Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva today introduced legislation  to “help conserve our natural resources from the threats of climate change.”  Read More

Arizona National Parks are scheduled to receive funds for important projects to protect national monuments & landscapes, remediate abandoned mines and for other purposes.  See full list of Arizona national park areas receiving funding

Several Arizona Representatives joined a bipartisan group in the U.S. House today in voting to pass H.R.146, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. For a state-by-state breakdown of today’s vote go to http://politics.nytimes.com/congress/votes/111/house/1/153

Please take a few minutes to thank those Representative who worked so hard to pass this legislation this year – CD 1: Representatives Ann Kirkpatrick; CD 4: Ed Pastor, CD 5: Harry Mitchell; CD7: Raul Grijalva; and CD 8: Gabrielle Giffords.
View their contact info

For more details about the legislation and activities this session see below.

The Omnibus Lands Package will come up for another vote in the U.S. House today.  For more details about the legislation, read posts below.

The Omnibus Public Land Management Act was defeated in the U.S. House on March 11 under a procedural maneuver that required a 2/3rds majority vote for passage. The final vote was 282-144 in favor, which was just short of the 2/3rds required. For the final vote tally: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll117.xml

Because of the strong bipartisan support for this measure further action is likely. Please take the time to thank the members of Arizona’s Congressional Delegation for their tireless efforts and support for the Omnibus Lands Package (Fossil Creek and all of the Arizona treasures included in the package) – Representatives Ann Kirkpatrick, Ed Pastor, Harry Mitchell, Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords. See legislator contact information

The Omnibus Public Lands Package, which permanently protects Fossil Creek and Arizona monuments and other special places in the National Landscape Conservation System, will come up for a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives tomorrow. The measure will be considered under the “Suspension of the Rules” procedure which requires a 2/3rds vote for final passage.

This is a difficult procedural hurdle and each vote is critical. 

For more information: http://s22.w-w-h.org

Communicate now with Members of Arizona’s Congressional Delegation!

A final vote in the U.S. House on the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 has not been scheduled but could come quickly! When the bill comes up there will likely be a vote to “recommit” – send it back to House and Senate Committees for changes.

Congressional leaders have said that a successful motion could well kill the bill for the Congress because of the procedural hurdles it will face if it is sent back to the Senate. That’s a serious setback for efforts to protect Arizona treasures included in the National Landscape Conservation System and the years of hard work which have been devoted to long-overdue Wild and Scenic River protection for Fossil Creek.

For detailed information about the Omnibus Public Lands bill go to:
http://s22.w-w-h.org/

Fom left: Tribal Councilmember’s Libby Johnson, Robert Jackson Sr.,Roberta Quail, Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick, Chairman Thomas Beautyand Tribal Councilmember’s Nancy Guzman and Cora-Lei Marquez.

Yavapai Apache Nation tribal leaders recently met with newly-elected CD 1 Representative Ann Kirkpatrick and all of the other members of the Arizona Congressional Delegation in Washington to discuss the importance of passing Omnibus Public Lands legislation, which includes formal designation of Fossil Creek as a Wild & Scenic River, Mining Law Reform and other important issues.

The Yavapai Apache Nation has been a tireless advocate for the restoration and conservation of Fossil Creek since the late 1990s. (The Nation was granted federal intervention status and was instrumental in the decommissioning of the Childs-Irving hydro-electric plant in 2006.) During their D.C. trip YAN leaders also met with the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

The U.S. House was scheduled to consider the Omnibus Lands Package last week but the vote has been postponed. Return to our website for ongoing updates.

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) recently reintroduced legislation to reform the 1872 law governing the extraction of hardrock minerals from publicly-owned federal lands in the West.  H.R. 699 is nearly identical to the bill passed by the U.S. House last Congress.  “Given our current economic crisis and the empty state of our national Treasury, it is ludicrous to be allowing this outmoded law to continue to exempt mining activities from paying a fair return to the American people,” Rahall said.  “Nobody in their right mind would allow timber, oil, gas, coal or copper to be cut, drilled for, or mined on lands they own without receiving a payment in return for the disposition of their resources.  And neither should the United States.”

