Showing posts with label Glen Canyon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Glen Canyon. Show all posts

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Ups and Downs of Politics in San Juan/ Bear Essentials Oct. 10/2019

What's New In The West

San Juan County Residents should have received this ballot in the mail.  

"Shall a Study Committee be appointed to consider and possibly recommend a change in San Juan County's form of government? 

This is only forming a committee to look at 4-5 different options on how 

San Juan county Government might be configured. 



~~ Cataclysmic Money and the Illusion of Prosperity

by Stacy Young
It has been my experience during the years of the Bears Ears controversy that one very common rhetorical strategy of monument proponents is to include economic indicators unique to the Reservation to make the case that San Juan County as a whole is desperately poor and in dire need of the sort of fixing Industrial Tourism is good at. The reasons for doing this are simple enough. To start with, it is the steadfast belief of elitists everywhere that they come not to condemn a place and its people but to save them. And many Bears Ears maximalists certainly live up to this axiom. Indeed, the standard sales pitch — for the New West in general and Bears Ears in particular — amounts to a sort of secular prosperity gospel in which economic prosperity inevitably follows from the proper, enlightened appreciation of nature. One form or another of this argument is made time and time and time again!"  read more in the Canyon Zephyr

~~ BLM Photo Rotation Creates Environmental Controversy

~~ Is Agri-tourism a Viable Option for the West?

~~ Public Land Leases Sold Too Cheaply by BLM?

~~ Softening the Impass with Some Satire:  Canyon Zephyr














~~ What Collaboration Looks Like -- A Good Start  By Bill Keshlear


Mack MacDonald, new County Administrator, introduced himself at Town Hall Meeting Oct. 9.
Read detailed article in this week's San Juan Record.

About 40 people attended the Town Hall Meeting

A Town Hall Meeting was held in Blanding Oct. 9. Panel members and local citizens addressed the issue of “B” roads, and the ballot initiate to study possible changes in SJC government.  Panelists included Cheryl Bowers, Charlotta Lacy, Nicole Perkins, Kim Henderson, Shannon Brooks, and Gail Dalton Johnson.   Perkins emphasized the point of holding Federal, State and locally elected officials and judges accountable to Citizens.
Many people from the audience asked questions and shared ideas.  Kim Henderson, organizer of the event expressed a desire to take Town Hall meetings into communities on the reservation, if there are those who will help make it happen. Davina Smith and Mary Benally were two who attended who will hopefully help.

New County Administrator, Mack MacDonald told of his experiences in Afghanistan, helping different tribes/ groups to work cooperatively as they set about to create a workable government.  A detailed article of his experiences is in the new San Juan Record.
 The main topic of discussion related to the condition of “B” roads in the county.  Past history shows since 1988 San Juan County had maintained BIA roads, but in June of  2018, the Navajo Tribe told them to “cease and desist”.  Unfortunately, those without the historical background and facts have used this as racism” propaganda against San Juan County.  Phil Lyman noted, “A lie can travel ½ way around the world, before truth can get its pants on.” He gave credit to former Commissioner Benally, who had started the cooperative wheels on road repair going again, “before the carpet was pulled out from under her.”.
The next discussion led by Cheryl Bowers emphasized four possible governing styles that are approved by State guidelines as listed:
1. 3-member Commision (current form)
2. 5-7 member commission
3. Elected County Council with appointed county manager with executive powers
4. County council with elected mayor with executive powers


If the initiative passes, a study group will be organized who will make recommendations.  Ballots have been mailed out, and voters should mail them back quickly.

~~ What are the Pros and Cons of Changing SJC Gov:  Read SJ Record Article: 

~~ CO2 a Crucial life Sustaining Nutrient, Needed More Not Less 

Free Range Report: "Co2 is not a pollutant that threatens human civilization as has been ridiculously claimed by global warming doomsday pushers. CO2 actually increases plant yields, accelerates “re-greening” and improves reforestation of the planet." 

~~ Subsidizing Electric Cars Doesn't Help the Environment.  The Independent

~~ NPS Hosts Arches Congestion Meeting Oct. 15 

~~ Women Against Gun Control, video interview

~~ Children Raised Around Livestock Have Stronger Immune System














~~ Utah Dine' Bikeyah: Protecting Bears Ears and Environmental Strategies 

~~ Digging Deeper: Utah Dine' Bikeyah, Agenda 21 and the UN Connection

"UNDP Projects will recognize that indigenous peoples have collective rights to own, use, and develop and control the lands, resources and territories that they have traditionally owned, occupied or otherwise used or acquired, including lands and territories for which they do not yet possess title.
“If the Project involves activities that are contingent on establishing legally recognized rights to lands, resources, or territories that indigenous peoples have traditionally owned, occupied or otherwise used or acquired, an action plan will outline the steps and timetable for achieving legal recognition of such ownership, occupation, or usage (see paragraph 14 below).
“In such cases, UNDP, with the consent of the relevant authority or Implementing Partner, will support such activities aimed at delimiting, demarcating and titling such lands, resources, and territories with due respect to the customs, traditions and land tenure systems of the indigenous peoples concerned.”  (UNDP= Standard 6 of the United Nations Development Programme)

~~ Trash on the Reservation, a Continuing Problem

~~ Trump Loses Bid to Dismiss Monument Lawsuits

~~ Shrinking Water Levels at Glen Canyon Dam Triggers Fed Lawsuit

~~ Zions Park in the Top 10 "Most Popular"  (i.e. Most Crowded) Park

~~ Saudi Oil Field Attack, Points Out Need for Domestic Energy Dominance 

~~ Pueblo Tribe Vows to Keep Fighting for Enlarged Bears Ears

~~ Moab Sun Time Writers Disagree with Kelly Green


 Beyond the Bears Responds: In reality BENM was orchestrated by one of the nation’s strongest environmental lobby groups, The Conservation Lands Foundation. (All quotes below come from the Conservation Lands Foundation Minutes held San Francisco, CA 24 October 2014)
The Conservation Lands Foundation intended to control the dialogue and efforts of all players in the drama. The illusion they perpetuated was that this was a “bottom up” effort driven by indigenous people.
In reality native leaders were targeted by CLF organizers. This was a Top Down masterplan and they were carefully watching all players from Secretary Jewel, down to each tribe as illustrated in their Oct. 2014 board meeting minutes. “Struggles with Secretary Jewell, she is not being a strong advocate for the Antiquities Act, but continues to show gradual improvement. With strong leadership from the White House this has become less of a roadblock.”
Another CLF member admits to relying on the Navajo Nation, but asks, “What happens if we separate from them or disagree with them? Without their support the White House probably would not act.”
They were using coalition leaders as kings in a grand scale game of chess, and tribal members as pawns. For more information go to https://beyondthebears.blogspot.com/2016/11/big-money-environmentalists-and-bears.html

~~ BLM Environmental Strategies Fail to Improve  Devil's Canyon 

"Ultimately, and for years, I’ve wondered why public land management agencies feel the compulsion to “improve” Nature. No matter what grievous damage human activity imposes upon the environment, it always seemed like a safer and wiser strategy to–of course— stop continued degradation, but then to just leave the land alone and let it recover on its own. Too often the best of intentions can backfire and only exacerbate the problem."  Jim Styles, Canyon Zephyr  Oct. 2019