as posted on Western Values Project
“Federal officials plan to sell oil and gas leases across Montana this December, a plan that has some conservation groups worried about the impact of development near prized locations.”
— Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 8/11/18
“I be da MAN!”
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is trying to sell off more than 2 million acres of public lands across the West to oil and gas corporations. And if he gets his way, this will all happen without the public even noticing.
We’re not going to let that happen. That’s why we’re gathering signatures to bring attention to this issue — because Zinke wants this to happen in the shadows, and we’re demanding that it be brought out into the light of day.
Sign our petition and tell Zinke not to sell out our shared public lands to special interests.
The areas in question include not only prime habitat for wildlife like sage-grouse, elk and mule deer, but also the headwaters of a world-class blue-ribbon trout fishery and a critical water supply for the people of Montana. If Zinke gets his way, oil and gas corporations could exploit these public lands and potentially poison a watershed that both humans and wildlife depend upon, and destroy trout fishing for generations to come.
And you know what’s really galling, Friend? Zinke knows how unpopular this is — that’s why he reduced the public comment period. He is betting on keeping the public in the dark while he does favors for his corporate cronies, and it’s up to us to show him that we won’t let this happen without a fight.
https://westernvaluesproject.org/action/2-million-acres-to-oil-gas/
Categories: Horse News, Horse Slaughter, Wild Burros, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Help protect our wild heritage.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Oil and gas leasing, allowed under antiquated mineral laws nearly a hundred years old, means that while federal authority over public lands is not transferred to industrial interests, the power of public oversight — that which puts the “public” in public lands — is. Limiting public participation on public lands decisions is one of several key leadership failures of Secretary Zinke. Through a series of smarmy moves by this administration, public comment on oil and gas leases has been slashed to only 10 days, while efforts to offset potential degradation and impacts through mitigation have been reduced from mandatory, to voluntary, letting fat cat industry off the hook by being allowed to choose whether or not to clean up their wastes.”
– https://missoulian.com/opinion/columnists/big-hole-beaverhead-no-place-for-oil-and-gas-development/article_f5980fb5-6c2b-5ee8-86da-4e38685d6c9d.html
LikeLike
How is a lease the same as a sale? This article conflates the two. The DOI does have the mandate to manage for multiple uses, which include offering lease opportunities for mineral extraction, and they do sometimes sell off or swap properties. The headline here reads as though they are selling off the land, not offering leases. It would be helpful to include information on the time frames of various leases, as they are not perpetual, and the fees/royalties accruing to the government as a result would also be informative. They might also explain why mineral leases are so favored by this administration, and why other uses (especially those favored by the general public) are less valued and generally ignored. Give us some numbers please!
LikeLike
Wake up America. Stand.up now for our lands, our animals now
LikeLiked by 1 person
We can’t let this happen.. we need to
Get in
The way of this… our horses more important than leases … OUR HORSES… they are the taxpayers horses 🐎 .. people’s horses 🐴 rightfully belong to we, the people! Hopefully these money hungry crooks in Washington will be gone, arrested,
Tried, and sentenced by November? VOTE,
VOTE, VOTE…..
LikeLiked by 1 person
From PEER (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility)
ALASKA PERMANENT FUND WEANS OFF FOSSIL FUEL COMPANIES
Both Portfolio Percentage and Return-on-Investment in Oil & Gas Down Sharply
Posted on May 31, 2018
Alaska’s state fund derived from oil and gas revenues is investing substantially less in, while also earning much less from, fossil fuel companies, according to Permanent Fund figures posted today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The amount of Alaska Permanent Fund holdings in oil and gas companies is down by more than half since 2011, a trend that “suggests the Fund may not be invested in such companies five to ten years from now,” in the words of its leadership.
https://www.peer.org/news/news-releases/alaska-permanent-fund-weans-off-fossil-fuel-companies.html
LikeLike
From COUNTERPUNCH
The Absolute Futility of ‘Global Dominance’ in the 21st Century
AUGUST 15, 2018
by GEORGE OCHENSKI
Leading the pack on the call for “global energy dominance” is none other than former Montanan Ryan Zinke, now secretary of the Interior in the Trump administration. Of course Zinke has yet to explain why we should drill, frack, mine and export every possible source of fossil fuel in our nation. Nor has he detailed any benefits that will accrue to the populace from such a policy.
What we do know is that Trump and Zinke are willing to destroy existing national monuments, wildlife refuges, seashores and endangered species to achieve their bizarre fantasy of global energy dominance.
George Ochenski is a columnist for the Missoulian, where this essay originally appeared.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/08/15/the-absolute-futility-of-global-dominance-in-the-21st-century/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Have to say Mr. Ochenski’s ending paragraph is very agreeable! Worth reading the whole thing. I honestly cannot fathom the reasoning (questionable at best) of our politicians who align themselves with this kind of destruction to our world – as I’ve written & said before (as have many others) how the H___ do they think THEY are going to survive when they have destroyed every particle of the natural world left? And quite frankly, why would anyone want to exist in that empty place?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Secretary of the Exterior is a good idea, how about Secretary of the Posterior? He’s well qualified by many accounts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
IcySpots, you just coined a new phrase (if that’s the right word)
LikeLike
Yeah that title fits him (sadly, theres competition tho)
LikeLike
I think one of the arguments is “energy security” to avoid the influence of the Saudis. And yet, DJT et al don’t seem to treat them as enemies to be “dominated” but rather best buds. Not to mention the Saudis are moving away from oil, too, so we may destroy what makes our country unique in pursuit of… what exactly? 52 nation-states with walled borders and no wild horses anywhere but in dying “free ranging” herds?
https://www.businessinsider.com/videos-trump-tillerson-wilbur-ross-dancing-with-swords-saudi-arabia-2017-5
LikeLike
Zinke has sold his soul along with others.
LikeLiked by 1 person
City pulls funds from bank over policy on mineral extraction
Aug 22, 2018
ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. (AP) – Rock Springs officials have decided to take city funds out of Bank of the West after the bank announced that it would no longer do business with companies that it perceived as detrimental to the environment.
The Rock Springs Rocket-Miner reports Mayor Carl Demshar and Councilmembers Tim Savage, Billy Shalata, David Tate, Rob Zotti, David Halter, Rose Mosbey and Glennise Wendorf voted in favor of the city ending its relationship with the bank in a Tuesday meeting.
https://elkodaily.com/news/state-and-regional/city-pulls-funds-from-bank-over-policy-on-mineral-extraction/article_09de3dd8-c8da-57cf-8749-96cb46ed2907.html#utm_source=elkodaily.com&utm_campaign=%2Femails%2Fmining%2F&utm_medium=email&utm_content=66C041A6DB0DAC32FE48018EC208D852193B173E
LikeLiked by 1 person