@NMWildlife Legislative Watch

Feb. 27, 2015

Tell House committee: No study, no land seizure!

Legislation to “study” the transfer millions of acres of national public land to the state goes before the House Judiciary Committee on Saturday morning.

Sportsmen need to speak up – loudly – if they want to stop House BIll 291 from going any further.

Call or email members of the House Judiciary Committee today and tell them you oppose any and all efforts to transfer our national forests and BLM lands to the state – including a study commission.

House Bill 291, sponsored by Rep. Yvette Herrell of Alamogordo, would create a 17-member commission to “study” the so-called land transfer issue. The bill’s supporters say they need a study before making a final decision on the transfer issue. But judging from their statements and past actions, their minds are already made up – they just want a hand-crafted commission to justify their position.

Take a minute right now and call or email members of the committee – particularly if you live in the same community as the committee members. But hurry – the Judiciary Committee meets at 8:30 a.m. Saturday so its critical to reach them today. Tell them you’re a New Mexico hunter/angler who opposes all efforts to transfer our national public lands, including HB 291!

If you can, come to the Capitol on Saturday morning. The Judiciary Committee meets at 8:30 a.m. in Room 309. A big crowd of public lands users – hunters, anglers, hikers, campers, boaters, horseback riders, mountain bikers – will help show that we want to KEEP OUR PUBLIC LANDS IN PUBLIC HANDS.

Here are the members of the House Judiciary Committee. Anyone can call any legislator, but they are most interested in hearing from their constituents. If any of the committee members represents you, it is especially important that you contact them. And remember – they are in Santa Fe to represent the public, not special interests!

Chairman Zachary Cook, Ruidoso, office phone (505) 986-4411, zachary.cook@nmlegis.gov
Vice chairman Paul Pacheco, Albuquerque, 986-4238, paul.pacheco@nmlegis.gov
Rep. David Adkins, Albuquerque, 986-4453, david.adkins@nmlegis.gov
Rep. Eliseo Lee Alcon, Milan, 986-4220, eliseo.alcon@nmlegis.gov
Rep. Cathrynn Brown, Carlsbad, (575) 706-4420, cath@cathrynnbrown.com
Rep. Gail Chasey, Albuquerque, 986-4452, gail@gailchasey.com
Rep. Jim Dines, Albuquerque, 986-4242, jim.dines@nmlegis.gov
Rep. Brian Egolf, Santa Fe, 986-4757, brian.egolf@nmlegis.gov
Rep. Nate Gentry, Albuquerque, 986-4776, natefornm@gmail.com
Rep. Georgene Louis, Albuquerque, 986-9144, georgene.louis@nmlegis.gov
Rep. Antonio Maestas, Albuquerque, 986-4214, antonio.maestas@nmlegis.gov
Rep. Ken Martinez, Grants, 986-4776, ken.martinez@nmlegis.gov
Rep. Terry McMillan, Las Cruces, 986-4327, docmcmillan@gmail.com
Pass it on

Please share this newsletter with a friend and ask them to get involved by joining our Sportsman’s Alert network. Click here to sign up now. New Mexico sportsmen need to stay involved to ensure our hunting and fishing traditions continue. And please make a contribution to NMWF. With sportsmen like you, we can continue to make a difference. Go to http://www.nmwildlife.org to donate today.

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Idaho Sportsmen Rally to Protest Land Grab @IDWildlife @OurPublicLands

Thursday, February 12, 2015 Event in Boise

Millions of acres of public lands at risk of being sold to highest bidder

BOISE, Idaho – Sportsmen from across Idaho will rally on the steps of the Idaho Capitol to protest efforts by members of the Idaho legislature to take control of federal public lands. Speakers will call for keeping public lands public and urge Idahoans to sign a petition supporting that stance.

WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 12, Noon to 2 p.m.

WHERE: Idaho Capitol, 700 W. Jefferson St., Boise, Idaho

WHY: The Idaho legislature is attempting to wrest control of up to 34 million acres of federal public lands. Currently, legislators are considering a measure so that “modifications to Idaho’s statutes and State Constitution can be made to effectuate these policy goals.” A related proposal would spend a half-million dollars of state funds (plus an additional quarter-million every following year) to actively pursue options for transferring ownership of federal lands in Idaho to the state.

Idaho cannot shoulder the enormous costs associated with fighting wildfires, maintaining roads and trails, treating noxious weeds and conducting habitat restoration on these lands. The transfer of federal lands to Idaho would result in one likely outcome: the fire sale of these lands to the highest bidder – billionaires and foreign corporations who may neither understand nor value America’s outdoor heritage. Once privatized, these lands will become off limits to most sportsmen in perpetuity.

American sportsmen – in Idaho and across the West – are uniting in opposition to federal land transfer schemes.

WHO: Speakers will represent a wide range of interests, including Idaho-based sportsmen’s groups, youth sportsmen, veterans who hunt and fish, Idaho-based businesses and the Idaho legislature.

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