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President Clinton Threatens Quaker
Meadow Camp
President
William Jefferson Clinton recently proposed the establishment of a
National Monument for giant sequoias. This monument would be comprised
of 400,000 acres in the Sequoia National Forest. Quaker Meadow Camp is
located right in the center of the proposed monument. Please TAKE
ACTION to let the President Know that you oppose his proposal.
President
Clinton suggests that a Sequoia National Monument would protect the
giant redwood trees from being logged.
He said, "I want to ensure that these majestic cathedral
groves . . . are protected for future generations to study and
enjoy." Who wouldn't
want to protect these redwood trees?
The
truth of the matter is that this proposed monument is just a political
move to gain votes from those in environmental circles. It has nothing
to do with protecting redwood groves. Why do we say this?
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The
redwood groves are already under the federal protection of the
Sequoia Mediated Settlement Plan signed in 1990.
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The
redwood groves are also under federal protection by a Presidential
Proclamation signed by George Bush in 1992.
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No
one has logged redwood trees for the past two decades.
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No
one wants to log redwood trees. The loggers, the Forest Service, the
Park Service, environmentalists, conservationists, and all user
groups have formally agreed to the protection of the redwoods.
Everyone wants to protect these national treasures.
President
Clinton is using the Antiquities Act of 1906 to reach into various
states and grab land for the federal government. By establishing a
monument, the President does an end-run around Congress and state's
rights. He recently did this in Utah with the establishment of the Grand
Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
In
the case of the Grand Staircase, President Clinton grabbed 1.9 million
acres of Utah land without contacting anyone from the state of Utah.
This was done under the guise of protecting endangered land.
The Clinton administration suggested that they were protecting
Utah from foreign coal interests.
Now
for the truth. Anyone can go to the Internet and get a copy of the
Subcommittee on National Parks & Public Lands Committee on Resources
report dated November 7, 1997. http://www.house.gov/resources/105cong/parks/staircase.htm
In
the report, Kathleen McGinty, chair for the Counsel on Environmental
Quality (a Clinton appointee), said, "I'm increasingly of the view
that we should just drop these Utah ideas . . . these lands are not
really endangered."
How
is Quaker Meadow Camp endangered by President Clinton's proposed GIANT
SEQUOIA NATIONAL MONUMENT? The
establishment of the monument under the United States Forest Service is
just the first step. Most federal monuments are under the supervision of the
United States Park Service (Department of Interior). It would only be a
matter of time before the President would then change the designation
from a Monument to a Park.
As
it stands now, the President cannot declare an area a National Park
without the approval of Congress. He can, however, establish a monument
with out the approval of Congress. Once it is a Federal Monument, the
President can then convert it to a Park circumventing the NEPA process
for public input and interaction. It is a shrewd loophole.
Once
the land surrounding Quaker Meadow Camp becomes a National Park, it is
the beginning of the death of this important work for the young people
of the United States of America. Congress is mandated by federal law to
eliminate all private land within National Park boundaries.
We
need your help on this issue. The President can make this decision by
the 15th of April, 2000. We are expecting it to be announced on EARTH
DAY, April 22nd. There needs to be a great public outcry. The focus of
your thoughts should be on the President's abuse of the Antiquities Act
of 1906, and the passage of Senate Bill 729. Quaker Meadow Camp and its
help to the youth of this country is directly threatened as a result of
the President's power and abuse of this act for political gain. This is
not about protection or science.
If
you could write a personal letter it would have much impact. Congress
views one letter representing approximately 1,000 people. Enclosed are
addresses and e-mail sites to equip you to write and oppose the
monument. Please pass on this information to your church and friends of
Quaker Meadow and join us in prayer concerning this very important
matter.
This letter was written from information received by e-mails from Hume
Lake, Sam’s-Coalition
and other groups dedicated to protecting the Sequoia National Forrest.
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