Transfer of Public Lands

[go_deep]

Yikes!

That is a scary statement by Governor Mead.

So...


1. He doesn't know the wording of the bill.
2. He does know that the state can't afford it.
3. He wants a 5 year try anyway.

So what happens after the 5 years?

Then the legislators laugh off the idea because of its shaky legal ground. So they know it won't happen anyway, but are OK wasting Wyoming taxpayer money "studying" the issue? Doesn't sound like very good management of state resources to me.

HPD, you were right ... this is madness.

Matt said he didn't like how the bill was worded, not that he didn't know how it was worded.
This is my personal feeling is that they want the federal government to maintain ownership, but fund the state to manage it. I can't say as it would be good, bad, or otherwise, but they feel they can do a better job.
I just hope I'm not watching a great American travesty unfold before my eyes.

 

[Bitterroot Bulls]

Matt said he didn't like how the bill was worded, not that he didn't know how it was worded.

My mistake. Did he tell you what would happen after 5 years?

 

[go_deep]

My mistake. Did he tell you what would happen after 5 years?

Just a guess, but I would think he would hope they do a better job and that's when I think it would get interesting because at that point they have proven they can do it.

 

[highplainsdrifter]

We are in a very sad place when the state has so much hate for the federal government that it is willing to make a statement that is on questionable legal grounds. While I am also often unhappy with the federal government, I am not willing to throw the baby out with the bath water. We all, including our elected officials, need to take a deep breath and repeat three times:

It is okay to love our federal lands even if we don't love our federal government.

It is okay to love our federal lands even if we don't love our federal government.

It is okay to love our federal lands even if we don't love our federal government.

 

[Bitterroot Bulls]

This is my personal feeling is that they want the federal government to maintain ownership, but fund the state to manage it.

We have touched on this before. So Governor Mead wants my tax dollars to fund public lands in his state, but doesn't want my representatives to have a say in management of those lands? I can't support that.

A bigger question is why are they pushing this agenda when their constituents do not support it? Who do they work for?


http://www.sltrib.com/info/staff/1614731-155/lands-federal-public-states-utah-percent

 

[highplainsdrifter]

Within the next few minutes, the Wyoming House of Representatives is going to discuss the transfer of federal lands bill, third reading. You can listen to the debate here:

http://legisweb.state.wy.us/lsoweb/session/AudioHWindows.aspx

You might have best luck using Internet Explorer.

 

[highplainsdrifter]

Within the next few minutes, the Wyoming House of Representatives is going to discuss the transfer of federal lands bill, third reading. You can listen to the debate here:

http://legisweb.state.wy.us/lsoweb/session/AudioHWindows.aspx

You might have best luck using Internet Explorer.

They have adjourned until 2:15. According to the agenda, HB0209, Transfer of Federal Lands, should be next.

 

[highplainsdrifter]

The bill just passed the House 36-22.

If you listened to the discussion and didn't get sick to the stomach, you have a stronger stomach than I have.

 

[libidilatimmy]

The bill just passed the House 36-22.

If you listened to the discussion and didn't get sick to the stomach, you have a stronger stomach than I have.

I hear you. There was a lot of discrediting of any individual or organization that opposed the bill saying we didn't know what was best for the state.

 

[go_deep]

The bill just passed the House 36-22.

If you listened to the discussion and didn't get sick to the stomach, you have a stronger stomach than I have.

What was the gist of the conversation?

 

[Bitterroot Bulls]

I hear you. There was a lot of discrediting of any individual or organization that opposed the bill saying we didn't know what was best for the state.

So the majority of residents of the state don't know what is best for the state?

It is gut-check time for hunters and other recreationists to put other differences aside and do what is right on this issue.

 

[ScottR]

What Senators were the most vocal?

 

[libidilatimmy]

What was the gist of the conversation?

In a nutshell, that the people/organizations that were so vocally opposed to the bill were extremist minded. Discriminating terms for the organizations that opposed saying most of the members of said organizations were from other states and a blanket statement which labeled them all as "green groups". Saying they want to be treated more fairly by the Federal Govt. like the eastern states are. The one's opposed to the bill brought forth statistics and financial concerns that were never addressed. One legislator, who was opposed to the bill, wanted to pursue the takeover of federal lands with private money, not State money, through the current federal land transfer system.

 

[libidilatimmy]

What Senators were the most vocal?

I had it turned down at my desk and the Speaker wasn't speaking very clearly into the microphone when he introduced them, so I'm not really sure, Scott. Here's the vote tab: http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2015/billreference/VoteDetail.aspx?ID=5190&Title=Transfer+of+federal+lands.

I'll add that there was quite a bit of banter from the one's supporting the bill that their counties and the state have a large percentage of land that they could get taxes/revenue from if it was under state control.

 

[Bitterroot Bulls]

In a nutshell, that the people/organizations that were so vocally opposed to the bill were extremist minded. Discriminating terms for the organizations that opposed saying most of the members of said organizations were from other states and a blanket statement which labeled them all as "green groups". Saying they want to be treated more fairly by the Federal Govt. like the eastern states are. The one's opposed to the bill brought forth statistics and financial concerns that were never addressed. One legislator, who was opposed to the bill, wanted to pursue the takeover of federal lands with private money, not State money, through the current federal land transfer system.

----Jaw on floor----

 

[highplainsdrifter]

What Senators were the most vocal?

Scott,

This was in the House of Representatives. Representative David Miller, from Riverton, suggested that most of the opposition was probably from "green" groups that were likely anti-gun. Clearly he was trying to cast all opposition as a bunch of environmental extremists.

 

[ScottR]

Scott,

This was in the House of Representatives. Representative David Miller, from Lander, suggested that most of the opposition was probably from "green" groups that were likely anti-gun. Clearly he was trying to cast all opposition as a bunch of environmental extremists.

That is funny, articles have now appeared in major hunting publications that oppose this. I don't think they are anti-gun....

 

[highplainsdrifter]

That is funny, articles have now appeared in major hunting publications that oppose this. I don't think they are anti-gun....

Scott can you correct this?

 

[ScottR]

Looks like it was corrected.

 

[highplainsdrifter]

Looks like it was corrected.

Thanks a lot!