A few weeks ago, a group calling itself a “militia” took over a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon and are now standing guard there with guns, saying they are prepared to stay for years, to stand and fight, to die if necessary. While they initially stated they were there to protest the prison sentences of two people who were convicted of setting federal land on fire, it quickly became clear that like rancher Cliven Bundy last year, they are simply there to protest federal land management, and perhaps even the existence of the federal government itself.
This is of course ironic when you consider, as some in the media thankfully have, that this same group of people leases federal land for grazing at approximately 1/16th market value, and takes advantage of a myriad number of other federal programs.
You might think that what’s taking place in Oregon is far removed from New Mexico’s deserts and mountains, but it is startlingly close. Anti-federal sentiments and even legislation have been rampant in New Mexico and across the west for several years now. It stems, like the Sagebrush Rebellion of the 1980’s, from a complete distrust of the federal government, a belief that resource development should not have limits, and from a desire to see the public lands which belong to all Americans in the hands of the states or even counties. This would, of course, mean these lands would be opened up for more activities like oil and gas, because the land would not be subject to federal environmental laws which require balanced and relatively sustainable use.
Thankfully, these goals would be nearly impossible to achieve without a Constitutional amendment or at the very least an overhaul of federal laws. But Western states have still been attempting to pass bills over the last few years which would demand federal lands be handed over. These legislative campaigns are openly funded and organized by groups like ALEC. Utah is so far the only state to pass such a bill, and it has been mired in litigation ever since, but New Mexico and other Western states have seen similar bills introduced in each legislative session since 2012. New Mexico’s State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn and Governor Martinez have both expressed some support for these bills, and several New Mexico counties have officially joined national campaigns to push the agenda forward.
Whether they know it or not, these groups are doing the work of large oil and gas and timber companies who like the rules about development better on state lands than on public lands. On public lands, federal agencies have to consider public input, come up with some sort of sustainable balanced approach to land management, and must implement federal environmental laws. There are generally no such requirements on state lands in western states, where mineral production is often directly linked to revenues for specific programs. This creates a scenario where there is a direct financial incentive for more development on state lands.
Unfortunately, some groups believe it is legitimate to go beyond legislative efforts and resort to a different tactic: force, and revolt. Last year a group of people in the Lincoln National Forest removed a gate the Forest Service had installed to protect a spring in order to allow their cows to access it, saying the agency had no authority over the land. Congressman Steve Pearce has gotten on board, stating his support for the legislation and even urging illegal woodcutting on the Lincoln National Forest in 2011.
Federal public lands are a legacy unmatched anywhere in the world; it’s remarkable that large swaths of forests, rivers, mountains, and deserts are literally held in trust for future generations of Americans in perpetuity. They belong to all of us, and to the species that live there, and we all benefit from them by visiting them, hiking on them, fishing on them, and where appropriate, by developing resources within them. But decisions about what to do with them should not rest on a few shoulders; they should be made carefully, taking into consideration the best available science and the input from the public. While held in trust, this does happen, and we should oppose any attempt to end it.
Americans overwhelmingly support and love public lands. Now is the time to make sure your representatives, at every level of government, know that you want those lands held by the public permanently.
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