"Little Jon"" Tester looks awfully small...

Often, we see issue advocacy leaders maligned for opposing bad legislation. Now, Jon Tester has clearly crossed an ethical line in claiming that a leader in the fight against Wilderness bills actually SUPPORTS his latest Montana Land Grab. Imagine if Conrad Burns had “thanked” Friends of the Earth for supporting his pro-drilling legislation under the “evil” Bush regime!!!

Left-wing Democrats’ failure to ban humans from massive swaths of the Northwest under NREPA (see petition opposing any and all such land grabs at www.WildernessGoneWild.com ) has clearly prompted Tester’s cynical attempt to buy off the desperate timber lobbyists with meaningless baubles. This bill – and Tester’s disgusting tactic – is a perfect example of why pro-multiple use interests (including timber and energy) should NEVER compromise with radical environmentalists on watered down legislation at the expense of the people!

Following, a repost of an email (in blue) sent by Kerry White to members of his Citizens for Balanced Use pro-access organization:

####

Members and supporters of CBU need to be aware of the following deception from Senator Tester!

###

Go to www.WildernessGoneWild.com for the full story. H.R. 980 or NREPA is a 24 million acre land grab, sponsored by a New York City Congresswoman. This is complete insanity!

Click to Enlarge

For Release: April 22, 2009

Contact: Jacob Leis

Phone: 888-987-8721 x3

Obama Administration revives Clinton forest road ban

Federal bureaucrats do end run around grassroots opposition to NREPA

HELENA – Access and productive use of twenty-four million acres of Northwestern federal land is at risk once again, due to a tag-team of Administration rules and the resurrection of the so-called Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA). The bill, sponsored by a New York City congresswoman would criminalize “mechanized travel” – including bicycle riding – on 24% of Idaho, 7 million acres in Montana, and 5 million acres in Wyoming.

Issue advocacy group Western Tradition Partnership has announced a massive grassroots effort to oppose these measures with calls, emails, and faxes to Senators through its website www.WildernessGoneWild.com .

“This is like Night of the Living Dead.” said Jacob Leis, Director of Membership for WTP, “NREPA and the Clinton Roadless Rule have been dead for over a decade, killed by the grassroots, but now they’re back.”

“The Obama Administration’s shameless throwback to the discredited Roadless Wilderness scheme will place our forests in danger, once again, of catastrophic destruction by fire,” said Leis, adding “We are urging the people to call on Senators Baucus and Tester to stop appeasing the eco-extremists, cut the lip service and oppose all Western land grabs.”

Only two of seventy-one original co-sponsors represent districts in the 5 affected states, which include Washington and Oregon.

Leis added, “While only a handful of radical environmentalist groups support H.R. 980 (NREPA), this radical agenda could pass due to the undue influence of East- and West-Coast liberals in Congress.”

“That is why the grassroots are outraged, and why nothing short of a promise of filibuster by Senators Baucus and Tester and other key Western Democrats will put this issue to rest.”

Many of these areas are responsibly used for timber and extractive resources, and also provide rights-of-way for the electric grid, especially for wind-generated power being generated in Montana and transported to market in California. Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming stand to lose tens or hundreds of millions in business and revenue income through lost tourism, and loss of productive value.

“With the continuing bad economic news and more Americans struggling to keep their jobs and small businesses afloat, NREPA is extremely irresponsible,” said Leis.  “We estimate that hundreds of businesses and small towns will be devastated when recreationists decide to go elsewhere to enjoy the outdoors.”

For more details, please go to www.wildernessgonewild.com .

#  #  #