~~ Bear Essentials ~ August 3, 2017

Have you voted yet? Pick someone who will represent rural concerns

 A Vote for Chris Herrod is a vote for Rural Utah

He will help protect our Freedoms

Freedom Fest Sept 9:  Early bird discount tickets on Sale Now

ONLINE SPECIAL! Order your tickets online between now and August 15th and get a 20% discount when you type in "EarlyBird" as the Discount Code. ORDER NOW!

Our goal to bring more attention to the opposition of the Bears Ears Monument and government overreach of western public lands. We also seek to honor our unique lifestyles, our cultural and cherished traditional uses, and the recreational opportunities that the land has to offer.

~~~~~~~

San Juan County Issues and Information:

*Fox 5 Interview with Ryan Zinke  Listen and Learn

July 30 Comments by Commissioner Lyman: “This video provides some valuable insight into Secretary Zinke's monument ideology: The key points to emphasize are that Bears Ears Monument does more harm than good to archeology; that the size is not appropriate to the "object" being supposedly protected; that the items mentioned in the proclamation were not unique, i.e. dark skies, mule deer, chipmunks, etc.
I am concerned that our Washington politicians, and the governor, say one thing when they are here in San Juan, and another behind closed doors with the secretary.  I'm pleased that Bears Ears has been the symbolic question to determine where leaders stand on matters of public land and multiple use. It would be a good time for us to reiterate our love for this land and our insistence that the monument be rescinded. Controversy has been the only thing keeping us from being swallowed whole. 
[I think it is a good time also to commend Governor Herbert for not cowing down to the Outdoor Retailers Association.       Phone: 801-538-1000;

                        Contact: https://gocentral.utah.gov/Request/Contact?response=false ]

Since they choose to make their exit about Bears Ears, we have an opportunity to keep the monument in play. Ours is not a message of contention but we can't allow false narratives to dominate the discussion. We can win in this final push but now is the time to get our message heard.”

~~ Trail guides needed for San Juan Safari.  Call Lynne Shumway for information 435-459-4187

~~What Congressional Candidates say about Bears Ears, & who skirts the issue:

~~NY Times Visits Gold Butte in Nevada “This week, we visit three national monuments (more than two dozen are under review by the Trump administration and could be made smaller and opened to logging and mining): Gold Butte in Nevada (below), Bears Ears in Utah and Berryessa Snow Mountain in California.

~~Aneth Extension/ Kaa’elii Descendants Unhappy with Tribe’s use of Oil Money

~~National Geographic Visits Bears Ears: Trump’s National Monument Rethink

~~Road Trip to Four Corners  Nat’l Geographic

~~SJHS Grad: Jennifer VanReenan Ing speaks:  Facts about Bears Ears NM

~~Money Spent on Campaign against SJC Locals in the Bears Ears Controversy

Good News Bears

n  Monuments DO NOT mean Local Benefits  (Healthy Forests

n  Video of Sec. Zinke’s Trip to San Juan County

n  RS2477 » Utah Supreme Court finds state road claims have not run out of time

n  Attorney General S. Reyes agrees with rural road decision

n  Governor’s Goal: 25,000 jobs in 25 Counties    Aug. 10 in San Juan

n  At Your Leisure: Chad & Rita Booth Explore Monument Valley

n  Time to Visit Hanksville

n  Utah Faces Down the Rock-Climbing Industrial Lobby

Companies selling outdoor gear lobby endlessly for more federal wilderness—subsidized by the taxpayer:  Wall Street Journal

n  Chris Herrod Upholds Utah Constitution; hopes to represent District 3

n  Gold Butte NM is Controversial for Locals PBS coverage

n  Nevada FB Group: It Matters How You Stand Coverage on Zinke visit

n  What Locals Think of Bears Ears

n  Time to Repeal the Antiquities Act

  Bad News Bears

n  Beware of “Push Polls” and “Slanted Surveys”

n  Center for Western Priorities Targets Zinke

n  The Russian connection that should worry us: Russia ‘Colludes’ With US Green Groups to Block Fracking

n  More than you probably wanted to know about Patagonia's founder

n  Animal Rights extremists now targeting 4-H clubs in Canada

n  Insight into Extreme “Earth First Movement” 

n  Kids Used to Fight for Monument

n  What Happens when there’s a Monument  Stop the Siskiyou NM Expansion https://www.facebook.com/NoMonumentPacNW/

n  So long, Good-Bye, Your loss is our gain.  Video from Outdoor Industry Ass.

n  Old news still current:  Liberal Billionaires and NGO Enviro Connections

(George Soros and Wyss foundations)

n  OP-Ed in the Spectrum: Let’s talk about Bears Ears

n  The Biggest Lie in Utah’s Public Land Debate

n  Are fair trials possible? Constitutional Rights ignored in Bundy case

                                                              ~~~~~~

                    http://beyondthebears.blogspot.com/

                                     Documenting Bears Ears “No Monument” efforts since July 2016

Secretary Ryan Zinke's Whirlwind Visit to Utah

Video of Secretary Zinke's Visit to San Juan County

Watch and learn:

While San Juan County is still waiting for the final decision regarding Bears Ears, perhaps it would be good to ponder the journey of the past year, and especially the effort Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke made to talk to those who will be most directly impacted by any decisions regarding Bears Ears. 

Secretary Zinke traveled to Utah in early May for a four-day listening tour.  He met with community members, stakeholders, and representatives of federal, state, local and tribal governments, regarding an executive order to review some large national monuments designated under the Antiquities Act.

His efforts were significantly different from the environmentally manipulated visit from Secretary Sally Jewell a year ago.  

Jewell Bashes Trump for Monument Review

Written in response to Deseret News

 7/26 news article quoting former secretary Jewell:

A very telling statement by Sally Jewell, "If you are not at the table, you are on the menu." 

Yes, Utah has been on the environmental menu for years, with millions of acres of "public" land being locked up by divisive means and purposes, and it's not to make America Great Again. Quite the contrary, public lands in dozens of states have been on the menu, for decades, until the working man, especially rural Americans have been pushed out of the picture, discredited, and told that endangered species are more important than their lives and their livelihood. 

If state's rights mean anything in this country anymore, we must give credence, and legality to elected officials, not to the clamoring, minions following extremist environmental foundations funded by Soros, Wyss, Bonderman, and board members of the Conservation Land Foundation. They are the creators of a menu which includes global manipulation, personal gain, and weakening of Constitutional rights. There's much more at stake than Monuments. 

Like Patrick Henry, "I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery" (in the form of socialism.)  "The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave." Hooray, for Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Colorado, Minnesota, W. Virginia, Montana, and other states who are fighting such encroachments legally, and legislatively. Monuments are not about protection, they are about power and weakening America.

  Janet Wilcox

~~ Bear Essentials ~ July 23, 2017~~

Patrick Henry Caucus video on State’s Rights

Bears in 3^rd District say “Vote for Chris Herrod”

Chris Herrod Understands Land Policies and supports Rural Utah

