Privitization of BLM Land

[slynne]

So is this something to be worried about if one had plans to boondock on BLM land? They haven't done anything with it yet but it looks like they may be considering privatizing 640 million acres of BLM land. I am having a hard time conceptualizing that amount of land and can't figure out if this could mean trouble for my future boondocking plans. Any thoughts?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jan/19/bureau-land-management-federal-lease

 

[rvpopeye]

Hard to comment about this without getting political but " I don'tsk likesk the smells of it....skheeeeeewwww."

 

[bullfrog]

Without the staff to manage lands it is pretty much still the wild west out here people pretty much do what they can get away with as far as land usage. Even with small staff look at the event that took place in Blanding Utah when government tried to close some ATV trails. Bears Ears National Monument won't be much of a monument with a ranger's nearest back up 100 miles away and a mob of 150 armed ATV riders like at Blanding. People forget laws without enforcement and people who get along with enforcement officers get away with alot.

 

[cortttt]

So is this something to be worried about if one had plans to boondock on BLM land? They haven't done anything with it yet but it looks like they may be considering privatizing 640 million acres of BLM land. I am having a hard time conceptualizing that amount of land and can't figure out if this could mean trouble for my future boondocking plans. Any thoughts?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jan/19/bureau-land-management-federal-lease

States would just close off the lands and sell many of them. They don't have the funds to manage them. It's not as if these lands aren't being used already for mining, grazing and logging. I doubt that many people other than loggers want to open the forest to widespread clear cutting with the ugliness and environmental degredation that causes.

It sounds like many states officials don't want this.

 

[jonsun]

So, what is this community going to do? No land to stay on, probably no more medicare and social security soon. The RV industry might go broke too.

 

[GotSmart]

It seems to me I  have been hearing about something like this since I was old enough to understand the talk radio my father had on 24/7.  (Almost 60 years)  

I would not trust 10% of what I read online, and only slightly more that I hear from the politicians in person. That source is slightly   slanted to alarmist propaganda.

What are they going to do, roll up the roads? The people will not stand for sale of trust resources.

 

[jonsun]

They'll keep the roads but the land between will be private. They have been trying to take over since the 30's, true. Now they got total control for the first time since. The people will stand for all kinds of shit, obviously. In fact they'll support it.

sounds like the age old taking it for granted thing.

p.s. what's it being "online" make any difference to anything? It digital news print, same as it ever was but on your screen.

 

[GotSmart]

Bardo, you must be young to ask that question.

The news industry used to have "Gatekeepers" that forced honesty in the media. If a reporter could not remain unbiased, out the door.  There were propaganda outlets, but no where near this many slanted sources.  Digital media has removed the personalization of the reporter.

 

[slynne]

I think The Guardian is a reputable news organization, although obviously one with a UK bias.

I don't mean this to be political but rather am curious about what percentage of the land 640m acres represents. Is it all of it? A small part of it. I really have no idea how much land that is. I am wondering if it enough land to have an impact on RVers and boondocking. I mean, I know that around here, there isn't much free camping because there isn't too much federal land but up north, where there is, there are places with federal public land is available and it is nice.

(Ok, I looked it up. BLM manages about 700m acres so this is actually almost all of it)

Just to be clear too. This hasn't happened. It may not happen. And I respect that we can't have a conversation about if it should happen without getting political so perhaps focus on what to do IF it happens. I guess I will try to come up with a plan B that doesnt involve camping for free on BLM land. Maybe I will figure a way to stay on private land for cheap. Maybe if they give this to state governments, it will still be available? I suppose a group could get together and form a 501(c)(3) to buy a lot of the land and if the mission of the group was to provide free recreation, it could be a solution? I don't know.

I know I am obnoxious in the way I like to think ahead so far. It is an anxiety disorder. I worry.

 

[jonsun]

Bardo, you must be young to ask that question.

The news industry used to have "Gatekeepers" that forced honesty in the media. If a reporter could not remain unbiased, out the door.  There were propaganda outlets, but no where near this many slanted sources.  Digital media has removed the personalization of the reporter.

Ok...So read their printed article.

Otherwise I'm having trouble descrambling your various statements point.

You don't believe anything online, or you don't believe anything because of the internet?

