NMC_EXP
Explorer
Of probable concern to those who consider the outdoors to be more than a museum:
The Obama regime came out with "America's Great Outdoors". AGO spawned two initiatives: "Landscapes" and the "National Blueways System". Bear in mind a "Blueways" system includes management of the entire watershed from headwaters to mouth of the river.
http://www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors/whatwedo/landscapes.cfm
http://www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors/whatwedo/rivers/national-blueways-system.cfm
The descriptions sound all warm, fuzzy and good. Michael Coffman has a different take on the Blueways System". From his article in Range Magazine:
[begin excerpt]
Blueways Goals
Not surprisingly, the National Blueways program goals overlap with those of AHRI and ICBEMP:
“Establish a program to recognize river systems conserved through diverse stakeholder partnerships that use a comprehensive watershed approach to resource stewardship. River systems designated as a National Blueway shall
collectively constitute a National Blueways System. The National Blueways System will provide a new national emphasis on the unique value and significance of a headwaters-to-mouth approach to river management
and create a mechanism to encourage stakeholders to integrate their land and water stewardship efforts by adopting a
watershed approach.”
Like the rest of the Agenda 21/Sustainable America ideas, the concept qualifies for motherhood-and-apple-pie status. Yet, like all other federal programs based on Sustainable America, it must destroy private property rights to succeed. After all, to be “comprehensive,” the federal government must have the power to force landowners into a very
small box of land use alternatives that protect the watershed and its values for everyone but the landowner.
The program allows a nonelected group of stakeholders, made up mostly of nonelected bureaucrats and nongovernmental environmental organizations, to set priorities and policy. Many if not most of these stakehold-
ers do not live in the watershed itself, yet claim the right to say what landowners can do with their land. And, as with all regional governance resulting from Sustainable America programs, there may be the token representation of
a county commissioner or city councilman to give the appearance of accountability to taxpayers.
The National Blueways program has been billed to the public as “voluntary.” However, like so many other things that the federal government does not have constitutional authority to do, it entices the states into doing what the federal program dictates by offering huge financial grants. Even conservatives cannot refuse huge amounts of money
dancing before their eyes.
[end excerpt]
Link to Coffman's article: http://www.rangemagazine.com/features/winter-14/range-wi14-sr-agenda_21-stealth.pdf
Coffman wrote this for Range Magazine which is concerned with the property rights of ranchers and farmers. Bear in mind that watershed protections will certainly include restrictions on motorized backcountry travel. Everywhere we travel is a watershed. The "Landscapes" initiative is likely to determine that backcountry trails are a blight on the landscape.
NOTES:
AHRI = American Heritage Rivers Initiative
ICBEMP = Interior Columbia Basin
Regards
Jim
The Obama regime came out with "America's Great Outdoors". AGO spawned two initiatives: "Landscapes" and the "National Blueways System". Bear in mind a "Blueways" system includes management of the entire watershed from headwaters to mouth of the river.
http://www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors/whatwedo/landscapes.cfm
http://www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors/whatwedo/rivers/national-blueways-system.cfm
The descriptions sound all warm, fuzzy and good. Michael Coffman has a different take on the Blueways System". From his article in Range Magazine:
[begin excerpt]
Blueways Goals
Not surprisingly, the National Blueways program goals overlap with those of AHRI and ICBEMP:
“Establish a program to recognize river systems conserved through diverse stakeholder partnerships that use a comprehensive watershed approach to resource stewardship. River systems designated as a National Blueway shall
collectively constitute a National Blueways System. The National Blueways System will provide a new national emphasis on the unique value and significance of a headwaters-to-mouth approach to river management
and create a mechanism to encourage stakeholders to integrate their land and water stewardship efforts by adopting a
watershed approach.”
Like the rest of the Agenda 21/Sustainable America ideas, the concept qualifies for motherhood-and-apple-pie status. Yet, like all other federal programs based on Sustainable America, it must destroy private property rights to succeed. After all, to be “comprehensive,” the federal government must have the power to force landowners into a very
small box of land use alternatives that protect the watershed and its values for everyone but the landowner.
The program allows a nonelected group of stakeholders, made up mostly of nonelected bureaucrats and nongovernmental environmental organizations, to set priorities and policy. Many if not most of these stakehold-
ers do not live in the watershed itself, yet claim the right to say what landowners can do with their land. And, as with all regional governance resulting from Sustainable America programs, there may be the token representation of
a county commissioner or city councilman to give the appearance of accountability to taxpayers.
The National Blueways program has been billed to the public as “voluntary.” However, like so many other things that the federal government does not have constitutional authority to do, it entices the states into doing what the federal program dictates by offering huge financial grants. Even conservatives cannot refuse huge amounts of money
dancing before their eyes.
[end excerpt]
Link to Coffman's article: http://www.rangemagazine.com/features/winter-14/range-wi14-sr-agenda_21-stealth.pdf
Coffman wrote this for Range Magazine which is concerned with the property rights of ranchers and farmers. Bear in mind that watershed protections will certainly include restrictions on motorized backcountry travel. Everywhere we travel is a watershed. The "Landscapes" initiative is likely to determine that backcountry trails are a blight on the landscape.
NOTES:
AHRI = American Heritage Rivers Initiative
ICBEMP = Interior Columbia Basin
Regards
Jim