~~~~~~~

San Juan County Info & To Do List

Newest issue of Blue Mountain Shadows #55 on Bears Ears and Elk Mountain.  Available at Clarks, Drug store, Blanding Visitors Center, Museum, Twin Rocks, San Juan Record.

n  Public comments on the White Mesa Mill will be accepted through July 31.  E-mail to dwmrcpublic@utah.gov

n  Emery County Citizen Voices Frustration with the US Forest Service

n  See if you can find some good “before” and “after” public land pictures on this site: https://historicaerials.com   (I haven’t figured it out!)

n  Visited our web site Sutherland Institute has teamed up to help promote our cause.

n  Freedom Fest II Coming Sept 9, SJHS Practice Field  (Last Year’s Event)   

 
Good News Bears 
nCommissioner Phil Lyman Endorses Chris Herrod for Congress

n  KUER Interview with Chris Herrod

n  Give Mother Earth Credit as She Proves Stephen Hawking Wrong

n  Responsible Timber Harvests are good for the Environment

n  Privatization in Nat’l Parks.  Will it Improve Upkeep & Service?

n  Idaho Plan for Managing Wolves Has Predator’s Fans Howling
Bad News Bears

n  Outdoor Recreationists plan to protest in SLC July 27

n  Outdoor companies continue to pressure Utah

n  Colorado Congressman presents bill to Eliminate Fossil Fuels

n  Fallacies Promoted Concerning Colorado Natural Gas Development

n  Vandalism at Mesa Verde Tourism and Graffiti

n  Constitutional Rights Infringed at Dassenger Ranch in N. Dakota

n  The Intolerable Intolerance of Internet Leftist by Tonya Stiles

n  Citizens for Healthy Community Hope to Stall Natural Gas

n  Forest Service Stall Tactics Threaten Minnesota Mining Jobs

n  Lines and More Lines—Can Reservations be Required at NM and Parks?

                                                              ~~~~~~

http://beyondthebears.blogspot.com/

                                     Documenting Bears Ears “No Monument” efforts since July 2016

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

Chris Herrod Understands Rural Counties and Utah's Needs. He'll Be in Monticello July 22!

Commissioners from San Juan and Grand discussed land issues with Chris Herrod July 15 in Monticello 

Chris Herrod is a candidate for 3rd district congressman hoping to replace Jason Chaffetz who retired earlier this year.  Herrod visited San Juan County Saturday, July 15, and was hosted by Commissioners Curtis Wells from Grand County, Bruce Adams, and Phil Lyman of SJC. All three commissioners support Herrod’s candidacy. (All have signs if you wish to put one up in your yard.) 

While discussing land issues, Herrod explained, “We’ve lost understanding of what Stewardship means.” He compared it to care of a garden. "You don’t just leave it alone to tend itself, hoping something will grow. . . .It is offensive to me to think that people over 2000 miles away think they can care better for public lands than Utah stewards."  He emphasized that “Locals should have the loudest voice” and not be the victims of “political payback.” 

Commissioner Phil Lyman complained strongly about the BLM Master Leasing Plan, whose goal seems to be to delay decisions as long as possible and then give a plan they know San Juan County won’t like.” Adding salt to the wound, the Master Leasing Plan, "only applies to Grand and San Juan Counties, NOT other counties," Lyman stressed. He also emphasized, "This is a “pivotal time in history.”

