Re: Range Wars

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Linda B.  Merims lbmerims@curl.com
Steph said:

>...And now, there
>is a proposal before Clinton to convert the entire area into a 
>National Monument. The proponents of the monument are well organized
>and have a strong PR arm. The folks against it (ranchers, recreationists)
>are just now gathering strength and starting to fight the proposal
>by 'playing the game'...

When I was web browsing 18 months or so ago researching National
Monuments and the Escalante/Grand Staircase issue, I seem to remember
coming across something that made me believe that national monuments
created by presidential decree can actually be *reversed* by subsequent
presidential decree--that the designation was not necessarily permanent
the same way that a congressional act creating a national park is
"permanent."

I kind of doubt my own memory because this would seem to open the
door to pure chaos:  a president sympathetic to one set of interests
designating a National Monument and the whole 10-year plan machinery
going to work and setting up management principals as happened at
Grand Staircase/Escalante in southern Utah where the Outlaw Trail is held
only to have the next administration come along and undo the designation
and restore the previous status quo.

But I wonder...

In any event, this is real late in the Clinton administration to be designating
National Monuments.  I wonder if there is going to be a last-minute flood
of them before he exits office.

Linda B.  Merims
lbm@ici.net
lbmerims@curl.com
Massachusetts, USA