Unintended Consequences

When I started selling insurance in 1991, the state required that one’s license was renewed every other year. As part of that renewal process, 24 hours of continuing education training was required. Once the Affordable Care Act was implemented additional training became required. In addition to the state license renewal, one must complete federal on-line training, state on-line training and insurance company on-line training for each health insurance company one represents. Once the federal government became involved in health insurance, the required non-productive time was multiplied tenfold and compensation was reduced.

Given the history of government’s ineffective micro-managing, it’s not surprising that the very mention of a national monument creates anxiety throughout the caldera.  Last week there was a meeting of congressional staff members and residents to discuss the status of the national monument. I spent the evening helping a new Boy Scout begin his road towards Eagle and could not attend the meeting. My ACE (angelic, cheery, enthusiastic) reporter, Pat Ridley attended and gave me a report of the meeting. Basically everyone is concerned. The representatives will stay vigilant and the citizens will stay active to counter any who may promote the national monument concept.

The reality is that while these efforts are well and good, the administration has proven that it will do what it wants regardless of public sentiment. The 1906 Antiquities Act was originally passed to protect sensitive archaeological sites from decimation. Over the past century, it has evolved into a tactic for the environmentalist/climate change groups to prohibit fossil fuel mining on large tracts of federal lands.

Last spring Mayor Jewel met with the leadership of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition and he was told that they had stepped away from the Caldera National Monument after last year’s vote. The “No Monument” movement can be heartened by the fact that there is no immediate threat of significant energy production in the caldera, leaving this area a lessor priority.

Hopefully Island Park will be left alone by the administration through its final months. The only way to permanently avoid the national monument designation is for a new administration to work with congress and amend the 1906 Antiquities Act to require congressional approval before any more federal land can be designated as a national monument.

An Afternoon in Ashton

Reed Neilson and I attended the Teton View Regional Plan presentation in Ashton last Friday. I had received a personal invite from Cheryl Hill and it was obvious that there was some trepidation when I arrived.

The auditorium was ringed by a half dozen stations, each manned (actually womaned) by participants in the study group. We moved from station to station, we inquired if any proposals would further a national monument in any way. They all replied that the proposals contained in the Teton View Regional Plan would not promote any federal intervention in the caldera. Each proposal was voluntary and community specific or joint-county projects. 

The suggested projects included:

A greenbelt path for St Anthony

The continuation of a cycling path from Teton Pass to Island Park

Better information and signage for tourists

Efforts to establish a food processing plant in the upper valley to process local produce

And then there was the proposal that garnered so much attention last week, a proposal to review the water rights of the Snake River. 

I spoke with Pam Herdrich, the executive coordinator for the High Country Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc. out of St Anthony. Pam spoke of a desire to improve and diversify agricultural products in the Upper Snake River Plain. One of the impediments is that most of the water rights for the Snake River are held by land owners between Burley and Twin Falls. In the event of a drought, those rights holders can shut off all water to upper valley farmers. The proposal is to allow for some baseline water access in the upper Snake River Plain. While I may not have a dog in that fight, I can’t blame the local farmers for not wanting to have their farms dry up as they watch the water flow through their land to the lower plain.

I walked to the back corner of the hall and there SHE was! Sitting there, in person, without armed guards! It was Jan Brown. I approached warily, concerned that I was unarmed and without bear spray. How would she react? Were we in danger? Reed and I sat down cautiously. She greeted us with a tentative “Hello”. I opened my notebook and began. “Let’s get to it. Is there anything that promotes a national monument in this plan?”  “No” she replied. I had to ask, “Well, what the hell were you thinking when you got involved in the national monument proposal?” “I had no idea that I’d be drawn into such a mess.” she replied. We then relaxed and spent the next hour talking about the Teton View Regional Plan and what it recommended for Island Park. I asked Jan, as I had of all the other station representatives what the three best ideas for the caldera were. 
She listed the following:     

A nature/tourist center for the caldera

Decks and stairs built in areas where appropriate, for visitors to watch wildlife (moose, swans, etc.) similar to those that surround Big Springs.

Safer crossings for game animals on Hwy 20

While some of these ideas may be essential, none of them offended my sensibilities. In fact, as I read the literature on Wonders and Wildlife that she gave me, the only issue that I found was a notation about addressing “Climate Change Adaptation”. I consider that theory a load of baloney. There has been climate change throughout the history of the earth. We currently call them “seasons”. Don’t get me started!

Back at the auditorium, Reed and I visited two more stations, had a couple more conversations and shared our message. The residents of Island Park don’t appreciate it when others plan our future! If there are changes that would be beneficial to the caldera, its visitors or the residents of the flat, please run it by us first before pushing ahead. By the time Reed and I finished, they were taking down the stations and putting away the treats. It was time to go.

I hope that we relayed how violated Island Park felt when it had the national monument thrust upon us. At the same time, many of the proposals weren’t unrealistic or without merit. I hope that despite the furor over the national monument inquiry, Island Park can look objectively at the proposals and select the ones that we can support. I do not want others to get the perception that we consider every action by neighboring communities a conspiracy or that we are part of the tin-foil hat crowd. That simply would not be true.

