From: alra@governance.net Subject: Urgent – CARA Senate Energy Vote Wednesday, May 25th. LandRights Network American Land Rights Association PO Box 400 Battle Ground, WA 98604 Phone: 360-687-3087 Fax: 360-687-2973 Email: alra@landrights.org or alra@governance.net Website: http://www.landrights.org Urgent – CARA Senate Energy Vote Wednesday, May 25th. ***Biggest Vote Of The Year Please call Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Don’t stop until the Senate says they have actually voted. It may be later in the day. Read carefully the Testimony Questionnaire below. It will remind you of all the reasons to oppose S 964 – CARA-LWCF. The Complete Energy and Natural Resources Contact list is below. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) will try to turn the following Republicans into turncoats on CARA. You are in a race to convince the following Senators not to sell out landowners. Tell them no trust fund, no land grab, no giant land acquisition fund. Here are the Republican Senators Alexander will try to convert to support CARA. The full committee with contact information is listed below. ***Richard Burr (R-NC) -- Mel Martinez (R-FL)m -- Gordon Smith (R-OR) Every one needs to call, fax and e-mail these Senators. It is especially important if you are from their state. Here are the Democrat Senators who are from states that should aggressively oppose CARA. There is no excuse for a Senator from these states voting for CARA other than just following the Democrat line. Everyone should contact these Senators, but especially those that live in their state. ***Byron Dorgon (D-ND) -- Ron Wyden (D-OR) -- Tim Johnson (D-SD) -- Ken Salazar (D-CO) The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will face an attempt by Lamar Alexander (R-TN) to sneak his new CARA-LWCF bill (S 964) into the Energy Bill Wednesday, May 25th. Liberal Lamar Alexander (R-TN) will try to amend his giant land grab bill CARA-LWCF (S 964) into the Energy Bill now under consideration in the Senate. They will be considering options for OCS (Outer Continental Shelf) oil exploration and Lamar wants a big chunk of that money. ***Liberal Lamar’s Trick – Senator Lamar Alexander has not added the Federal side of this bill. He is trying to keep the money figure down and keep opposition low. But everyone knows he is going to add the Federal side if the bill gets past the committee. So this vote is a big deal. Votes began last week in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on the giant Energy Bill now working its way through Congress. The mark up could take most of this week. These are critical days. ***Action Items: -----1. You need to call, fax and e-mail members of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee every day between now and late Wednesday to keep Senators from adding CARA-LWCF (S 964) to the Energy Bill. The Energy Committee is listed below. They must be deluged with calls, faxes and e-mails. -----2. Call, fax and e-mail both your Senators to urge them to oppose S 964, the new CARA – LWCF Land Grab bill. This is especially important if one or both of them are on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The number for any Senator at the Capitol Switchboard is (202) 224-3121. -----3. Fill out and fax or e-mail the testimony questionnaire below to both your Senators and to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. You may cut it out and e-mail it or turn it into a fax. Somehow, get it to your Senators. Please call them as well. Make sure the Senators above get a copy. -----3. This is an urgent call to action. Call and e-mail your friends, neighbors and business associates to urge them call your Senators. Testimony Questionnaire: Fax or E-mail deadline Wednesday, May 25th 2:00 PM Be sure to call the Senators also. Americans Outdoors Act – S 964 — Testimony Questionnaire Energy and Natural Resources Committee Honorable ___________________ U. S. Senate, Washington, DC. 20510 Please review my responses to the following statements and consider this document to be my testimony regarding Americans Outdoors Act (S 964) (CARA-LWCF) for the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. I understand that I can attach additional comments and pages. Please consider a