Oregon's Owyhee Basin Stewardship Coalition Meets with Zinke

We wanted to let you know that on July 15, Owyhee Basin Stewardship Coalition board (Oregon) member and vice chairman, Mark Mackenzie joined me in Medford for a meeting with U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Congressman Greg Walden.

We were unsure how much time we would have with these two men, but the OBSC decided it was worth the risk, so we made the trip. I am more than thrilled to report that it was time well spent!
 
Mark and I had a good 15 minutes or more, talking one-on-one with Secretary Zinke about the issues and threats we face in Malheur County, which he had already read in the report we supplied his staffers before his trip. Mark and I were very impressed with his approach on doing what is right, regardless of the threat of litigation. As he put it, and I will paraphrase his quote “…when you drain the swamp you uncover the serpents and they are mad, they come fighting back." From where I stand, I think they have met their match!
 
As a former Navy Seal Commander, Zinke has a mindset and demeanor that is ready to really lead the U.S. Dept. of the Interior, and he will lead it in the same manner that he did as a great military leader. He is tackling with a vengeance like we’ve never seen before including issues like the wild horse, Equal Access to Justice, the Antiquities Act, the Endangered Species Act, WSAs and water rights. After talking with him, we believe he is laying the ground work to restructure the BLM, which we all know desperately needs to happen.
 
We left the evening feeling very optimistic and we are sure that Secretary Zinke will not forget us. Mark invited him to visit us in Malheur County and the OBSC board members will be working to facilitate this visit, hopefully this fall. We will keep you posted when we get more details.
 
We would be remiss to not mention how gracious and helpful Congressman Walden has been in our new direction and effort. We spoke with him while in Medford and we are fortunate to have his friendship and support. Congressman Walden is ready to work with us on a plan to insure stability for Malheur County and all of us, as members of the OBSC, we should be proud to be a part of this great effort.

We will continue to keep you updated as we make progress moving forward.


Steve Russell
OBSC Chairman

Bear Necessities Nov. 13-20, 2016

Nov. 13 -20 Bear Essentials 

The results of this year’s election bodes well for Bears Ears and hopefully for other states who are being threatened by National Monuments.  BUT I think it is important to keep writing Secretary Jewel, President Obama, and the President elect, Donald Trump, as well as our elected officials.  It doesn’t appear that the Federal BLM Director’s e-mail is now working (Did you wear him out!?) State office shown below.

--We’d encourage you to write to the President Elect Donald Trump and share your concerns about land management, or mismanagement.  https://apply.ptt.gov/yourstory/

--Old tricks on old trails: Blocking roads/trails intentionally?  http://freerangereport.com/index.php/2016/11/10/extreme-greens-blockade-trails-deter-colorado-hunters-off-roaders/   

--A national monument is a heavy-handed solution for Bears Ears by Nathan Nielson

http://freerangereport.com/index.php/2016/11/10/bears-ears-will-not-protected-overrunning-tourism/

(Lots of opposing comments follow the article; your views need to be heard as well.)

--Salt Lake Tribune article “fuels” things up again:  http://www.sltrib.com/news/4554899-155/energy-company-looking-to-strike-oil  (If you want to see how nasty the opposition is, go in and read the comments following this article.  Some of us have done battle there, but we are outnumbered.  We need more active participants. If that isn’t your style, then at least write to those who can make a difference.  Don’t stop now!)

--E-mail for the State BLM Office:   blm_ut_so_public_room@blm.gov

Sent tonight.  Send yours this week.

Director of Utah's BLM office: 

Don't be misled by all the hoopla and protests by environmentalists with deep pocketed friends who are trying to macro manage San Juan County. (As reported by the Salt Lake Tribune.)  First they want 1.9 acres for a National Monument, and now they want to control even land outside that designation.  County residents cannot be expected to always be the ones giving.  Compromise is a must.   

San Juan County needs revenue which can potentially come from successful drilling or mining in our county. Those royalties have helped to support our schools in the past. Only 8% of San Juan County’s 5,077,120 acres is privately owned. We have already given up 35,033,603 acres to 13 different national parks/monuments.  Federal government owns/ runs/ manages 55.5% of our state.  Free enterprise must have a presence in this part of the state. Don't back down. 

--Ranchers in Malheur County fight a proposed 2.5-million-acre national monument, which would represent 40 percent of the county’s land base.

http://freerangereport.com/index.php/2016/11/10/owyhee-monument-opponents-hope-trump-will-help-escape-federal-designation/ 

--Citizens must continue to remind our congressmen and local newspapers of our concerns. 

Representative Chaffetz: https://chaffetz.house.gov/contact/

Opinion letter: Cortez Sentinel: http://www.cortezjournal.com/section/Opinion/ 

Opinion letters: Moab Times: editor@moabtimes.com

(Most of what they’ve published is from the opposition – help us out here, folks.)

--Friends in West Virginia, Request our help.

I sent this to both Senators Hatch and Lee, & Rep. Chaffetz today:  

(In the process of actively fighting the proposed Bears Ears National Monument, I've made friends in other states who are concerned about similar designations.  Two of these are Randy and Kristen Sharp in W. Virginia.  They have been fighting the BIRTHPLACE OF RIVERS NATIONAL MONUMENT in West Virginia since 2012.  He wrote me today asking, "Do you think you could get your representatives in congress to introduce a bill to do away with Presidential Monuments and put those decisions in control of Congress to create them. It would put more control in local hands and create a true discussion about the facts. If we can't get it done in the next two years we may never get it done.  Randy. 

I think this would be important legislation to initiate, and return critical land decisions to "the people" instead of Non-Governmental Organizations with power and money who influence presidents.)