County commission stands strong against federal land grab
By Dianne Stallings, Ruidoso News. March 24, 2011 [here]
Following the lead of Lincoln County Commissioner Mark Doth, the commission approved a resolution opposing relinquishing the power to create a national wilderness area to the Secretary of the Interior.
Doth called the DOI Secretarial Order 3310, a land grab, and contended Monday that only by action of the U.S. Congress with the signature of the President can a wilderness area be declared.
“At the end of January, the governor of Utah met with Secretary Ken Salazar to try to come to come compromise,” Doth said. “They left with irreconcilable differences and it continues to be a problem, fighting the government. The Wilderness Alliance is intent on closing all public land to public access.
“It makes my blood boil.”
Over the past 15 years, the environmental group continues to file lawsuits to close roads, to ban logging and to prohibit energy development, he said, citing an article about the Otero Mesa in a statewide newspaper that morning and the group’s effort to fight any development there.
“I agree totally,” said Commission Chairman Eileen Sedillo. “I’ll jump on the soapbox, too.”
The resolution was approved unanimously. … [more]