BLM to Overturn Bush's 'No More Wilderness' Policy

[SpartanDem]

Source: ny times

The Bureau of Land Management this afternoon is expected to overturn a George W. Bush administration policy barring the agency from temporarily protecting lands with wilderness qualities.

The scheduled 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time announcement by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and BLM Director Bob Abbey in Denver could upend part or all of a 2003 settlement by then-Interior Secretary Gale Norton and the state of Utah and allow BLM to once again preserve roadless landscapes until Congress decides whether to pass permanent protections.

Conservation groups for years have lobbied Interior to overturn the Norton settlement -- known as the "no more wilderness" policy -- arguing that it blocked the agency from its statutory duty to protect pristine landscapes in its resource management plans.

The lawsuit with the state of Utah barred BLM from taking stock of wilderness quality lands on all of its 256 million acres, reaching far beyond the few oil and gas leases in Utah that had been at issue in the case, groups contend.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/12/23/23greenwire-blm-to-overturn-bushs-no-more-wilderness-polic-14341.html

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Wilderness rules restored for public lands

Salazar said his agency will repeal 2003's so-called "No More Wilderness" policy adopted under former Interior Secretary Gale Norton. That policy stated that new areas could not be recommended for wilderness protection by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. It opened millions of acres in the Rocky Mountain region to potential commercial development.

Environmental activists have been calling on the Obama administration to restore protections for potential wilderness areas. Salazar announced Thursday that the agency will resume evaluating lands that could be designated as wilderness areas.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/23/AR2010122303145.html

[jwirr]

1. Another accomplishment. This time using rules and regulations.

We are going to need these kind of moves when dealing with the do nothing repugs in the next two years.

[fascisthunter]

2. good

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

3. They got blm?

:cry:

[tabasco]

4. I thought Obama was the same as Bush!!

I read it here at DU all the time!?!

:shrug:

[slay]

6. When something like this happens, I'd like to applaud, to think it brings us together

but I guess it doesn't. Obama is better than Bush. But Obama comes up way short. Wars, where was single-payer, covering-up the Bush admin crimes, tax cuts for millionaires, etc. We deserved better.

Yay on the saving parts of what's left of our planet part though!

[iandhr]

5. Salazar

kinds of reminded me of "Bingo Bob" Russell in the West Wing. Bartlet's second VP after Hoynes resigned. Before in became VP he was described as a the congressman from Western Colorado Mining and a "lap dog" of mining interests. Hope this proves me wrong.

[Scurrilous]

7. K & R

:thumbsup: