Check Out His Idaho Record;
new gold mine in yellowstone?
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-- Until today the national press has been silent on the proceedings to confirm Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne as secretary of the Interior. The AP finally discovered this action that has been sailing smoothly under the radar. On the other hand, bloggers have been steadfast in their tracking of the proceedings.-- A quick search shows many concerns about this appointment were noted in bloggs about our national parks, our other public lands, our energy policy, and the condition of the environment. The record of Dirk Kempthorne is transparent, and public. From his desire to remove wolves from Idaho to his blatant sexual escapades the new secretary has been open and forthcoming.
-- This crony of President G.W. Bush will continue the administration policies in all these areas, and will certainly enable the pending changes made by his predecessor, Gale Norton.
-- The National Park Service can look forward to: more budget cuts, fewer staff positions, less security, and more commercialism. There should be no whining from visitors in their giant motor homes when they discover that there are no interpretive rangers at their favorite parks.
-- There should be no surprise when views and vistas are interrupted by giant signs on park busses and buildings. There should be no gasping and wringing of hands when oil exploration, coal leasing, or right-of-way corridors infringe on buffer zones to our parks. This appointment and confirmation took place in the open and with little resistance from anyone.
-- This will be the man in charge of: The National Park Service, The Office Of Surface Mining, The Bureau Of Reclamation, The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, The Minerals Management Service, The U.S. Geological Service, The Bureau Of Indian Affairs, and the Bureau of Land Management - - - that's about 1/5 of the land area of the United States Of America!
-- As noted on the DOI home page:
"The Department of the Interior, comprising the eight bureaus listed above:
Manages 1 out of every 5 acres of land in the US.
Provides the resources for nearly one-third of the Nation's energy.
Works with 561 federally recognized Indian Tribes.
Administers U.S. responsibility to four overseas Territories.
Provides water to 31 million citizens through 820 dams and reservoirs.
Receives 500 million visits each year to 388 national parks, 537 wildlife refuges and vast areas of multiple use lands.
Provides opportunities for hunters and anglers, working to improve habitat on millions of acres of public and private lands."
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