Back in the 1970’s there was heady talk of a national need to address land use (sprawl in modern lingo). The Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) was passed to deal with the areas most at risk from overdevelopment, namely the coasts. The law established a partnership between the federal government and coastal states, providing funds for improved planning. The law also created a mechanism for states to challenge federal activities that affect the coastal zone. Since then, 33 state plans have been approved, covering more than 99% of the nation’s shoreline.
In 1990 Congress added a program to CZMA that requires coastal states to prepare and implement plans for prevention and control of runoff through enforceable policies and mechanisms. There should be no need to elaborate on our need for such a program here — just remember that agriculture, failing septic systems, and marinas have all been identified as important sources of nutrient loading that is associated with harmful algal blooms. Maryland was the first to have its coastal runoff program approved, making it eligible for financial assistance to carry out this program.
It therefore was a particularly low blow when last summer the House
Resources Committee marked up a reauthorization for CZMA that would remove
this program! Worse yet, as a sort of coup de grace to coastal planning,
the Committee also added an amendment that expands the current Supreme
Court definition of a “taking” under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution
and requires the payment of compensation for the regulation of virtually
ANY use of private property under CZMA! The House reauthorization,
H.R. 2669, will likely be brought to the floor early this year. The
Senate CZMA bill, S. 1534 (still in Committee), does not ensure funds dedicated
to implementing the coastal runoff program.
This may be the single most important federal opportunity to address coastal sprawl this Session. For more information: Vivian Newman, 410-442-5639, email newviv@erols.com q
Utah’s Congressional delegation, including Senators Hatch and Bennett, are strongly against significant wilderness protection and want to open as much land as possible to both development and ORV’s. These off-road vehicles are considered to be the biggest single threat to plants and wildlife. Local officials often cut illegal roads just to prevent wilderness status.
We Need To Protect Wild Land in Utah and everywhere. Across our country beautiful land is being destroyed in many ways, including urban sprawl, clear cut logging and resource exploration.
1. It is our obligation to protect wild land so that it is there for future generations to appreciate and just to know it is there.
2. Large tracts of roadless areas are necessary to preserve a healthy ecosystem necessary for the survival of all native species of plants and animals, particularly large carnivores.
Fortunately Congress can protect public land as Wilderness which will remain forever free of roads, logging, and mechanized equipment. America’s Redrock Wilderness Act (Senate Bill 861) would give Congressional Wilderness protection to 9 million acres of Utah’s magnificent wild land.
The Redrock Act needs national support to overcome the opposition of the Utah Congressional delegation. Utah’s wild land is public land belonging to all Americans, including those in Maryland. Protect your land.
Please call and write Senators Mikulski and Sarbanes and urge them to cosponsor America’s Redrock Wilderness Act (S.861). A personal letter, handwritten and mailed, is taken very seriously by members of Congress. Write today. Or call, if you don’t have time to write.
If you would like to organize a local Sierra Club Utah Wilderness Task Force contact: Bob Jordan, National Chair, Sierra Club Utah Wilderness Task Force, Box 316, Saxtons River, VT 05154 -- bobjordan@attglobal.net
Hon. Paul Sarbanes
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
202-224-4524
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