Rehberg introduces Montana sovereignty act

Rehberg introduces Montana sovereignty act

Tim Leeds

Montana's sole member of the House of Representatives and a representative from Idaho, announced this morning that they have introduced legislation to ban federal designation of government-owned land as national monuments or wild lands in their states without congressional approval.

"This is a reaction, once again, to President Clinton, in the last days of his presidency … with a stroke of his pen created a monument that has been disruptive, to say the least, to the state of Montana, " said Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont.

Rehberg and Rep. Raúl Labrador, R-Idaho, said during a telephone press conference from Washington that they had introduced the legislation this morning.

The Montana Land Sovereignty Act introduced by Rehberg would require congressional approval of actions by the president to create a national monument in Montana or the Department of the Interior designate federal land as wild lands.

Labrador introduced the Idaho Land Sovereignty Act.

Rehberg said a national bill is planned to be introduced, but he expects many more members of Congress to introduce state-specific land sovereignty bills as well.

He said the actions of President Barack Obama's administration shows a desire to circumvent Congress and public involvement. His references were related to a leaked memo in which the Bureau of Land Management discussed possible land conservation efforts including a potential monument in Valley and Phillips counties, then to an executive order by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar about designating federal land as wild lands, essentially reviving a policy ended during the administration of President George W. Bush.

President Theodore Roosevelt was the first to use the Antiquities Act of 1906 to create a national monument, Devils Tower in Wyoming in 1906.

Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter, who was scheduled to testify before the House Committee on Natural Resources Committee today on the same issue covered in the press conference, said new designations of federal land could kill job creation, especially in the field of renewable energy.

Idaho is working on developing many areas of green energy, he said, but that development means nothing if transmission lines cannot be built to transport the energy.

He added that the creation of monuments or wild lands would "invite almost every anti-progress group in the United States to engage (whether they are in Idaho or depend on its resources) to engage in court efforts to stop progress in the West. "

He said having another layer of requirements for development of energy production and transmission will kill jobs.

"I'm telling you, folks, this will bring that to an absolute delay if not stoppage, " Otter said.

Labrador, a member of the Natural Resources Committee, said the issue is one of creating jobs.

"This should unite all, in all ideological backgrounds, " he said.

He added that, although the designations only directly apply to federal land, they impact private and state holdings within the monuments or wild lands.

Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, chair of the Resource Committee's subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, said that Obama is following an agenda given to him by special interest groups and trying to circumvent public and local involvement.

"I share the frustration that Governor Otter has, where he is trying to govern a state where he is sometimes reduced to being a regional manager, " Labrador said.

Montana's sole member of the House of Representatives and a representative from Idaho, announced this morning that they have introduced legislation to ban federal designation of government-owned land as national monuments or wild lands in their states without congressional approval.

"This is a reaction, once again, to President Clinton, in the last days of his presidency … with a stroke of his pen created a monument that has been disruptive, to say the least, to the state of Montana, " said Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont.

Rehberg and Rep. Raúl Labrador, R-Idaho, said during a telephone press conference from Washington that they had introduced the legislation this morning.

The Montana Land Sovereignty Act introduced by Rehberg would require congressional approval of actions by the president to create a national monument in Montana or the Department of the Interior designate federal land as wild lands.

Labrador introduced the Idaho Land Sovereignty Act.

Rehberg said a national bill is planned to be introduced, but he expects many more members of Congress to introduce state-specific land sovereignty bills as well.

He said the actions of President Barack Obama's administration shows a desire to circumvent Congress and public involvement. His references were related to a leaked memo in which the Bureau of Land Management discussed possible land conservation efforts including a potential monument in Valley and Phillips counties, then to an executive order by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar about designating federal land as wild lands, essentially reviving a policy ended during the administration of President George W. Bush.

President Theodore Roosevelt was the first to use the Antiquities Act of 1906 to create a national monument, Devils Tower in Wyoming in 1906.

Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter, who was scheduled to testify before the House Committee on Natural Resources Committee today on the same issue covered in the press conference, said new designations of federal land could kill job creation, especially in the field of renewable energy.

Idaho is working on developing many areas of green energy, he said, but that development means nothing if transmission lines cannot be built to transport the energy.

He added that the creation of monuments or wild lands would "invite almost every anti-progress group in the United States to engage (whether they are in Idaho or depend on its resources) to engage in court efforts to stop progress in the West. "

He said having another layer of requirements for development of energy production and transmission will kill jobs.

"I'm telling you, folks, this will bring that to an absolute delay if not stoppage, " Otter said.

Labrador, a member of the Natural Resources Committee, said the issue is one of creating jobs.

"This should unite all, in all ideological backgrounds, " he said.

He added that, although the designations only directly apply to federal land, they impact private and state holdings within the monuments or wild lands.

Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, chair of the Resource Committee's subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, said that Obama is following an agenda given to him by special interest groups and trying to circumvent public and local involvement.

"I share the frustration that Governor Otter has, where he is trying to govern a state where he is sometimes reduced to being a regional manager, " Labrador said.