Island Park vs The Druids

Last Friday evening, I had the opportunity to attend a public meeting on the Island Park National Monument designation. It was sponsored by the local Chamber, the Caldera Heritage Coalition and the Idaho Recreation Council. The event was well attended and was hosted by Ken Watts.

The presentation to State and Federal officials of petition signatures and the results of November’s advisory vote (93% against) was discussed. Staff members of our congressional representatives were in attendance to recount what was being done in our behalf to stave off the National Monument designation. Mr. Watts listed some of the environmental groups working for monument designation and the hundreds of thousands of dollars being funneled to them. It was difficult not to feel overwhelmed.

Environmental activism has become the religion of the secular left. They embrace the theology that humans are not part of the ecosystem. This overindulgent emphasis on the sanctity of “Mother Earth” is reminiscent of ancient druids.   The druids were an educated, professional class of Iron Age Celts centered in the British Isles and Gaul. Their religion was nature-centric.

Religious movements can become oppressive or even tyrannical when they are willing to use the power of the state to enforce their beliefs. The current administration has proven itself to be true believers in the gospel of global warming and environmental activism. Last week the Obama administration announced that it would seek wilderness protection for twelve million acres of Alaska. 

This action was conceived without consulting Alaskans. A 60 second video released by the president served as the state’s notification. 

While it is essential that the efforts of the “Say No to the National Monument” movement continue, the current administration will give no credence to the opinions of the “non-believers”. Our best hope is that congress will withdraw the presidential power of unilateral monument designations and that the Island Park National Monument is not high enough priority for a declaration to be made in the interim.

Citizens of Fremont County should demand that our county leaders 

do not employ those who secretly work against the will of the residents. This mess was created when a study group headed by county employees spent a couple of days pitching the idea of a National Monument to environmental groups. Thanks a lot!

Island Park doesn’t need an influx of druids to tell us how to protect the caldera. Local residents are great stewards of the environment. Druids should congregate at Stonehenge instead.       

Denial

Now that the election is over and the dust is settling, it is fascinating to observe the administration reinforcing their positions. The electorate voted to put the brakes on the dominating Federal government. The President declared after the loss that voters simply didn’t comprehend what he was trying to accomplish. His unpopularity is due to a lack of understanding by the citizenry, not the policies.

Last week a video surfaced of Obamacare architect Jonathan Gruber speaking at a conference on March 12, 2014. Addressing the Affordable Health Care Act, he stated that the lack of transparency was a major factor in getting the bill passed because the “stupidity of the American voter” would have killed the law if they knew what was in it.

The paternalism in dismissing the will of the populace is further evidenced in the administration’s threat to use executive action to deal with immigration issues. There is no area of daily life that the central planners consider off limits. Consider the mandated school lunches that the students refused to eat.

This brings me to the “No to the National Monument” vote. If the administration thinks that the monument designation is a good idea, they won’t pay attention to the voices of Fremont County. The last best hope for Island Park is that Congress will keep the administration so busy that we will drop off their radar.

The central planners make life too difficult. The private sector has been forced to downsize due to the economy and new regulations. Simplicity is always the best route to solve a problem, but that doesn’t require hordes of bureaucrats. 

The Vote

With the elections less than a week away, the “Say No to the National Monument” referendum has dominated the local discourse. The current administration has instituted their agenda even if it means disregarding the will of the populace.

Consider any of the issues subject to intense national debate: gay marriage, immigration policies, health care, Ebola quarantines or Islamic terrorism; the administration has overridden the views of the American people and hoped that the populace would eventually accept their actions.

With such a mindset, does anyone think that if the administration felt compelled to designate this area as a national monument, they would consider local input?  Not Likely! The best thing going for Island Park is that President Obama is from Hawaii and has focused his attention on designating a significant area of ocean surrounding the islands as a national monument. Hawaiian residents are sharing our concerns but seem to be in the crosshairs.

While someone else’s troubles are never a reason to rejoice, Island Park is in fly-over country and not likely to hold the attention of the current administration. The vote by Fremont County residents regarding the national monument next week is a good thing. Do not doubt that if the administration wanted to designate Island Park as a national monument, a “no vote” could not dissuade them.

Someone Kicked a Hornet’s Nest

The responsiveness of local government was on display at the Island Park Community meeting with the Fremont County Commissioners. The topic was the Island Park National Monument study initiated by Fremont County Planning and Building Department.

The capacity crowd left no doubt that there was widespread interest in the future of Island Park. Tom Cluff, the administrator of the Fremont County Planning and Building Dept., indicated that in response to chatter of possible consideration of National Monument designation, the county had decided to be proactive. A HUD grant was obtained to conduct a study of the Island Park caldera in the hope of heading off such a designation.

The commissioning of the study was interpreted as county government approval of the National Monument. This perception was reinforced when Jan Brown of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition was hired by the County as a consultant for the study. It was assumed that the continuing restrictions within Yellowstone Park would bleed over into Island Park if the same voices were involved.

Mr. Cluff announced that the study had been called off and that there was no interest in promoting a National Monument. He advised that there was still seventy five thousand dollars of HUD money available to conduct a yet to be determined study.

