A coalition of wildlife organizations wrote to the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on Monday urging the agency to remove Bundy’s cattle in the Gold Butte area of Nevada, where the 70-year-old has for years allowed his cows to graze freely on public lands in defiance of federal land-use restrictions.
Environmental groups have called on the government to round up Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy’s cattle with a mass seizure of livestock that some fear could lead to a tense standoff between armed militia groups and federal authorities.
The advocates’ demands come three months after federal officials arrested Bundy, eventually charging him and 18 other activists for their roles in a high-profile conflict at the family’s ranch in Bunkerville, about 80 miles north-east of Las Vegas.
For decades, Bundy refused to pay grazing fees to the federal government, arguing that the BLM had no right regulating land activity in the west. An ensuing court battle dragged on for years until the authorities showed up to his ranch in April 2014 with the intention of seizing his cows, which the government classified as an illegal trespass on public lands.
But hundreds of supporters, some heavily armed, showed up to defend Bundy’s cattle, forcing the government to stand down for fear of violence – a retreat that galvanized anti-government groups across the west.
Although the Bundy men are locked up, the cattle are still grazing without restrictions in an area that the government and environmentalists say is critical habitat for the Mojave desert tortoise, a threatened species.“The BLM must not wait to act to protect the desert tortoise,” nine environmental and wildlife groups wrote in their letter, which cited a recent study showing how livestock grazing causes severe declines in tortoise populations. “The cattle should be rounded up and removed from these public lands no later than summer 2016.”
Rob Mrowka, senior scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity, said that in addition to concerns about the tortoise competing with Bundy’s livestock for food, advocates were worried about the welfare of the cows.
Travis Bruner, executive director of Western Watersheds Project, said the BLM needed to remove the cattle to send a message to other land-use activists that it would not tolerate these protests.
“If that doesn’t happen, livestock operators all over the west who graze on public land will feel emboldened to not adhere to laws and regulations.”
And that is the real objective of Bundy’s prosecution. The federal government is determined to remind the public that the government is in charge and owns the entire country, though it will allow us to use small parts of it if they decide it is to their benefit. And they will throw a 70 year old man in jail for the rest of his life for defying their demands and grazing his cattle on some remote, dusty patch of desert to make sure we know they mean business.
Nevada Senator Harry Reid has also weighed in and suggested that he would like to see Bundy’s ranch turned into a national conservation effort, though it turns out that Reid owns some adjacent land that is being considered by the Chinese for a giant solar farm, for which Reid would profit handsomely. But grazing cattle make development of the solar farm problematic, so it could be that the entire blowup has more to do with a greedy Senator than with anything else, though it is now a cause celeb by the government to flex its muscles.
And in a similar vein, President Barack Obama recently designated an additional two million acres in California to be carved out as federal reserve land, with limited access and use by citizens. It seems that the lust for power and control has no limits with the federal government, and perhaps Cliven Bundy is simply the last stand for Americans who think that the citizens own the country rather than the other way around. The ranchers and farmers of the U.S. are a hardy lot, and are willing to face the federal government down, but it appears that the bureaucrats are willing to go to any lengths to seize power and control. The final scene of the play is yet to be played out, but is likely to end in a certain amount of bloodshed.
Source: theguardian.com
Photo: Patriotnetdaily
Exactly – he’s been trying with different ‘efforts’ but none have worked so far – but he’s not one to give up. Not to mention time is growing short and he needs more time to finish his full transformation of America – which will require him not leaving office – yet. Whatever he does will have to take place prior to the election…..
The Feds have no authroity here, the sheriff is the highest law of the land.
Amy, exactly I try to tell people that it took$#%&!@*5 1/2 years to take total control of Germany, we are at 7 1/2 with this Islamic terrorist, I say he is going to try a final gun grab, a total plan to make sure this country goes berserk, so he can implement martial law, after the election.
Obama, you and your “friends” just continue to push and push and push people. Some day you will pay — if not in this lifetime, certainly in the next.
One world order, government is taking and storing food and water to control us
This is owned by the people and the state,not the Government,they will cheat,steal,and kill for it anyway!
Pure federal overreach.
Americans need to lie in wait to ambush the BLM.