photocopy of this document as valid as the original. I am deeply concerned about AMERICANS OUTDOORS ACT. I consider this a rebirth of the old CARA, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act even though it does not now contain any provision for Federal land acquisition. Lamar Alexander has combined elements of CARA with the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF. We call the Americans Outdoors Act CARA-LWCF. It is my understanding that it is common knowledge in Washington, DC that Federal land acquisition will be added back in by amendment at a later date. The Energy Committee appears to not be handling S 964 in a straightforward and forthright manner. Everyone is fully aware that a Federal lands component will be added to S 964. There seems to be a rush to judgment on an incomplete bill. I urge you to hold a hearing on the entire bill and not participate in what seems to be a “bait and switch” tactic. These kind of tactics do not place the Senate in a favorable light. Please make sure my testimony becomes part of the official record of this hearing. Please circle your answer - You may write additional comments by each question or in the comment section on the back. Your personal comments make this document more valuable. 1) Condemnation will be allowed by AMERICANS OUTDOORS ACT (CARA-LWCF) before it passes Congress. Even Federal condemnation using S 964 funds can occur if authorized by legislation. I oppose condemnation (eminent domain) by BOTH Federal and state agencies. AGREE DISAGREE NO OPINION 2) No AMERICANS OUTDOORS ACT (CARA-LWCF) funds, whether they be by the State, local or Federal governments, should be used to force any landowner, farmer, rancher, mining claim owner, homeowner or other rights holder to sell against his will. AGREE DISAGREE NO OPINION 3) Federal and state land acquisition buys private land and removes it from the tax rolls thereby increasing the tax burden of other local taxpayers and reducing important services such as schools, hospitals and libraries. AGREE DISAGREE NO OPINION 4) All lands with Endangered Species will be targets of land acquisition. With AMERICANS OUTDOORS ACT (CARA-LWCF) funding, many more species will begin to look endangered. No land will be safe. Please don’t use S 964 funds to expand Federal control over my land. AGREE DISAGREE NO OPINION 5) It is likely that a small percentage of AMERICANS OUTDOORS ACT will go to urban parks and ball fields for soccer moms. Please consider separate legislation giving them their fair share. Don’t sell me out and threaten my community just to dole out some congressional pork to urban areas. AGREE DISAGREE NO OPINION 6) .I believe S 964 will eventually provide hundreds of millions of dollars each year for environmental groups and land trusts. I should not be forced to allow my tax dollars to support organizations that want to destroy my economic livelihood. AGREE DISAGREE NO OPINION 7) Hunters and sportsmen will gradually lose access to acquired lands as they are converted into off-limits areas. AGREE DISAGREE NO OPINION 8) The AMERICANS OUTDOORS ACT supports efforts by Green groups to designate hundreds of new areas of private land as new Federal areas. They’ll just say, “Let the Trust Fund pay for it.” AGREE DISAGREE NO OPINION 9) The Federal land agencies are over $12 billion behind in deferred maintenance according to the appropriations committee. The Feds should take better care of what they own now before buying more. AGREE DISAGREE NO OPINION 10) The House version of S 964 last year provided $3 billion per year, most of it available for land acquisition, that avoids having to compete in the congressional appropriations process each year. In its final form, I believe that S 964 will be close to last years House version (HR 4100) that takes a higher priority for funding than cancer research, prescription drugs, healthcare, education or the military. This is wrong. Land Acquisition (S 964) should not have a privileged status in the Federal budget process. AGREE DISAGREE NO OPINION 11) Some local communities adjacent to Federal areas think S 964 funding will help tourism. Actually, the record of Federal land agencies when they get land acquisition money is to drive out inholders and