After his presentation, each County Commissioner took their turn apologizing for the misunderstanding and promising to do all in their power to discourage the monument designation. To their credit, three more humble public servants I had not seen.

This is precisely why local control is so important. When politicians deal with friends and neighbors, the opinions of those residents are much more important.

A proposal made at the meeting was to put the question on November’s ballot, asking Fremont County voters if they are in favor of a National Monument designation. The response would arm county officials if the designation ever gathers steam. Not a bad idea.

As far as the $75K still kicking around, I would suggest that the county study how to protect habitat and wildlife while improving the experience in Island Park for ATV/snowmobile riders, hunters, anglers, campers and hikers.

Island Park National Monument and Bunkerville

The recent events near Bunkerville, Nevada raise concerns about how the Federal Government deals with local citizenry. When rancher Cliven Bundy challenged the BLM over grazing fees and the protection of the desert tortoise, both sides were so entrenched in their opinions until it escalated into an armed confrontation.

The locals in Bunkerville have been living a particular lifestyle on public lands for well over a hundred years.  Federal land managers concluded that the existence of the desert tortoise was threatened by the grazing of cattle.  The heavy-handed response by the BLM included armed troops, dogs and Tasers.

The government evacuation of the cattle during calving season only exacerbated the animosity held by the Bundy camp and their supporters. As each side armed and stood toe to toe, they were one bad move away from a Waco or Ruby Ridge disaster. It was the intervention of the Clark County Sheriff that convinced the federal government to withdraw, avoiding bloodshed. When local people are employed by any law enforcement agency, they tend to use more common sense and compassion than those who are imported to deal with complex situations.

An Island Park National Monument may come with benefits but the designation comes with more Federal control. There is less concern for the lifestyles of local residents. There is also an increased vulnerability from outside pressure groups to change the land usage based on their ideology.

There is already too much tension in this country over Federal control. Things are almost to a boil. Inviting additional control and tension here will serve no one well. The confrontation over tortoises and grazing in Nevada could be sparked by grizzlies, hunting and 4-wheelers here.

There is a meeting at the EMS building on April 23^rd at 6:00pm. During this meeting the county commissioners will address the proposed National Monument. It would behoove anyone interested to attend. 

Possible Rules for the Island Park National Monument

1.          No Hunting (especially wolves).

2.          No cutting of firewood (burning wood creates global warming).

3.          No building on private land without a federal permit.

4.          No ATVs

5.          Guided group snowmobile trips only.

6.          Maximum of 8 boats allowed on any river at one time. (You are upsetting the fish!).

7.          Camping permitted in designated campsites only.

8.          In the event of a sequester, Island Park will be temporarily closed (sorry).

9.          Park pass purchase is required to vacation in Island Park.

 More rules and regulations to follow …… Have Fun!

Living Inside a National Monument?

During the later stages of the Bush 43 administration, Jim Caswell served as Bureau of Land Management Director under Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne. Mr. Caswell was the Targhee National Forest supervisor in the 1990s.  During his tenure as BLM director he developed a proposal to create a national monument out of the entire Island Park Caldera.

I began searching for the rationale behind such a move other than allowing a politician or interest group to establish a legacy. The best one I could find deals with geothermal energy. Energy companies have previously expressed interest in tapping into the Yellowstone’s geothermal system by drilling from the Island Park Caldera.

In Kamchatka (former Soviet Union), a geothermal electric plant was constructed in the middle of an active fumarole/mud pot area in 1966. The underground energy was directed into the plant and the various geothermal features became inactive. 

That documented case has been cited when arguing against any substantial harvesting of geothermal energy from the Island Park side of the Yellowstone caldera. I am sure that if someone constructed a power plant next to Old Faithful Inn there would be a severe damage to the geyser basin features. While I am not sure that anyone knows what would happen if geothermal power was tapped from Island Park, the potential damage to Yellowstone’s geysers does not seem worth the risk. I wouldn’t bet on power plant construction. The area is under the supervision of the Forest Service. It would make no sense for the USFS to say yes to a power plant while they are currently eliminating trails for 4 wheelers because of the potential eco-damage. A few large private property owners “could” allow construction of such a facility on their land but that should require Forest Service approval (if not, make it so).

The other reason for such a designation is more about limiting access and activities. There are always competing interests when it comes to the use of public lands. Example: The cross country skiers and snow shoe hikers disliked the snowmobiles’ noise and President Clinton’s administration severely limited their access. That worked out really well for West Yellowstone!

The question is who wants to limit what? I don’t have any idea. Once the national monument designation is made, the initial reason doesn’t matter. There is the rule of unintended consequences.

There is always some bustard who is indignant that you can harvest firewood, hunt, operate ATVs, or build an addition on your cabin (remember that you would be living within the boundaries of a national monument). What are the chances that an attorney and sympathetic court will decide that his feelings are more important than your lifestyle.

The Forest Service has some great employees in Island Park and the residents have proven to be great stewards of this wonderful area. Unless someone can demonstrate what is broken, what are they trying to fix?