 

[Almost There]

(Ok, I looked it up. BLM manages about 700m acres so this is actually almost all of it)

To get the total pictures you have to add in all the other federally owned lands - National Forest, National Parks, monuments, historic sites, wildlife refuges to name just a few.

I'm not sure what the actual total will come to but when all is said and done, the land mass is staggering. 

Canada downloaded it's federally owned land management function(it is still owned federally but managed provincially) many years ago. While the use of 'crown land' varies by province, it's still mostly all there.

 

[jonsun]

Utah is about 52.5M acres

 

[bullfrog]

Almost all of Utah land is controlled by some type of government local state or federal. If I remember correctly 90 some percent and the biggest part federal. Not a lot of love for Washington DC here. Not a lot of people after you get off the interstate hwy especially the south east corner. Most people make a living off open range cattle,mining or tourism. Gonna take a lot signs, fences, gates and maintenance of them to keep them up around here.

 

[GotSmart]

I have extensively studied communication, media, and public relations.  (BS~Communications/Public Relations.)

I can tell when a source is 

A.  Misleading

B.  Biased

which leads to C.  Lacking credibility.  (I never said any of that WOULD happen.)

Phrases such as;  May include, critics fear could ~~~, setting in motion, preemptively thinking, he thinks, could soon be.  All these are referred to as; Weasel words/phrases,  Speculative suppositions. Hyperbole,  embellishment, 

Since when has the federal government approved of transferring any power or resources to states without a fight?  The people will never let this happen. 

There  is also  link to this.  

National Park Foundation Announces Study Determining Value Of America's National Parks to Be $92 Billion
Contact: Doug Gavel
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (617) 495-1115
Date: June 30, 2016
WASHINGTON DC - Today, the National Park Foundation (NPF) announced the first-ever study providing a comprehensive economic valuation of America's national parks and the programming provided by the National Park Service (NPS). The study, conducted by Professor John Loomis and Research Associate Michelle Haefele, both at Colorado State University, and Linda Bilmes of Harvard Kennedy School, determined the total economic value (TEV) of national parks and the National Park Service’s programs to be $92 billion.

The study, a reporting of total economic value, clearly demonstrates the public’s shared perception of the incredible benefits of national parks and programs, whether they personally visit parks or not. In fact, 95% of the American public said that protecting national parks for future generations was important and 80% would pay higher federal taxes to ensure the protection and preservation of the National Park System.

 

[bullfrog]

Monuments controlled by the federal government limit access by restricting grazing, hunting, camping and the like. I'm really gonna enjoy watching how the new administration deals with what has already been done as well as any changes to come. We don't watch TV so this is reality entertainment for the few here. Utah state department only had one or two Law Enforcement officers for the whole area, if they restrict hunting there will be two less people to help in emergencies, as in call 911, get transferred 3 times, then get the reply should be able to get someone there in about 3 hours if it is life threatening. I don't think out of bounds camping is gonna get much of a response, maybe homesteading, maybe.

 

[bullfrog]

If you check BLM land around Tucson Arizona like I did 2 years ago you will find houses and gates over a lot of it when I went to the district office and asked about certain areas they said due to lack of funding they hadn't been to those areas for years and would I like to volunteer to help out. I told them I was already too good at making people mad at me no thanks. Making laws is a lot easier than enforcing them.

 

[jonsun]

Almost all of Utah land is controlled by some type of government local state or federal.  If I remember correctly 90 some percent and the biggest part federal.  Not a lot of love for Washington DC here.  Not a lot of people after you get off the interstate hwy especially the south east corner.  Most people make a living off open range cattle,mining or tourism.  Gonna take a lot signs, fences, gates and maintenance of them to keep them up around here.

so the people moved out there, knowing it's 70% public land and always has been, get to graze and mine without buying a deed or paying taxes, and are now mad about it?

Sounds like washington DC needs to clean some house.

after that little stunt in OR I fully support a firing squad

 

[bullfrog]

Welcome to the wild west, gonna need a lot of law enforcement if they make more laws as they don't have enough now to enforce the laws in effect.

 

[slynne]

Interesting. Thank you all! I am learning so much about things here. I hope my fears will turn out to be unfounded.

 

[justbreathe]

We will wait and see. It's all we can do, BUT. The way this lifestyle has exploded these past few years, it won't surprise me one bit if this new administration does sell it all off and kick everyone off. Or set up campsites for 60 bucks a night.