From Deseret News archives:
Same-state sponsors are best for bills
We worked with all the land and water issues, Indian issues and matters affecting parks and territories. One of the first bills I worked on was the Utah Forest Service Wilderness Act bill. Sen. Jake Garn was the Senate sponsor. Members of the Interior Committee were quite familiar with the Wilderness Act, the Endangered Species Act, the NEPA Act, the FLPMA Act and many other pieces of legislation affecting our natural resources. After we completed the Forest Service Wilderness Act, which was signed by President Reagan, we started on the BLM & National Park Wilderness Act.
Working with the state of Utah, we came up with a figure of 4.2 million acres. That legislation was carefully drafted to follow the 1964 act. The environmental community came up with 5.7 million acres. After the Bruce Babbitt inventory (poorly done) strangely came up to 5.7 million acres, the environmental community immediately changed its proposal to 9.3 million acres. The intriguing question was who it could get to sponsor the bill.
On more than one occasion, I challenged the environmental community to put its 9.3 million acres, the state's 4.2 million acres or zero on the ballot. I said I would sponsor and carry its legislation if it received a majority of Utah votes. But if they lost, they should support whatever won. They declined that challenge, demonstrating to me and many other members of the committee their lack of sincerity. I found it interesting that Rep. Hinchey was willing to tell Utahns how to run their state, but when other members introduced legislation in his state, he was highly offended.
Recent comments
Oh Jim, your memory is so short, and your recall of the facts so...
Fifth Gen. Utahn | April 15, 2008 at 11:05 a.m.
Great article Jim. Hinchey should not be pushing this through.
Anonymous | April 15, 2008 at 10:24 a.m.
Jim is up in the night and I am shocked at the support for this! So...
BBKing | April 14, 2008 at 10:51 p.m.
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