American Lands Access Association — ALAA
Hot Topics from the ALAA
The ALAA (American Lands Access Association) is the lobbying arm of the American Federation, working on behalf of rockhounds to keep public lands open and accessible to all, including the elderly and handicapped. For more information about who they are, what is going on or to become a member, visit their website at: http://www.amlands.org/.
Who needs to band together to fight public land closures?
hikers, bikers, rafters, hunters, rockhounds, fishermen/women, campers, equestrians, boaters, prospectors, miners, dirt bikes, rock crawlers, loggers, kayakers, astronomers, bird watchers, snowmobilers, cross-country skiers, rock climbers, marksmen/women, 4x4s, nature photographers, jeep racers, mushroom collectors, long-range shooters, ranchers, grazers, rural communities
Utah Pushing to Remove Police Powers from BLM, Forest Service
By Pete Kasperowicz
Senior Editor, Washington Examiner (March 22, 2016)
Posted: 6/1/16
Utah’s four House Republicans introduced a bill that would strip the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service of their power to police federal lands, and give that power over to local cops. Rep. Jason Chaffetz and his three GOP colleagues from Utah introduced the Local Enforcement for Local Lands Act. The lawmakers say the growth of policing authority in both agencies has distracted them from their main mission of managing federal land, and has created conflicts with local authorities. They also say federal agents are not as trusted as local police, and should be removed. “Federal agencies do not enjoy the same level of trust and respect as local law enforcement that are deeply rooted in local communities,” Chaffetz and other lawmakers said. “This legislation will help deescalate conflicts between law enforcement and local residents while improving transparency and accountability.” “The BLM and U.S. Forest Service will be able to focus on their core missions without the distraction of police functions. This is a win all around,” they added. A letter the Utah Sheriffs’ Association sent to Chaffetz shows that federal police agents and their local counterparts are butting heads, and that local police believe the feds are intruding on local authority.
(From the Jan.-Mar., 2016, ALAA Newsletter)
It Depends on Your Interpretation of the Law . . .
Reported by Shirley Leeson
Posted: 5/1/16
At the January meeting of ALAA in Quartzsite, Mike Hunerlach, US Forest Service Head Geologist (recently retired) spoke on “Rockhounding on Public Lands Managed by the Forest Service” and also gave insight into the laws, rules and regulations that affect collecting rocks, minerals and invertebrate fossils. Mike did a great job of telling us about the Mining Law of 1872 and how it is interpreted today by those in the Forest Service—which isn’t necessarily the way the law is written. His strong suggestion was to get a copy of the Code of Regulations, Title 36, Parks, Forests and Public Property. He said he would help us locate those sections that are pertinent to rockhounds.
This is important because the newly hired rangers from the universities are leaning toward protecting plants, animals, trees, grasses and other nonhuman entities rather than managing our public lands for multiple uses by human beings, as the law provides. Frequently Mike found, in coming in to clean up a misunderstanding between ordinary humans and the Forest Service personnel, the rangers really weren’t using the letter of the law, but their own interpretation of the law. In addition to Title 36, there is also Title 43, Public Lands, Interior Department. You can obtain your own personal copy from the US Printing Office or from Amazon. Or, you may also go to ALAA’s site, www.amlands.org. On the home page, scroll down to the article about the January meeting and click on either of these titles and download any part of either Title 36 or Title 43. (Beware: if you want a hard copy of Title 43, get the second book, from page 1000 on. I bought the first one and all the information I needed was in the second book.)
Mike has offered his help in learning more about the Code of Regulations and how to use it to our advantage—and this is a huge help.
(From the Jan.-Mar., 2016, ALAA Newsletter)