U.S. Forest Service against South Dakota Land Grab at Spearfish Canyon

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/forest-service-opposes-swap-of-spearfish-canyon-and-bismarck-lake/article_ef44f720-443d-592e-bd50-22f30d46da89.html

"Spearfish Canyon and Bismarck Lake Land Exchange Act

This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA), if South Dakota conveys to it four parcels of specified nonfederal lands, comprising 1,954 acres, to convey to South Dakota in exchange 1,468 acres known as the "Spearfish Canyon Area" and 524 acres known as the "Bismarck Lake Area" in the Black Hills National Forest in South Dakota.

The values of the federal and nonfederal lands to be exchanged shall be equal.

USDA shall complete any environmental analyses required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 regarding the land exchange carried out under this bill.

The nonfederal lands acquired by USDA shall be added to and administered as part of the forest.

The federal lands acquired by South Dakota shall be managed by it for public recreation uses and the conservation of natural resources."

This bill requires the USDA to value the Spearfish Canyon and Bismarck Lake Area as agricultural, meaning it will only be valued at few dollars an acre. Not as the prime real estate that Governor Daugaard, Senators Rounds and Thune and Rep. Noem all would love to sell to their friends on the cheap. Koch brothers, anyone?

By law, the U.S. Forest Service cannot sell public land to private persons. But the state of South Dakota can, and will. And they will force the US government to pay for access, development and anything else they can figure into the equation.

This is highway robbery and another example of how the GOP wants to rape America for whatever it can, without any sense of morals.

[texasfiddler]

1. This is why we can't have a Republican in the Whitehouse

They want to sell off our public lands to their corporate buddies. Makes me sick. Teddy Roosevelt is spinning in his grave.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

2. Here is the bill...

... https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/3254

Very little of no coverage of this in the Sioux Falls http://www.argusleader.com

I called and emailed the ArgusLeader newsroom just now, their email response was that they do not have the time to cover the whole state of South Dakota. Not acceptable to me.

Contact their content and watchdog person at: Daniel Haugen [e-mail] to let him know your feelings on this abuse.