Coming to a state near you.

[Big Muddy rancher]

http://gctelegram.com/news/County-prairie-chicken-letter-4-8-14

Finney County commissioners hope to have a seat at the table when conservation rules are drawn up regarding the lesser prairie chicken being listed as a threatened species.

The commission signed a letter to the Bureau of Land Management on Monday, requesting the county be granted coordinating status during revision of the BLM resource management plan and preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement related to the lesser prairie chicken listing.

The letter was proposed by Jim Carlson, executive director of the Kansas National Resource Coalition, in response to a letter the BLM sent to counties within the KNRC requesting some local government participation in the process.

"They're coming at us. What I'm saying is these federal initiatives, the rule making is going to be part of the process. The only question is whether local government is going to participate. The coordinating status allows you to do that," Carlson said.

County commissioners didn't like the tone of the letter received by BLM, which made reference to cooperation rather than coordination, a more limited status according to Carlson.

"It sounds to me like they don't want us to participate in anything. They're gonna cover us up with fluff and do what they want to do," Commissioner Larry Jones said.

"I think we need to put some bureaucrats on the Endangered Species list," Commissioner Dave Jones quipped.

The county has been working with KNRC for more than a year and with 31 other western Kansas counties to develop their own conservation plan for the lesser prairie chicken. The county signed off in August on a KNRC natural resource coordination plan and Lesser Prairie Chicken conservation, management and study plan.

Carlson indicated the KNRC is still dedicated to changing the direction of the bird's listing. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced on March 27 plans to list the lesser prairie chicken as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, primarily due to habitat loss. The bird's range includes western Kansas and areas of Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma.

Historically, the resource management plan has been done state by state, Carlson said, but now the plan consolidates Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, mirroring the lesser prairie chicken's habitat. Carlson said the resource management plan also will address endangered species and wildlife habitat.

Carlson believes it's important to challenge the listing of the lesser prairie chicken as a threatened species before it is finalized. The decision is anticipated to go into effect around May 1.

According to Carlson, coordinating status means the county's concerns must be heard and considered by the BLM because the county previously adopted a Natural Resource Coordination Plan that includes resource priorities and methods for evaluating impacts due to major federal action, such as listing of the prairie chicken.

"This is the county land use plan as pertains to federal initiatives. You have a land use plan in place that if you invoke coordination, the Bureau of Land Management has to attempt consistency with it. They have to take this plan. They have to, and they will," Carlson said.

Resources addressed in the NRCP include energy extraction, water quality and resources, general agriculture, farming and ranching, maintaining multiple land use priorities, livestock grazing and management, wildlife and threatened species, habitat conservation, and vegetation and invasive species management.

"All of those priorities need to be examined during any major federal initiative. It's now incumbent upon BLM to reconcile the consistency with your plan," Carlson said. "It's a very big deal. It puts you in the seat where you can ask questions, and you can slow the process down, and we can have a look at the economics, provide data and BLM has to look at it."

Carlson added that he will be meeting with ExxonMobil executives this week in an attempt to enlist the corporation's assistance in trying to turn back the lesser prairie chicken ruling.
- See more at: http://gctelegram.com/news/County-prairie-chicken-letter-4-8-14#sthash.4QMYfUek.dpuf

 

[Anonymous]

Big thing around here is the Sage Grouse.... They've even used those as an excuse to stop some wind farms...

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Big thing around here is the Sage Grouse.... They've even used those as an excuse to stop some wind farms...

we have an Emergency Order for Sage Grouse up here as well. They haven't figured out that West Nile is the biggest threat to the birds.

 

[jigs]

most frightening thing ever said " I'm from the govt. and I am here to help you"

 

[leanin' H]

Oldtimer, how's that liberal party in charge treating ya now? :? If you think for a new York second Obama isn't wetting himself with glee over all these "green" issues he can use as a hammer on agriculture you'd be wrong. This is right up the sierra club's alley. Those folks don't vote republican. EVER! You think Mitt Romney would let this crap happen? Just saying! :wink:

 

[Tam]

Federal Government on both sides of the border have a habit of over reaching if they are not pushed back against.