All three of these SE County Commissioners support Chris Herrod in his bid for Congressman representing District 3

Available from Amazon

Herrod referred to a book on State's Rights written by Bill Redd and Bill Howell, given to him by Howell several years ago. After reading it, Herrod bought 30 more copies and sent them to constituents who needed to be informed about state and county access rights and property rights. He emphasized that it is not enough just to “vote right” but there is a need to education people. “It is easy for public lands states to understand these issues, but we need to do a better job forming coalitions with other states and help them understand. Utah has already given their share of land for federal parks and monuments.

"The Antiquities Act has been the most abusive of all federal legislation passed," Herrod stressed. “We need to claw back the BLM and other rule making authorities and ask, 'What is the true intention of the Constitution?'"

 He expressed concern about Emery County with its two power plants and Kane and Garfield counties which have nothing for kids to come back to after earning college degrees. “We need to push as much authority back to the state.” We need to push back on policies which "cause terrible fires like Brian Head."

Commissioner Bruce Adams complained that when laws are passed, then employees have to write hundreds of pages to explain the regulations. For example, FLIPM (land management act of 1976) used to be fairly simple, but has overgrown and expanded excessively.

Herrod entered state politics in 2007, and referred to the Patrick Henry Caucus which has been a force helping push back federal overreach. It was created in Utah In 2009 to fight against socialism. He also described flying for 2 hours in a Black Hawk Helicopter over Bears Ears when Secretary Zinke came to San Juan. Bruce Adams, also referenced the 2 hr. 15 min. helicopter ride with the Sec. of Interior, which "just covered the boundaries of the Bears Ears Monument, not the interior of 1.3 million acres.  He also emphasized, "As commissioners] we are responsible for the boundaries of San Juan County. We are not a sub-division of the Federal Government.” Our county has existed for decades on mineral extraction.

Herrod also stressed the need for multiple use of the land, including resources. “PILT in lieu of tax monies, are nothing compared to actual taxes generated from a business. This “Big Brother” philosophy causes many problems in foreign economies.  When you visit them, you will see the differences. “Socialism wants us to be dependent upon the government.” (See links at the end.)

Grand Councilman, Curtis Wells with Herrod

He also referred to the inspiring words included in both the Jefferson and Lincoln memorials in Washington DC, and compared them to those on the FDR memorial, most of which allude to citizen rights coming from government. 

Curtis Wells, Grand County Councilman,  stressed three things in his comments as top concerns. 1) Need to claw back regulations. 2) Foreign policy: help make the US stronger. 3) Need to address “entitlement” issues

“It is a misnomer to think that a National Monument is the only way to protect lands, Herrod emphasized. “Environmentalists use it as a hammer to get their way. We should use the legislative process." He mentioned that in the Howard-Redd book, it explains that states gave up rights and jurisdiction to Reservation Lands, BUT that is not true of Public lands. “Minerals are the great equalizers of public lands vs. the eastern forests.”

 

Members of Stewards of San Juan attended the meeting:
L-R: Jami Bayles, President, Members: Kim Henderson,
Jodi Lyman, and Janet Wilcox.

 Herrod also encouraged citizens in the rural west  to tell the tough stories about what happens to a  community when regulations, such as “protecting  the spotted owl, become more important than people not having a home.” He mentioned the overreach of militant BLM personnel like Dan Love, and the punitive overreach against Ken Brown and his son-in-law Dustin Felstead, who were only repairing an historic road built by an ancestor, yet ended up with horrific fines. The case against them was built on fabrication and lies not the truth. Herrod told of living in the Soviet Union, where any entrepreneurial effort (such as kids selling biscuits) is considered criminal. He alluded to the 150 “Nazi” officers who came into San Juan County, interrogated Dr. Jim Redd, and its sad aftermath. “They acted as judge, jury, and executioner,” he emphasized. They sold “untruths.” 

Richard Ryan, Dennis and Stella Lightfoot from Spanish Valley attended
and are very involved in politics. 

He also asked for help from San Juan County is showing life as it is, and how it will be affected. In answering a question on the Antiquities Act from Kim Henderson, he said one plausible avenue is to ask for Utah exemption from future designations, as part of an omnibus bill, which is how the “other” side works. Right now, environmentalists are funded through “Sue and Settle” lawsuits. They win enough that way that it funds all their environmental activities. He also emphasized that there is a “difference between land management and land exclusion.”

Another major concern in his view is the National debt, which is “a national security issue.” Utah has the resources we need for a strong country, but "not when they are locked up." Richard Ryan from Moab mentioned that Kate Cannon of Arches Nat’l Monument indicated that Arches will soon go to “visitation by reservation only.”

=========================

• About Chris Herrod 
• Herrod to be interviewed July 25 by Glen Beck
• KUER Interview with Chris Herrod
• Have a question you want to ask Chris ?
• Inscriptions on Jefferson Memorial
• Inscriptions on Lincoln Memorial
• Inscriptions on FD Roosevelt's Memorial

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