Schwartzenegger admin facilitating back-door sell-off of National Park land?

[Hannah Bell]

SECRET CALIFORNIA PARK GIVE-AWAY — Back Door Proposal to Transfer Lands from Tolowa Dunes State Park

San Francisco — Conservation groups are protesting a proposed transfer of interest in approximately 1200 acres of the Tolowa Dunes State Park by the California Department of Parks and Recreation to the California Department of Fish and Game. The deal, which will open up the lands to hunting, is moving forward without any public notice or environmental review.

“The Governor apparently intends to save State Parks by disposing of them,” said Karen Schambach, California Director for Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). “While State Parks can’t be sold, Fish and Game lands don’t enjoy that same protection. Is this the first step towards selling our parklands off to private interests?”

Tolowa Dunes State Park is located in Del Norte County in the northwest corner of California. The Park includes approximately 1200 acres near Lake Earl, the largest coastal lagoon in California. For the first time this year, the long-standing ban on hunting in State Parks is being enforced. This apparently has provided the impetus for the proposed land transfer, which will reportedly be completed in mid-November to accommodate the duck hunting season.

In a letter sent last week to State Parks Director Ruth Coleman protesting the proposed transfer, Friends of Del Norte, the Environmental Protection Information Center, and the Center for Biological Diversity accused the Departments of Parks and Recreation and Fish and Game not only with proceeding with the transfer in secrecy, but with deliberately ignoring environmental laws.

“These unique wetlands should be protected by State Parks; not traded away as a political favor,” said Lisa Belenky, senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. “If State Parks wants to change the status of the public lands entrusted to its care, it must do so through an open public process.”


http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=1274

[ccharles000]

1. I bet the people of California will be happy when he is gone.

[earth mom]

2. Oh HELL NO! Arnie is an evil bastard through and through!!!

:grr:

[polichick]

3. Wow, if that's his intention, he's quite a sleezeball! nt

[Thothmes]

4. Your header is misleading, Should

read "sell-off of State Park Land." The Governor of California has no authority when it comes to the administration of National Park land. JMO

[Hannah Bell]

5. you're right, thanks, i'll try to change it if it's not too late.

on edit: but it is. my bad.

[Hannah Bell]

6. my error: should be "state" not "national" parks.

[HamdenRice]

7. Misleading subject line-Tolowa Dunes is a State Park not National Park

[Duende azul]

10. You are late to the party.

Didn't want to miss your opportunity to contribute to another Hannah Bell-thread?
Even if the point was just settled more than one and a half hours ago?
Well, that's dedication. Admirable how you remain on guard on important formalities.

[Bluenorthwest]

8. Tolowa Dunes and Lake Earl

Such a beautiful corner of California. Del Norte County is gorgeous.

[Canuckistanian]

9. Californians, you'd better stay on top of this

Or else this will be used as the template for secretly seling off state parks.

Conservatives have been looking for years to weaken conservation laws to allow for commercial use of park land. This looks like a new trick to do just that.

Fight for it or lose it.