landowners, reduce economic activity, destabilize the local real estate market and eliminate small business while locking up the land and locking out the people. AGREE DISAGREE NO OPINION 12) Many groups supporting the S 964 expect to get huge amounts of pork money from it. This is the worst kind of pork barrel politics with the States and local governments asking for scarce Federal dollars. AGREE DISAGREE NO OPINION 13) Land acquisition has always been used as a weapon by the Federal, State and local land agencies to regulate and control private land. They don’t need to zone it. They just threaten to own it. AGREE DISAGREE NO OPINION 14) Eventually the AMERICANS OUTDOORS ACT will cause hundreds of small communities in and around existing Federal, State and local park areas to be wiped off the map. AGREE DISAGREE NO OPINION 15) Large amounts of S 964 will go to the Nature Conservancy and other land trusts to buy land and sell it to the government, often at a profit, undermining the economic ecosystem of local communities. AGREE DISAGREE NO OPINION 16) Additional UN Biosphere Reserves and World Heritage Sites will be the result if S 964 passes Congress. I don’t want any loss of US Sovereignty. AGREE DISAGREE NO OPINION (Your written comments here will make this document more valuable.) (If needed, use additional sheets or attach a personal letter.) To validate your comments please fill in completely (PRINT) and be sure to sign. Signature_________________________________ Name____________________________________________ E-Mail___________________________________ Fax ___________________ Phone ____________________ Address_______________________________ Town______________________ State_____ Zip____________ Please do not fail to fax or e-mail your testimony even if you receive this message late. The vote may be delayed. Fax or e-mail deadline — Wednesday, May 25th. Energy Committee Fax Number: FAX: (202) 224-6163. E-mail address: committee@energy.senate.gov New Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (If they only have a website listed, you can usually send e-mail from there) Republicans: Pete Domenici (R-NM) (202) 224-6621 FAX: (202) 228-3261 http://www.domenici.senate.gov Larry Craig (R-ID) (202) 224-2752 FAX: (202) 228-1067 http://www.craig.senate.gov Craig Thomas (R-WY) (202) 224-6441 FAX: (202) 224-1724 http://www.thomas.senate.gov Lamar Alexander (R-TN) (202) 224-4944 FAX: (202) 228-3398 http://www.alexander.senate.gov Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) (202) 224-6665 FAX: (202) 224-5301 http://www.murkowski.senate.gov Richard Burr (R-NC) (202) 224-3154 FAX: (202) 228-2981 http://www.burr.senate.gov Mel Martinez (R-FL) (202) 224-3041 FAX: (202) 228-5171 http://www.martinez.senate.gov James Talent (R-MO) (202) 224-6154 FAX: (202) 228-1518 http://www.talent.senate.gov Conrad Burns (R-MT) (202) 224-2644 FAX: (202) 224-8594 http://www.burns.senate.gov George Allen (R-VA) (202) 224-4024 FAX: (202) 224-5432 http://www.allen.senate.gov Gordon Smith (R-OR) (202) 224-3753 FAX: (202) 228-3997 http://www.gsmith.senate.gov Jim Bunning (R-KY) (202) 224-4343 FAX: (202) 228-1373 http://www.bunning.senate.gov Democrats: Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) (202) 224-5521 FAX: (202) 224-2852 E-mail: senator_bingaman@bingaman.senate.gov Daniel Akaka (D-HI) (202) 224-6361 FAX: (202) 224-2126 E-mail: senator@akaka.senate.gov Byron Dorgon (D-ND) (202) 224-2551 FAX: (202) 224-1193 E-mail: senator@dorgan.senate.gov Ron Wyden (D-OR) (202) 224-5244 FAX: (202) 228-2717 http://www.wyden.senate.gov Tim Johnson (D-SD) (202) 224-5842 FAX: (202) 228-5765 http://www.johnson.senate.gov Mary Landrieu (D-LA) (202) 224-5824 FAX: (202) 224-9735 http://www.landrieu.senate.gov Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) (202) 224-3841 FAX: (202) 228-3954 http://www.feinstein.senate.gov Maria Cantwell (D-WA) (202) 224-3441 FAX: (202) 228-0514 http://www.cantwell.senate.gov Jon Corzine (D-NJ) (202) 224-4744 FAX: (202) 228-2197 http://www.corzine.senate.gov Ken Salazar (D-CO) (202) 224-5852 FAX: (202) 228-5036 http://www.salazar.senate.gov Please forward the message as widely as possible. -- To unsubscribe from this mailing list; please visit http://governance.net and enter your email address.