See No Wild Lands, Speak No Wild Lands - NYT Blog Re. Obama Decision

[hatrack]

EDIT

A little more than five months after scuttling the Bush administration’s pledge not to set aside more federal land as potential wilderness, and six weeks after Congress passed a measure forbidding him to carry out the pledge, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar issued a memo on Wednesday scuttling his own decision.

The memo said that Interior officials would have discussions with congressional leaders, local politicians and federal land managers about lands with wilderness potential and would keep inventories of various parcels of lands and how they might be used, but would follow Congress’s command and not try to declare any of its holdings as “wild lands.”

On one level, of course, Mr. Salazar was simply declaring that he would follow the law, as noted by Doc Hastings, the Washington Republican who serves as chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee.

“It’s welcome news that the Interior Department will follow the law,” a prepared statement issued in Representative Hastings’s name said. It went on, “Attempts to prohibit forms of public access, block job-creating activities and manage land as wilderness, even though they haven’t been designated as such by Congress, will be met with a strong reaction by this committee.” But on another level, he seemed to be renouncing his proactive wilderness policy for good, not just until the end of the year, when the Congressional prohibition ends.

EDIT

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/01/see-no-wild-lands-speak-no-wild-lands/#more-103915

[n2doc]

1. We wanted JFK II. We Needed FDR II. We Got Reagan II. n/t

[jaxx]

2. We got Barack Obama.

Quit with the nonsense.

[Nihil]

7. You got Barack Obama ...

... complete with the nonsense.

[Robb]

3. As someone who has been in the Wilderness designation process up to his neck

...I will say it is backbreaking work to even bring new parcels in front of the right people for consideration -- to say nothing of getting the right kind of parcels to begin with. Not every piece of land works, but as an advocate I was heartened by the notion of swifter action and fewer desks.

I was reminded, however, that anything backed solely by Interior would not have the lasting effect of efforts backed by Congress.

I have deep and conflicted opinions on this. Wilderness designations ("wiild lands) that had the possibility of being repealed would not have sat well with me -- but perhaps might've been a stepping stone to permanent designation.

[Vanje]

4. Very disappointing. Very.

We're slouching ever back to GW Bush-Administration.

[kristopher]

5. I think the attack on Obama is misguided.

The problem is again a recalcitrant and obstructionist Congress. If the 2012 election delivers Congress into the control of PROGRESSIVES with enough of a margin to make the bluedogs irrelevant, then you'll see Obama push for strong solidly progressive legislation IMO.

Keep the blame where it belongs.

[Ship of Fools]

6. thank you.

i'm afraid that 2012 elections won't deliver, unless dems get to some major messaging. even then, repub state legislations are wreaking havoc with the vote. still hoping against hope that the next four years is when Obama would go into overdrive. not holding my breath, though.