ANd before you all jump on me about my comments dealing with the Bundy issue, I said I hated to see it happen and I would have whole heartedly supporter his family if he had LEGALLY pushed back and not just refused to recognized his legal landlord existed for the last 20 years. :roll:

That said, I can not agree more that everyone in the ranching communities that want to have a say in future land use policies needs to get involved and make sure they have somebody they trust at the table voicing their opinions on any new rules being discussed. When you do not demand a seat at the table to make sure your voice is heard, you have to live with the results of letting people that do not have your best interest at heart making policies you have to live with. We as ranchers sad to say can no longer sit back and just tend to our ranches and let our elected officials speak for us, as they are lobbied, by way more money than any of us can afford to spend, to get their support for crap we can't deal with and survive.

If you can not attend meetings find somebody you trust to represent you and your neighbors to go and speak as a collective voice. Never has there been a more important time for your voice to be heard as the Special interest big money is buying up all kinds of favors with their million dollar campaign donations and the liberal left have proven they have no problem using our tax dollars to pay back their enviromentist, greenie, tree hugger, global warming extremists.

If we do not want armed protests holding off government armed agents breaking out all over the continent we need to get involve in the policy planning stages of the process to protect our futures. We can't wait until they come knocking telling us the rules are changed and we now have to live with a bunch of liberal crap, before we get involved. Email, phone attend meetings do whatever you can to make your voice heard before it is to late.

 

[leanin' H]

Federal Government on both sides of the border have a habit of over reaching if they are not pushed back against.

ANd before you all jump on me about my comments dealing with the Bundy issue, I said I hated to see it happen and I would have whole heartedly supporter his family if he had LEGALLY pushed back and not just refused to recognized his legal landlord existed for the last 20 years. :roll:

That said, I can not agree more that everyone in the ranching communities that want to have a say in future land use policies needs to get involved and make sure they have somebody they trust at the table voicing their opinions on any new rules being discussed. When you do not demand a seat at the table to make sure your voice is heard, you have to live with the results of letting people that do not have your best interest at heart making policies you have to live with. We as ranchers sad to say can no longer sit back and just tend to our ranches and let our elected officials speak for us, as they are lobbied, by way more money than any of us can afford to spend, to get their support for crap we can't deal with and survive.

If you can not attend meetings find somebody you trust to represent you and your neighbors to go and speak as a collective voice. Never has there been a more important time for your voice to be heard as the Special interest big money is buying up all kinds of favors with their million dollar campaign donations and the liberal left have proven they have no problem using our tax dollars to pay back their enviromentist, greenie, tree hugger, global warming extremists.

If we do not want armed protests holding off government armed agents breaking out all over the continent we need to get involve in the policy planning stages of the process to protect our futures. We can't wait until they come knocking telling us the rules are changed and we now have to live with a bunch of liberal crap, before we get involved. Email, phone attend meetings do whatever you can to make your voice heard before it is to late.

What in the world do you think we have been doing for the past 20 years? We have been fighting and arguing and trying to make things better. We have watched rancher after rancher blow away like tumbleweeds thanks to regulation from the BLM and the deep pockets of the enviro-nazis! Instead of telling us to get involved and preaching about how we should do it, why don't you look out past your own land and see the smoke from the battle we have been fighting out west for my entire generation. I don't know you and BMR except from our association here. I think you are fine folks and the kind of neighbors I'd like to have. But don't think for a second this fight just started. What happened in Nevada got lots of press because of the times in which we live. But it has happened before and it has been just as ugly Tam. When the government changes the rules to suit its agenda, when it turns its back on generations of stewardship, when it turns its full power on one family regardless of their faults, you better remember this wasn't the first straw! This was the straw that broke the camel's back and pushed people into a corner they so that they HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PUSH BACK! Someday those dogs and guns and tazers may be surrounding the Big Muddy Valley. I hope and pray they never do. But the government wolf has been at the doors of many a home that used to be filled with the laughs and voices of ranch families. Those homes are empty now!

I agree with your words about getting and staying involved. I agree with 99% of the things you post. I respectfully disagree with you on the Bundy Ranch issue. Best wishes to you and your family. Have a fine evening.

 

[101]

Tam I agree with what your saying ( IF ) one is talking with people that want to work for the good of every one involved, BUT if you think the people in this administration don't have an agenda, your mistaken, and it is not in your best interest. Good luck 101

 

[DejaVu]

The Ogallala aquifer.

 

[Tam]

Federal Government on both sides of the border have a habit of over reaching if they are not pushed back against.

