! She was the fire brand when we were first beginning. She provided the facts, examples, and motivation which we all needed. May God’s blessings shower down on you and your family in Richfield. We know you’ll still help from afar! Tributes