U.S. Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva has issued a report chronicling a partial list of the Bush Administration’s assault on protections of your public lands:
A Report on the Bush Administration Assaults on Our National Parks, Forests and Public Lands
A couple examples of interest to Yellowstone :
Greatest Slaughter of Bison in the United States Since the 19th Century
The Bush Administration has presided over the largest slaughter of bison since the Great Plains herds were slaughtered nearly to extinction by unscrupulous buffalo hunters in the late 1800s. Even more tragically, the 1,167 killed this year resided in Yellowstone National Park where their survival should have been protected. The Administration’s failure to formulate a plan allowing bison to roam freely within and outside Yellowstone
National Park and lack of leadership on most ecological issues will likely lead to more bison deaths in the winter of 2008-2009. Bison are a symbol of the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior, both of whom should be ensuring the protection and survival of these animals rather than aiding in their slaughter.
…
Administration Attacks World Heritage Status of Yellowstone
Administration officials urged the United Nations to remove Yellowstone National Park from a list of endangered World Heritage sites in a letter stating that ―Yellowstone is no longer “in danger.” The “in danger” list is maintained by the U.N. World Heritage Committee and helps to trigger action on the part of the committee when a World Heritage Site is threatened with destruction or serious degradation. Nineteen World Heritage sites were on the list at the time and Yellowstone in particular is on the list due to continuing threats to water quality, air quality and wildlife.
Though the park has been on the “in danger” list since 1995, environmentalists say Bush Administration policies have actually placed the park and its resources in greater peril. The most significant threats to the park come from energy development and logging adjacent to the park, stripping sensitive species such as wolves and grizzly bears of their protections, the continued slaughter of the park’s resident bison and the unresolved snowmobile winter use issue.
Comments
It’s painful to read the particulars of what Bush and cronies have done, but it is good to have them tracked down and put in a report we can all refer to.
Thanks for posting it, Brian.
Yes how much needless destruction of the natural world has occurred under these sick Bushies?
And SO many of the Bush lackeys now in charge at Interior are from Idaho. And those lackeys in allowing this buffalo slaughter to occur, ESA protections to be stripped, and in so many other ways, are doing the bidding first and foremost of the whining public lands welfare ranchers who hate everything wild in the West.
After reading this in-depth and depressing report, I certainly understand why Brian hopes that Congressman Grijalva will be our new Secretary of the Interior. To further illustrate his report, the BLM is allowing nine 15,000-foot gas wells to be drilled by Bill Barrett Corp. in the McCullough Peaks area east of Cody. This land is within the Wildhorse Management area and an area which has been identified as core breeding grounds for the sage grouse. I hate to wish the time to pass quickly, but I cannot wait to see the end of this horrible administration and its devastating effects on our beautiful lands. January 20 can’t come too soon for me. (Assuming, as I am, that we have a new Democratic and caring administration.)
KT, Welfare ranchers is correct.
JB, Brian, Ralph,
I know this is off subject, but I am wondering….
I have a group of teens who want to participate in some grass roots environmental work. They have been studying the candidates, and have wisely concluded that there are far too many people who are under educated about what needs to be conserved.
My question is, do you have any recommendations about organizations who seek this kind of help?
Vicki,
I don’t live in the West, so I’m unfamiliar with local groups. Have you tried contacting Suzanne Stone with Defenders of Wildlife? Perhaps they could help DOW erect fladry in order to prevent livestock depredations (and more importantly, retaliation killings).
That is a good thought. I can do that. I am wanting them to choose what they promote, so they are truly invested in the out come. I know DOW does work around here. (One teen did say he didn’t want to support groups who paid ranchers…I asked him to explain why he felt that way to all of us next week .)
I also thought perhaps they could inquire with WWP to see about how to help save the Poudre River.
I think they could benefit from the insight of many things here.
If you begin to read a ton of questions from kids who have “Youthful” screen names…be patient….they are good hearted kids trying to change the world.
vicki,
i apologize for the delayed response –
i will email you tomorrow with information to pass along.
thanks brian