ANd before you all jump on me about my comments dealing with the Bundy issue, I said I hated to see it happen and I would have whole heartedly supporter his family if he had LEGALLY pushed back and not just refused to recognized his legal landlord existed for the last 20 years. :roll:

That said, I can not agree more that everyone in the ranching communities that want to have a say in future land use policies needs to get involved and make sure they have somebody they trust at the table voicing their opinions on any new rules being discussed. When you do not demand a seat at the table to make sure your voice is heard, you have to live with the results of letting people that do not have your best interest at heart making policies you have to live with. We as ranchers sad to say can no longer sit back and just tend to our ranches and let our elected officials speak for us, as they are lobbied, by way more money than any of us can afford to spend, to get their support for crap we can't deal with and survive.

If you can not attend meetings find somebody you trust to represent you and your neighbors to go and speak as a collective voice. Never has there been a more important time for your voice to be heard as the Special interest big money is buying up all kinds of favors with their million dollar campaign donations and the liberal left have proven they have no problem using our tax dollars to pay back their enviromentist, greenie, tree hugger, global warming extremists.

If we do not want armed protests holding off government armed agents breaking out all over the continent we need to get involve in the policy planning stages of the process to protect our futures. We can't wait until they come knocking telling us the rules are changed and we now have to live with a bunch of liberal crap, before we get involved. Email, phone attend meetings do whatever you can to make your voice heard before it is to late.

What in the world do you think we have been doing for the past 20 years? We have been fighting and arguing and trying to make things better. We have watched rancher after rancher blow away like tumbleweeds thanks to regulation from the BLM and the deep pockets of the enviro-nazis! Instead of telling us to get involved and preaching about how we should do it, why don't you look out past your own land and see the smoke from the battle we have been fighting out west for my entire generation. I don't know you and BMR except from our association here. I think you are fine folks and the kind of neighbors I'd like to have. But don't think for a second this fight just started. What happened in Nevada got lots of press because of the times in which we live. But it has happened before and it has been just as ugly Tam. When the government changes the rules to suit its agenda, when it turns its back on generations of stewardship, when it turns its full power on one family regardless of their faults, you better remember this wasn't the first straw! This was the straw that broke the camel's back and pushed people into a corner they so that they HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PUSH BACK! Someday those dogs and guns and tazers may be surrounding the Big Muddy Valley. I hope and pray they never do. But the government wolf has been at the doors of many a home that used to be filled with the laughs and voices of ranch families. Those homes are empty now!

I agree with your words about getting and staying involved. I agree with 99% of the things you post. I respectfully disagree with you on the Bundy Ranch issue. Best wishes to you and your family. Have a fine evening.

I have a question for you leanin H, if you were renting out a piece of land and your renter did not pay his fees, at what stage of breaking your agreement do you, the legal land owner, have a right to step in and say enough is enough and take legal action, 2 years 10 years 20 years $50,000 $500,000 or a million? Here is question I have asked before but have not got an answer, Bundy's claimed it was about land their family had rights to for over 140 years so what gave the Bundy's the right to access lands they were never permitted to use according to court documents? What gave them the right to do water development on land without legal permits? :? Would you or I get away with half the stuff the Bundy's pulled off without legal repercussions?

BTW I haven't written articles in US Ag papers trying to stop the damage one of your Beef Associations was doing to the North American Beef industry after BSE was found it BOTH OUR HERDS. I haven't written letters and emails to Canadian Ag papers, the CIFA na d the USDA in protection of our industry. I haven't spent years discussing Livestock and political issues that effect ours and others lives. I haven't traveled our local area carrying a petition in protection of our CMDF and personally delivered it to our Provincial government. Nope I'm just a women that doesn't look beyond our ranch gate. No wait I have.

One more thing, where in what I said was pointed at you Leanin H I'm guessing by what you said I'm not to encourage others to get involved? :?

 

[Tam]

Tam I agree with what your saying ( IF ) one is talking with people that want to work for the good of every one involved, BUT if you think the people in this administration don't have an agenda, your mistaken, and it is not in your best interest. Good luck 101

I'm pretty sure that is why I said you have to find someone you trust to sit at the table and voice your opinion if you can't do it yourself as our elected officials on both sides of the border are being paid off with special interest money ie they have their own agendas. :?

 

[101]

Tam, I can pick someone I trust to sit at the table if need be! But you sure can't pick 50% of those that are at the table, and you don't always know their true agenda's, Good for you if your elected officials have always supported your views, but mine not so much. Good luck 101