Archive for the 'Politics' Category

Update on the California Park Closings

Published
by
Modern Hiker
on January 14, 2008
in Politics and State and Local Parks
. 0 Comments

For those fellow Californians who are tracking Gov. Schwarzenegger’s threatened closing of 48 state parks, the San Jose Mercury News has some updates and analysis of the issue.

The good news: If enacted, the parks likely wouldn’t close until 2009, and groups across the state are preparing counter-assaults on the proposal, pointing out it would only eliminate one tenth of one percent of California’s deficit, and that Arnold would become the first California Governor ever to close State Parks to balance a State Budget.

The bad news: Nobody thought the National Park Service would close the Grand Canyon and Washington Monuments during a 1995 budget crisis, but they did.

Either way, this is a very interesting political situation that I’ll be following closely. And, if it comes down to it, maybe some of us can spend some time volunteering in Topanga State Park to keep it open?

Via Two-Heel Drive.

48 State Parks to Close?

Published
by
Modern Hiker
on January 10, 2008
in Politics and State and Local Parks
. 4 Comments

Today, Gov. Schwarzenegger released a list of the 48 State Parks, Recreation Areas, Reserves, and Beaches that he wants to close to help get California’s budget back in the black.

The list reaches across the entire state, and would close many well-trafficked areas — including our very own Will Rogers, Topanga Canyon, and (slightly non-local) San Jacinto State Parks. It’s not clear whether the trailheads themselves will be off-limits, or if it just means closing down the services and rangers, but either way — when the parks are on the chopping block, it’s time to make some noise.

Bob Coomber left a comment on Two-Heel Drive that rightly recommends raising a political ruckus by calling or emailing your state and federal representatives to let them know you want to keep California’s park system up and running. The Drive also has a link to a more in-depth story in the Mercury Press, which shows Arnold also wants to slash education budgets and release 22,000 prisoners.

Actually, now that I think about it, this has GOT to be a way to help pass Props 94 through 97 (warning! PDF!).

Schwarzenegger’s been all over my TV talking about all the extra money California would get from expanding Indian Casinos in Southern California — and now he proposes shutting down beloved parks, cutting school budgets, and letting prisoners return to the streets? Was there any political boogeyman he DIDN’T drudge up? Maybe he could cut funding to police and fire departments … or just close all the hospitals.

Man that makes me angry. Angry enough to write some letters.

Find out your representative and get their address, phone numbers, and emails here.

How Green Is Your Candidate?

Published
by
Modern Hiker
on January 8, 2008
in Environmentalism and Politics
. 0 Comments

I just got my California Permanent Absentee Ballot in the mail yesterday, spiking my previous Election Fascination to full-blown Election Fever.

Since the best kind of voter is an educated one, I’ve added a Grist Election widget to the sidebar to the right, which will let you browse their comprehensive coverage of each candidate’s positions on various environmental-type issues. Or, if you want something a little more at-a-glance, they’ve also got a condensed chart of all the info.

Obviously, there are a lot of issues to consider when you’re voting for a potential President, but the environment should definitely be on your list.

Oh, and if you’re in California, there’s still time to register to vote. You’ve got until January 21st to get your application postmarked. Get on it!

Park Service Old-Timers Tell It Like It Is

Published
by
Modern Hiker
on January 8, 2008
in National Parks and Monuments and Politics
. 0 Comments

It often seems like National Park Service employees aren’t really allowed to speak their mind until well AFTER they’ve left the Service — even when it’s their job to specifically do so.

So while we watch President Bush make web videos about how much he loves the Park Service, we can later read a comprehensive Wish List from the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees, calling for such things as “principled decision making,” the restoration of science and research to the NPS philosophy, ‘greener’ park buildings and services, halting fee-increases, and returning the NPS to “its former status as a leader in the world conservation movement.”

Wish list, huh? It feels like this should be a “Why The Hell Aren’t Things Already Like This?” list to me.

Via National Parks Traveler.

A Little Federal Greenwashing

Published
by
Modern Hiker
on December 13, 2007
in Environmentalism, National Parks and Monuments and Politics
. 2 Comments

When the President isn’t busy gutting the National Parks, cutting budgets, selling off public lands, or letting private companies commercialize parks, it’s good to know he spends his time making YouTube videos about how much he loves the National Park system.

If you just want to laugh, fast-forward to 7:02. Then cry. Then dream of January, 2009.

Forest Service Buyout

Published
by
Modern Hiker
on December 6, 2007
in National Forests and Recreation Areas, Politics and hiking
. 0 Comments

Wild Wilderness is sounding the alarm about a new US Forest Service proposal that would grant preferred National Forest access to outfitters, guides, and non-profits. If this proposal is approved, it would have sweeping and potentially permanent effects on all Forest Service Lands — which is the vast majority of outdoorsy-havens around Los Angeles, by the way.

