This week, we are discussing how non-profits will sue federal agencies to stop them from managing land and how they use the Equal Access to Justice Act to profit from the lawsuits.
Also, a few headlines we found interesting include;
In Washington, the push to restore grizzly bears in the North Cascades continues, with the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service publishing their final Environmental Impact Statements.
Wolves have potentially been sighted in Nevada, which is definitely not a normal occurrence for the state. Are they there to stay? Or are they Passing through?
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation recently announced that they have committed over $760,000 to numerous projects in Utah to improve wildlife habitat, further wildlife management and bolster research and hunting support.
In Vermont, there have been a few updates and amendments to the legislation that would change how the state’s wildlife board functions, along with changes to coyote hunting regulations.
In Wyoming, the Legislative session has wrapped up, and Josh Metten with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership has compiled a list of some of the state’s conservation wins.
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Wolves – triple S.
I like it that you guys put links to contact our respective senators and congressmen. But to reach a wider audience, we need the alert and congressional contact links sent from ALL our conservation AND agriculture organizations – RMEF, Backcountry Hunters & Fishermen, TU, et al, AND the American Farm Bureau. That organization has political teeth, why cant we all combine forces to become a formidable force to be reckoned with in Congress? Thanks for the podcast, guys!
Edit addition: Something else I would like to mention, the best thing the NRA (National Rifle Association) did several decades ago was to get Charlton Heston to run for and become President of the NRA. Who didn't love Charlton Heston? Especially when he stood on that stage, held up that muzzleloader musket rifle and declared, "They can have my gun when they pry it from my cold, dead fingers!" Membership went through the roof and the NRA membership made a phenomenal impact on gun laws and gun rights. Congress listened to us. We were a force to be reckoned with for a very long time. What we need folks, is that kind of rally cry again and amass a membership, a powerful lobby and voice from coast to coast before these wacko far leftists run our country into the ground. If WE do not come together in MASSIVE numbers, I am afraid that all will be lost. It is the only way we are going to keep our principles of outdooor conservation intact, our hunting AND freshwater fishing rights intact, public lands public and not stolen, AND ranches and farms still in business, producing foood and feeding America. We need a nationwide rally from every town and city in America. Thank you for reading my comments.
Wow I knew this was all about the $ but learned a lot with this one! These groups are really criminals as they are using the system to get what they want $ in a loophole that they exploited
It sounds like a racket to me. A money-making scheme that taxpayers are on the hook for. Federal government should not be involved.
I live in north eastern L.P. of Michigan which has been a designated T.B. area for years. T.B. has been here sense the early 1900s and hasn't been detrimental to the deer heard. Now in the last 3 or 4 years the DNR has been hiring sharp shooters with silenced rifles, high powered air rifles and thermal vision scopes to shoot as many deer as they can under the guise of T.B. being an issue. Also the Dep. of Agriculture is going as far as seizing cattle from cattle farmers under that same guise. I have hunted here for 45 years and killed many deer and have never once had a deer show any signs of T.B. (spots on the liver and rib cage etc.) now all of a sudden this is an issue. They are wiping out the deer herd here. Last year I saw 3 deer from Oct. 1st to Dec. 31st where I used to see 20-30 a day a few years ago. From what I hear they plan on moving all across Michigan with this slotter. If any one has any insight on what can be done about this, it would be appreciated, I believe this is wrong and should be stopped.
Very important information guys!!! Thanks for sharing and keeping everybody informed.
Thanks for the video, did not even know this was a problem. Now it makes sense why some of the state lands I hunt have not been cared for in a long time.
Thank you for this discussion. It's important for all of us to understand the big picture surrounding these extremely important issues so that we can make our voices heard by those who have the responsibility and authority to correct and stop these profiteering groups.
I don’t think they have to win to be reimbursed the attorney fees. The case only has to be good enough to get in front of a judge, without being thrown out before it’s litigated.
You’re right about all of that happening in the 9th circuit in San Francisco, which also has friendly Judges.
The center for biological diversity sued our irrigation district over a listing of the Oregon Spotted Frog. They prevailed and our 58,000 acre irrigation project is essentially completely out of irrigation water now.
Great discussion. Thanks so much.
What was the title of the book you mentioned?
Control Burning is very productive for the environment. It's natures way of clearing out the rubbish and having a reset, plants etc soon grow back with fresh growth which is a big benefit for wildlife, plants and us.
Great info! These so called Environmental Groups are anything but. Just a bunch of scam artists!!
I really enjoy your weekly chats Randy and Marcus.
Now that you have publicly called out these litigious non-profit "conservation" organizations why don't you invite a couple to your show to have them debate and defend their actions in the court of public opinion rather than a court room?
Awesome subject
The grizzlies and wolves are just the new toy the enviro freaks are cashing in on to ruin our forests, back in the early 90's a bird killed our small towns. I spend a fair amount of time in the public lands around the west and our forests are in terrible shape. Something has to change or hunting and wildlife will forever be changed.
Talk to your local congressman and senator. Like they give a fuck about you and what you have to say. Whens the last time they made a decision with the American people in mind let alone some dumb fuck yapping about non profit corruption. Theyre probably getting a kickback from these organizations
Marcus, you have to be very careful about the subject you are addressing in this segment. I agree —- we live in a very litigious society, and the bad actors can always figure out a way to profit from any loop hole. But, When I was the President of the SD Wildlife Federation, we used the exact statute you are talking about to win a federal law suit about wetland drainage in South Dakota. The State Conservationist for NRCS came up with a way to allow the drainage of wetlands (we are in the prairie pothole region — that produces about 1/2 the ducks in north America) with the stroke of his administrative pen. The SDWF had very limited resources (we are a 501c3) until I found a freshly graduated lawyer who believed in our cause and took the case on. We were backed by the NWF, but they had no resources to fund the fight either. Long story short, we won the case in federal court, and got the NRCS to pay our legal fees. The NRCS State Conservationist was fired, and now we have a laundry list of other ways the NRCS is allowing the drainage. The fight goes on —— but do not allow some bad actors to stop the resources we so desperately need to do the conservation work that is needed. Education of the public might be our strongest tool in this situation —- just like the segment you just posted. I am not PR expert, but we may serve our selves better to look for resources to concentrate on common sense game/habitat management —– just like you folks are trying to do.
Thanx
Interesting….thought they were just crazy people. Now I know that profitability is a thing…makes perfect sense. Pretty sad
Interesting paper on this topic. Randy is essentially summarizing parts of this.
https://scholarship.law.nd.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=jleg
Appreciate the links to representatives. I’ve sent emails. But do you know of any legislation in the works to address the non profit exemption?
Is thos somthing HOWL can run thru their automated email system to flood the politicians emails? As a colorado residents I know HOWL is working as I have received several calls from politicians offices asking if I am a real person with real concerns.
Thanks for all you do to help push back against this type of stupidity.
Just emailed my federal representatives for Ohio to try and help!