Think about long time Wyoming Senator Craig Thomas deciding that the Wyoming Range should be protected from oil and gas drilling. I think hell froze over when he took that position. The Senator then suddenly passed away before he could push the issue. A couple of weeks ago the Wyoming Governor, a Democrat, had to appoint a new Republican Senator to fill in for Craig. The only litmus test the Governor gave prospective candidates was on continuing Craig's quest to protect this land. He appointed the one who said he would do so.
Think of our own Senator Domenici suddenly backing off his hell bent wish to let Yates Petroleum drill on Otero Mesa. The prospect of ruining an aquifer might have had something to do with it, but who cares? I am glad he has at least agreed to delays.
Think of Montana's Governor Brian Schweitzer promising to help buy out Plum Creek Timber rights to help protect the Swan Valley in Montana. He has the full support of the Montana Senior Senator Max Baucus.
Think of our own Governor, Bill Richardson who has led the way for western polilticos on public land and wilderness designation in New Mexico.
I am not sure why all of this is occurring. Some say it is because politicians have stuck their finger into the wind to see how it is blowing, and it is blowing hard enough to protect them from the extractive industries. Others say that they are starting to think about their legacy and have decided to earn one by protecting great western landscapes. I guess it really doesn't matter as long as they do it. It won't happen however if anyone lets up on the pressure to do it. So we all must keep up the grass roots work.
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Some of this may have been prompted by the absurd miscalculation made last year by the then Republican-ruled Congress and House Resources Committee chairman Richard Pombo to propose a massive sell-off of public land to mining companies and sell pieces of national parks to pay for Katrina. Not to mention the Forest Service's proposal to sell 300,000 acres of national forest land to pay for rural schools. Every once in a while something comes along that reminds the public at large that they own that land, and they get pissed when someone starts treatinbg it like an asset to be liquidated.
And coalbed methane development has created a whole new category of people who have been reminded of the personal significance of federal land and energy policy.
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