A monumental threat from the Secretary of Interior…
Andrew Restuccia had this for Politico Pro:
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said today President Barack Obama is prepared to use the Antiquities Act to name more national monuments if Congress doesn’t act.
“There’s no question that if Congress doesn’t act, we will act,” Jewell said during a speech at the National Press Club, noting that the president has used the act nine times so far.
Jewell said the administration will protect “important areas” where “there is a groundswell of public support.”
Here’s more, from The Idaho Statesman:
Jewell, speaking at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, urged Congress to pass some of the dozen wilderness and land protection bills that have been held up since 2010. And she noted that President Barack Obama has used the Antiquities Act nine times to establish national monuments without congressional approval, such as the Rio Grande Del Norte in New Mexico and the San Juan Islands in Washington.“If Congress doesn’t step up to act to protect some of these important places that have been identified by communities and people throughout the country, then the president will take action,” Jewell said in her first major speech since her appointment six months ago.“We cannot and will not hold our breath forever.”
FULL SPEECH
Meanwhile, Montana native David Spady now leads Americans for Prosperity in California. He’s calling out the US Fish and Wildlife Service for hiding documents as part of what he calls a pattern of “sue and settle” among land management agencies and environmental groups.
From the AFP-California YouTube page:
The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service has refused to provide members of Congress with documents pertaining to communications between the agency and environmental groups they were coordinating with in secret Sue and Settle arrangements. The same members of Congress have access to the most sensitive classified national security documents – but don’t have access to USFWS records. The practice of Sue and Settle provides taxpayer funding to radical environmental groups and circumvents the legislative involvement in major policy decisions. Congress needs to hold these agencies accountable by refusing to fund their operations until they give the public full disclosure of their actions.
Here’s a link to the full USFWS letter to Sen. Vitter.