Hunting and Fishing on Federal Lands a Priority in New Legislation

[Editor]

Source: TRCP

The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership today announced its support of the Hunting and Fishing Heritage and Opportunities Act, recently introduced Senate legislation that promotes science-based management of fish, wildlife and their habitats and establishes public-lands hunting and fishing as priority activities that must be recognized and facilitated by the federal public lands planning process. The national sportsmen’s group urged the House of Representatives to pattern companion legislation after the Senate bill.

Reintroduced in the 113th Congress by Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, the Hunting and Fishing Heritage and Opportunities Act (S.170) follows a similar measure considered by lawmakers in 2012.

Neither the House nor the Senate versions of the 2012 bill ultimately was able to gain traction in the 112th Congress due in part to controversial provisions related to the Wilderness Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. S. 170 has been revised to address those concerns and improve its chances of passage into law.
“The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership is pleased to support the Hunting and Fishing Heritage and Opportunities Act, and we thank Senators Murkowski and Manchin for introducing it,” said TRCP President and CEO Whit Fosburgh. “If public access and sporting opportunities are to be maintained on our public lands, hunting and fishing must be emphasized in the federal lands planning process. S. 170 would accomplish this.

“Senators Murkowski and Manchin have gone to great lengths to make this legislation palatable to a broad spectrum of interests without compromising its underlying intent,” continued Fosburgh. “S. 170 leaves no doubt about the importance of hunting and angling on our nation’s public lands. We urge the House of Representatives to introduce a companion bill that stays true to this course – and to promote its subsequent speedy passage into law.”

Read the TRCP 2013 Conservation Policy Agenda.

Inspired by the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, the TRCP is a coalition of organizations and grassroots partners working together to preserve the traditions of hunting and fishing.

 

[littledavid123]

Reading the TRCP agenda is disturbing, a quote from the agenda "Formulate a strategy to continue to influence policy that will guide renewable energy development, particularly wind and solar energy, on public lands." These windmill farms are a dead zone for birds, a thousand acres of swishing noise and a eyesore as far as the eye can see. Don't believe me? Ask the Kennedy's of Massachusetts and anybody else along the Eastern seaboard who fought to keep them out. So why would we want this where we go to play???

And about Theodore Roosevelt, he was a dandy from New York who moved out west briefly to help garner votes to win the presidency. He was also a progressive (code word for socialist).

Don't care for these political discussions on the forum, wish they were banned permanently.

Dave

 

[Guest1]

Only thing you missed was the complete lack of reason to trust either of the authors.

Oh, and they kill Bats like they were going out of style. Not to mention being an insanely expensive way to make intermittant electricity.

 

[klunker]

I concur with Dan and Dave on this one. I find the increase in funding to dubious agendas disturbing. Climate change and Renewable Energy being 2 good examples. These are a waste of money that could be better spent directly on habitat improvement.

Also I find the big push for "access" to public lands/waters to be problematic. I have seen this on local lakes. Big push for "improved" access ended up in big piers, paved parking lots, and bigger/better boat landings. These lakes had access prior to the improvement but they effectively limited access to smaller craft and smaller tow vehicles. Canoes, small row boats, pontoons and kayaks. Now we have to endure more traffic, bigger boats, more garbage and destruction of habitat due to this increased traffic. And 2 of these lake were "no motors" allowed before. Small lakes, about 100 acres or less. Again if all this money was more efficiently spent on habitat improvement it would improve fishing opportunities instead of degrading the current experience. The money should of been given to local sportsman clubs to do the habitat improvement (fish cribs for example) with the over sight of state DNR.

 

[fredaevans]

What a load of total Tosh ......

 

[double d]

Reading the TRCP agenda is disturbing, a

And about Theodore Roosevelt, he was a dandy from New York who moved out west briefly to help garner votes to win the presidency. He was also a progressive (code word for socialist).

Don't care for these political discussions on the forum, wish they were banned permanently.

Dave

Agree with you Dave, wish we didn't have political discussion on this forum, but......since you commented on a subject I disagree with you on, so will I. The next time anyone visits/hikes/camps or otherwise enjoys a U.S. National Park, thank the "Progressive" Movement and T.R., as he greatly influenced the development of our N.P.'s. Say what you will about him politically, but don't distort his historical contributions either to conservation of our public lands.

 

[Guest1]

Agree with you Dave, wish we didn't have political discussion on this forum, but......since you commented on a subject I disagree with you on, so will I. The next time anyone visits/hikes/camps or otherwise enjoys a U.S. National Park, thank the "Progressive" Movement and T.R., as he greatly influenced the development of our N.P.'s. Say what you will about him politically, but don't distort his historical contributions either to conservation of our public lands.

Comparing Teddy to todays progressives is like comparing capitalist apples to communist oranges.

 

[double d]

Comparing Teddy to todays progressives is like comparing capitalist apples to communist oranges.

Diver Dan: Interesting statement, but I doubt it, as American history indicates that T.R. was called a Socialist in 1906 for the first time (reference Doug Brinkley's great book on T.R. titled "Wilderness Warrior: T.R. and the Crusade for America" and look at page 469). Also, our country most likely wouldn't have R.M.N.P. without T.R., but some call it "socialism" at that time, but he was accused of it in 1916 as well (especially since part of it was used as a private golf course prior to 1916).