BILLION DOLLAR LAND ACQUISITION TRUST FUND INTRODUCED

MURKOWSKI, LOTT AND YOUNG SUPPORT CLINTON/GORE IDEA

NEW COALITION FORMING TO DEFEAT TRUST FUND IN CONGRESS

President Clinton and VP Gore are proposing a $1 billion per year trust fund totally focused on buying private land. Senators Frank Murkowski (R-AK), Trent Lott (R-MS) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and others have introduced S.25, which will become a $1 billion per year off-budget, dedicated, unappropriated land acquisition trust fund (entitlement). Next week Rep. Don Young (R-AK) will introduce his trust fund.

Putting one billion dollars per year in the hands of the Park Service, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service and BLM automatically without having to go through the appropriations process will unleash a war on rural America that dwarfs what happened in the Carter Administration. One billion dollars would buy all the farmland in Nevada with lots of money left over. Ranchers, farmers, inholders, miners, tree farmers, and those who live in areas coveted by the Fish ad Wildlife Service will gradually disappear. Rural communities will shrivel up and die. The economic ecosystem of rural America will be destroyed forever.

• While the bill starts out more modestly, it will ultimately be increased to over $1 billion per year;
• Every program should have to compete for appropriations. No more entitlements;
• No private property will be safe with these funds available;
• There should be no net loss of private land in America. Any more purchases should be made from money gained through the sale of surplus Federal land;
• There is little oversight of land acquisition now. There will be virtually none if this bill passes;
• Inholder families are specifically targeted in the new bills;
• Land acquisition has always been used as a weapon to regulate and control private landowners;
• Hundreds of small communities in existing Federal areas will be wiped off the map;
• Land acquisition destroys the culture and history of the US, often driving out old families;
• Green groups will seek to designate hundreds of areas of private land as new government reservations;
• Billions of dollars of private land will be taken off the tax rolls, forcing local taxes up;
• Access through private land, the only access to large areas of Federal land, will be cut off;
• Hundreds of small communities will have their tax base destroyed by Federal land buying;
• In-Lieu of tax program fails to keep up with inflation or make up for lost tax revenue to counties; and
• The private Northern Forests of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York are key targets.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IMMEDIATELY!

1. Call your Congressman (202-225-3121) and Senators (202-224-3121) to urge them to oppose the Trust Fund. Ask that they call Young and Murkowski immediately to let them know of their opposition.

2. Join the coalition. Fax or E-Mail back your confirmation of support for the Keep Private Lands In Private Hands Coalition. If you are part of an organization, get them to sign on. Time is critical.

Here is a list of participating groups (individuals count too).
It is critical to get as many local, state, regional and national groups on board as possible.

For More Information Contact:

American Land Rights Association
Tel: CompanyPhone
FAX: CompanyFAX