More Information

Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick will be on hand to host the grand opening of her Prescott District Office on Saturday, January 24, from 12:00 – 1:30 PM.  The office is located at 240 South Montezuma, #101, Prescott Professional Court, Prescott.  The phone number is 928.445.3434.  This is a good opportunity to meet the Congresswoman and share your concerns about important conservation issues like Fossil Creek and the National Landscape Conservation System-the Omnibus Lands Package passed last week by the Senate- and Mining Law Reform which will soon be introduced in the House.   

The Arizona Wildlife Federation and Trout Unlimited today contacted Senator John McCain to urge his support for the Omnibus Lands Package which protects Fossil Creek, Arizona monuments included in the National Landscape Conservation System and other important Arizona priorities.  The U.S. Senate will vote on the measure today or tomorrow and Senator McCain’s support is seen as critical to final passage.  Read more…

Happy New Year. An Omnibus Lands Protection Package is moving quickly through the U.S. Senate with protection for Fossil Creek and important Arizona monuments in the National Landscape Conservation System included! See what’s at stake in Arizona.

The House is expected to consider the legislation quickly after the Senate acts.  Read more…

There may be one last opportunity to pass a package of bills to conserve special places like Fossil Creek and formally recognize the lands and treasures included in the National Landscape Conservation System this year! 
read more… 

Governor Napolitano sent a letter to the Secretary of the Interior expressing great disappointment with his decision to end the temporary ban on uranium mining despite the concerns of the State of Arizona she outlined for him in early March “about the need to protect one of Arizona’s treasures, the Grand Canyon National Park.”

Read the full text of the Governor’s Letter

The ARIZONA REPUBLIC recently editorialized in support of making the temporary ban on uranium mining near the Grand Canyon permanent.  “…Surely President Bush doesn’t want his [legacy] to include tainted water and a contaminated landscape.”
Thank the REPUBLIC for taking a stand [write a letter to the editor]
For more information: read the editorial

BLM issues new volley in Canyon mine fight

Lawmakers tried to block uranium mines
Federal officials moved Thursday to abolish a rule that allowed a congressional committee to try to block future uranium mining around the Grand Canyon.
For more information: [read more]

The U.S. House is expected to consider a comprehensive energy reform package in the coming weeks.  There may be disagreement over what provisions are included in the package.  However, there should be little disagreement over action which must be taken quickly by Congress this year – choosing tax credits for renewable energy over more tax breaks for the oil and gas industry.  Federal tax incentives for solar power, energy efficiency, and other renewable technologies have expired or will expire at the end of this year.  Renewing these incentives is critical to Arizona’s emerging renewable energy technologies, our economy, our resources and reducing our dependence on foreign oil.

Further Reading:

Energy Stakeholders Letter

Renewables: Will the world’s new leader in wind power hit the doldrums?

The AZ DAILY SUN and NAVAJO TIMES ran a story about the recent Navajo Candidate Forum in Chinle.  There were several important conservation comments noted in the article including those by Republican Candidate Sandra Livingstone adding a new twist to the discussion on uranium and mining law reform, “…Livingstone said she would sponsor a ‘Clean Land Act’ similar to the Clean Air Act, not only to restore contaminated areas but to expand reparations to all those who had suffered from the effects of uranium mining.”  To read the entire article go to:

http://azdailysun.com/articles/2008/08/12/news/local/20080812_local_179217.prt

More than 160 Chinle residents turned out on August 7 to hear candidates for the CD 1 Congressional seat answer questions about Navajo resource issues and other issues of concern to the Navajo Nation.  This was an historic event – the first such forum to be hosted on the Navajo Nation!  And, attendees were treated to a ceremonial presentation of the flags by the Color Guard of the Central Navajo Veterans Organization.

“The large turnout, the participation of the Color Guard and the excitement and enthusiasm of the crowd underscore the significance placed on this event by Chinle and the Navajo Nation,” said Amos Johnson Chair of the 200+ member Native American Conservation Committee, one of the hosts of the Chinle event.

Thank you to CD 1 Candidates Tom Hansen (R), Sandra Livingstone (R), Brent Maupin (I), Howard Shanker (D), and Mary Kim Titla (D) who participated in this, the first such event to take place on the Navajo Nation.  Unfortunately, Candidates Jeffrey Brown (D), Barry Hall (R), Ann Kirkpatrick (D) and Sidney Hay (R) did not participate.  View photos from the Forum.

The ARIZONA REPUBLIC today editorialized about the urgent need for comprehensive mining law reform in light of the horrific problems associated with abandoned mines. Read More…