Wildlife would benefit from Young's GO Act
 
(Note: The Conservation And Reinvestment Act, CARA, also known as The Confiscation And Relocation Act by those that treasure property rights and private property, has been resurrected, complete with new language deception and sporting a more 'politically correct' and voter-deceiving title. The bill -- H.R.4100 -- is a bottomless pit for 'pet projects' of legislators, whose home states get, not 'free money,' but what in the long run boils down to ever more straws heaped upon the already staggering camel's back. Land acquisition for federal 'protection' purposes, masquerading as 'protecting' wildlife, the nebulous 'environment,' or the ever-popular 'endangered' species 'poster species of the month -- is still nothing more than Federal Control by those actively stealing our Constitutional Republic and replacing it with world control by a very few of the most powerful families. 'Future generations' -- a lie, since future generations of average Americans will not be allowed or be able to afford visits/access -- applies only to the few chosen to still have access to The Wildlands Project. There are three articles below on this bill.)
 
April 6, 2004
 
Capital City Weekly
 
Juneau, Alaska
 
 
Wildlife, as well as public health, could benefit if a bill co-authored by Congressman Don Young and Congressman George Miller (D-Calif.) is adopted by congress.
 
The "Get Outdoors Act" (GO Act) of 2004 proposes to reinvest a portion of the revenues from federal offshore oil and gas for state-based wildlife conservation, coastal conservation and impact assistance, historic preservation and urban parks.

The GO Act is especially important for Alaska, since the state has one fifth of the nation's shoreline. The funding can be used for projects like protecting the state's coastline from erosion, enhancing children's playgrounds, and protecting our wildlife. It can also be used to preserve Alaska's historic places.

Through the bill, the authors also want to promote outdoors recreation, since studies have shown that easy access, good trails, adequate lighting and community-based infrastructure all are important to this goal. The GO Act would provide a permanent source of annual funding
 
for local government, states, and federal agencies to encourage physical activity and recreation.

The bill would provide $1,450 Billion to state and local governments for recreation and conservation purposes;

$650 Million to assist federal land managers in maintaining and enhancing public lands;

$350 Million to local governments near public lands to assist with community needs;

$125 Million to local governments for urban parks and recreation programs;

$350 Million to enhance access to hunting, angling and wildlife viewing;

$50 Million to protect imperiled wildlife and rare plants;

$160 Million to preserve historic places.
 
 
 
Young adds fitness aspect to conservation proposal - OPEN SPACE: Bill would provide money for park development
 
April 5, 2004



The Associated Press
 
adn.com story photo
U.S. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska: "I have spent thousands of hours outside. It is my cathedral. It's what's important to me." (Photo by Bill Roth / Anchorage Daily News) http://www.adn.com/images/images/591821-sty.jpg
 
 
The "Get Outdoors Act" (GO Act) of 2004 proposes to reinvest a portion of the revenues from federal offshore oil and gas for state-based wildlife conservation ...
 
(registration required to view this story at the Anchorage Daily News)
 
 
 
Young proposal mixes conservation with fitness
 
April 4, 2004
 
The Associated Press
 
The Alaska Daily News-Miner
 
P.O. Box 70710
 
Fairbanks, Alaska 99707
 
907-456-6661
 
Fax: 907-452-5054
 
 
To submit a Letter to the Editor: letters@newsminer.com
 
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Don Young has resurrected the idea of spending more than $3 billion a year to buy land for open space and to help coastal towns with conservation work, but now he's adding a fitness twist to the bill.

Young, R-Alaska, joined Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., at a news conference Thursday to announce introduction of the "Get Outdoors Act."

The GO Act is nearly identical to the Conservation and Reinvestment Act that Young and Miller convinced the U.S. House to pass, 315-102, in 2000. Their bill died in the Senate that year. Young introduced it again the next year but it did not go far.

This time, conference organizers are taking a new approach, according to the Fairbanks News-Miner Washington Bureau.

Frank Hugelmeyer, president of the Outdoor Industry Association, said the legislation offers an antidote to a nation whose residents are growing ever heavier due to inactivity. The bill would provide millions for developing parks, open space and recreational access projects around the country, he said.

"This is truly an infrastructure bill for the American people in terms of their health," Hugelmeyer said.

Mark Fenton, billed as a health and walking expert, told the crowd that studies have shown that individual activity levels are greatly influenced by whether a person lives near a park.

Young stuck to that theme.

"I am 71 years old. I believe I look 28 years old," Young told the crowd, to much laughter. "But the importance of this is because I have spent thousands of hours outside. It is my cathedral. It's what's important to me. But it keeps me physically able."

"And I want everybody to know this is why I am on this bill," he said. "Because the outdoors, our lands, are so important for the future of this nation.

"I have watched a new generation of people spending time in front of the computer doing this," Young said, curling over an imaginary keyboard. "And as they do that, they do this," he said, spreading his hands wide.

Young and Miller often differ on environmental legislation and issues but they chatted amiably at the news conference.

"You know he's sometimes way out left and I'm always right," Young quipped after Miller spoke. "But we've worked together to try to recognize the importance of activity outside."

Various groups with environmental, hunting and fishing, sports and recreational interests that support the bill have formed an umbrella organization, Americans for Our Heritage and Recreation, to build awareness of the connection between health issues and publicly accessible recreation.

Young's proposal would spread $3.125 billion around the country each year, guaranteed, from federal offshore oil and gas leasing revenue. States with coastlines would get most of the money.

Alaska's share would be $175.2 million a year.

In Alaska, about $85 million would go to coastal communities. The money could be used for preventing erosion, enhancing fish populations and a wide variety of other projects.

Another $38.5 million would be available in Alaska from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. The fund helps buy private land to protect from development. The money can also be used for playing fields, hiking and biking trails, campgrounds and hunting and fishing access.

The bill would provide $22 million for payments to Alaska's local governments to compensate for federal land within their borders that they cannot tax.

The last major chunk of money, $16 million, would go to the state for fish and wildlife conservation projects.

Young said he did not think the GO Act would pass this year. He encouraged the interest groups to continue pushing for it, though.

In 2000, Young pushed through his Conservation and Reinvestment Act while chairman of the House Resources Committee. Today, that position is held by Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., who was a fervent opponent of CARA.

Brian Kennedy, Resources Committee spokesman, said Pombo's outlook has not changed.

"The fact of the matter is that the federal government owns two-thirds of the land in the U.S. and we need to decrease that number, put it in the hands of private property owners, rather than increasing it," Kennedy said. "The other side of it is the price tag."