Read carefully
the following example, then consider what is being proposed for Alabama!
Read carefully
the following example, then consider what is being proposed for Alabama!
Bridal Veil, Oregon
"In the beginning they told us nobody would have to move and nobody would lose their land...
We should have never listened to them."
An historic lumber town located along the Columbia River has been completely leveled. All trace
of human habitation has been removed, all so it can be made into a park. Twenty-three cities and
towns, along with thousands of individuals -- many of whom were descendants of original
pioneers -- will eventually be removed.
Environmental groups and wealthy city interests campaigned for designation of the Columbia River Gorge using three main lies:
 | 1. Runaway population growth [along the gorge], which has actually been declining since WWII. |
| 2. Rampant development, when during that time only two applications had been made for subdivisions in the entire area. |
| 3.A profusion of some 50 jurisdictions could be improved by centralization, when actually there were less than half that number, so there was no need to "centralize". |
The big lie was repeated over and over by the media until everyone believed it.
Congress passed the Gorge Act and created a commission, which developed a management plan
of over 300 pages to control land use. Unable to earn adequate income from the land, people will
be forced to sell to the only buyers -- the government or environmental land trusts -- at a fraction
of original value. The final result will be economic strangulation of the entire region.
NOTE: The Mississippi River Heritage Corridor Study Commission agreed in June, 1993 the
Corridor would need "a permanent, federally designated Commission."
The preceding example along with many others may be seen at http://home.navisoft.com/alliance/ afaweb/ourland.htm or you may call Citizens for Responsible Zoning and Landowners Rights at Eau Claire, WI. 715 448 3213
PERHAPS YOU HAVEN'T HEARD
Each plan of action is to include "measures of performance" i.e. sustainable indicators.
Sustainable indicators have been written and will be utilized through this and other programs. A
listing may be viewed at http: // venus.hq.nasa.gov/iwgsdi/welcome.html. Just a quote from that
page should provide some idea of where all of this is going. "The SDI Inventory is an inventory
of indicators already selected and developed by various international and national organizations,
such as the United Nations and the President's Council on Sustainable Development. The SDI
Group selected the Proposed 1997 SDI from the SDI Inventory."
The word Communities, holds a different meaning for this initiative. - "People representing all the
different interests who live and work in the area should come together to develop the nomination.
After meeting to share information, identify common goals for their river, and set strategies to
achieve those goals, they should ask one of their members to submit a nomination on their behalf."
The initiative refers to the river which can include the entire watershed. A drop of water that falls
on the top of a hill and makes its way to the river either through the ground water or the surface
water is considered a watershed. That hill may be 10 - 20 or more miles away. The maps on this
page are the watersheds for the three rivers nominated in the state of Alabama. Every watershed
in the United States may be seen at http:/www.epa.gov/surf/locate.html.
Under "Terms of Designation" the "American Heritage Rivers designation is intended to enhance
the partnership between a community Although the term of focused, active assistance will be
limited to five years, it may be impossible to achieve measurable results from a community's plan
of action in that time. Federal agencies may continue to provide appropriate services as part of
their ongoing activities after this time." In the next the paragraph the government declares
"Designation will generally be considered indefinite or until and unless termination of designation
is sought."
On Dec. 22, 1997 the US Government published a listing of the rivers that have been nominated throughout the United States. A team of experts will recommend to the President 10 rivers from that list. In the first part of 1998 the President will declare which ten rivers have been selected.
Heritage Rivers Nominated Lawsuit Filed
It has been reported that over 114 American rivers have been nominated under Clinton's American
Heritage Rivers Initiative. He will choose 10 rivers for 1998 and begin implementing his
watershed management scheme early next year. On Wednesday, December 10, 1997, however,
Rep. Don Young (R-AK), Helen Chenoweth (R-ID), Richard Pombo (R-CA), and Bob Schaffer
(R-Co) represented by Mountain States Legal Foundation and Perry Pendley, filed a lawsuit in the
U.S. District of Court in Washington, DC. The suit contends that the president has no legal
authority to implement his Initiative and that it violates federal land-management policies enacted
by Congress. Keep the pressure on your elected officials to oppose this Initiative. The president
should not be allowed to circumvent the will of the people and Congress.
A Congressman may write a letter to the Heritage Committee requesting that the nomination of
rivers in his district be denied. A county may also request such status. Many counties along the
Wabash River did just that. Copies of their declaration will be provided upon request. Idaho and
Texas had their legislative delegations sign letters of withdrawal from the program, which,
according to Kathleen McGinty, head of the White House Council on Environmental Quality
(CEQ), effectively removes their states from participation.
Representative Helen Chenowith has authored a bill, H.R. 1842, that would withdraw all funding from the Heritage Rivers initiative. The one-page bill specifies that "none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to a Federal agency ... may be used to develop, implement, or carry out the American Heritage Rivers Initiative ... or any similar program." According to an article by Dr. Michael Coffman in the January 5, 1998, issue of The New American, this bill quickly gained 46 co-sponsors in the House.
It is hoped that the information provided in this handout will give you cause for concern. For additional documentation from the Federal Government you may call 1-888-40river or check out the official government's web site at http://www.epa.gov.rivers/fedreg2.html#benefits rule local plans and regulations.