For Sale: Americas National Heritages

The Selling of Americas Public Lands & National Parks

In 1964, Congress established the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to "conserve, develop, and utilize" the great outdoors for the "benefit and enjoyment of the American people." Its purpose, in essence, was to serve as the primary source of funding for the land acquisition needs of the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service and the Forest Service.

Yet, over the course of its 4-decades old history, Congress has consistently failed to approve the entirety of the LWCF's available funds -- typically $900 million per year from revenue generated from oil and gas leasing of the Outer Continental Shelf. From 1965 to 2006, for example, only $14.3 billion (out of $29 billion) was appropriated for use by the Fund; to make matters worse, any "unused" money is diverted to other federal programs or budget priorities.

The amount appropriated for use in fiscal year 2009 now stands at a record low of $100 million. Fortunately, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCS) has organized a campaign (and released a thorough report), entitled "America's Heritage: For Sale," to raise awareness about the LWCF's lackluster financials -- and urge people to contact their local congressmen.

They've created a neat Google Map mash-up that allows you to see the 10 most affected parks and the parcels of land that are privately-owned and those that have been put up for sale.

See also: ::Our (Not So) Pristine National Parks: 70 Contaminants and Counting, ::Go Play Outside; Nobody Else is


Click on title above to see article and maps and a link to an excellent report from
The National Parks Conservation Association;

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/04/national-parks-sale.php

BLM to Sell Off 50,000 Acres of Public Land in Utah for Private Oil & Gas Development

BLM to Sell 50,000 acres of public land in Utah for Private Oil &Gas Production

Looks like George W. Bush has tried to pull another fast one. Late in the day on November 4, when we were all busy figuring out who'd take Bushie's spot in the White House, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) quietly announced that it would auction off more than 50,000 acres of Utah land to the oil and gas industry. The catch? Several of these parcels are right on the borders of the Arches, Dinosaur, and Canyonlands National Parks. If the sales go through, future visitors to Arches will look through famous Delicate Arch and see a drilling platform in the near distance, just over a mile away.

The chief park service administrator in Utah calls the plan "shocking and disturbing," according to MSNBC. Nevertheless, the sale seems to be going through, with a land auction scheduled for December 19. You can voice your disapproval via the BLM's Web site. I know I will: I spent a day in Arches this past spring while on assignment for Condé Nast Traveler (writing the Iconic Itinerary to the American Southwest), and found it one of the most breathtaking examples of our country's natural wonders.

http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/blogs/80days/2008/11/drilling-threat.html?mbid=rss_contf