Their site has a good summary of a potential future:

* Outfitters and guides would be able to pay a small fee for sole and exclusive access to prime camping, hunting, fishing and picnic areas, including boat launch ramps.

* Outfitters, guides and non-profit organizations would be awarded an allocation of public use for ten-year periods. Commonly referred to as a “taking,” of public land the rule would give preferred access to the outfitters at the expense of the do-it-yourself public on all Forest Service-managed lands.

* This rulemaking would force allocating access in management areas where access is presently allocation-free, as it now is at Boundary Waters Canoe Area and the Deschutes River.

* Outfitters, Guides and non-profits become “Priority Users”. The public, who does not use outfitters, guides or non-profits for access would no longer have “priority use.”

* The general public would no longer be able to comment on USFS giving away blocks of access to Forest Service land. Outfitting and guiding in designated wilderness would not require public comment and review through an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement. Additionally, there is no provision to prevent outfitting services from selling their preferred access rights to their successor companies.

* The new proposed rules do not protect wilderness areas from commercialization.

Not all doom and gloom, WildWilderness also has helpful links for ways you can submit a comment on this action, either in writing or online. They suggest you CC your Senator or Representative, too.

Remember all comments have to be received by January 17th, 2008. If you do anything outside on National Forest land, from hiking to mountaineering to horseback riding to shooting, this affects you.

Live Earth

Published
by
Modern Hiker
on July 7, 2007
in Environmentalism, Politics and in the media
. 2 Comments

Today is 07-07-07. For some, a lucky day to pick up a lottery ticket. For others, a good day to stage a worldwide concert event on all of the 7 continents to raise awareness about the climate crisis.

On the Live Earth web site, you can stream live footage from all of the world’s concerts, as well as watch some educational shorts and read up on how minor changes over large groups of people can have an enormous effect. The traditional ‘get involved’ section of the site is all about promising to change a few bulbs to CFLs, shopping for energy efficient appliances, and making sure everything is turned off when you leave your apartment or house. Really, all stuff we should be doing anyway.

So if you’ve got some time today, check out one of the webcasts, learn up on some practical ways to green your life, and sign the Live Earth Pledge, which demands our government start taking this issue seriously, and asks us to look for ways to help as individuals, too.

At the very least, try to check out the band from Antarctica - Nunatak. If there’s something I can get behind more than a worldwide concert for climate change, it’s a band playing outside a sub-zero research station composed entirely of scientists.

Green Politicians

Published
by
Modern Hiker
on June 26, 2007
in Environmentalism and Politics
. 1 Comment

With the Democratic and Republican Presidential hopefuls gearing up their campaigns, politics are on a lot of peoples’ minds. Lucky for us, Grist has an excellent list of 15 of the globe’s best green politicians (with 4 additional runners-up), so should you happen to find yourself living in one of these areas, you have a better idea of who to vote for to clean your green conscience.

I’m happy to know two of the top 15 (and one runner up, to boot) represent me in various levels of government — but California’s already got a good rep as a pro-environment state. More surprising are inclusions like the mayor of red-state capital Salt Lake City and the leader of the British Conservative Party … and then there’s Helen Clark, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, who wants to make her country the first completely carbon neutral nation on the planet.

Talk about ambitious…

Candidate Comparison

Published
by
Modern Hiker
on June 12, 2007
in Environmentalism, Politics and Web Sites and Apps
. 0 Comments

Because it’s never too early to start getting informed, here are two comparisons of both parties’ candidates’ positions on various environmental topics - from carbon caps to fuel efficiency to alternative energy. Even though it’s still very early in the campaign, some of the answers may surprise you.

… and it’s always nice to know where your guy (or gal) stands.

From the League of Conservation Voters.

From NPR.

Via TerraBlog.

Gubernatorial Sass

Published
by
Modern Hiker
on May 22, 2007
in Environmentalism and Politics
. 0 Comments

I love it when Governors get all antsy and start suing the federal government. It’s a great way for the states to call b-s on Washington, and usually good things come out of it - like the Clean Air Act and seatbelts and other warm fuzzies. I love it even more when the executives doing it are my former and current heads of state.

In a letter to the Washington Post, Gov. Jodi Rell (R-CT) and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA), accused the feds of “inaction and denial” on global warming. My current and former home states - along with ten others - want to go above and beyond the EPA’s vehicle emissions standards, but they need an OK from the EPA to do so. Since California’s request 16 months ago, they’ve heard nothing.

In vaguely-threatening, finger-wagging language, the pair wrote, “it’s high time the federal government becomes our partner or gets out of the way.”

Nice.