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State Trust Land
Reform - Current Efforts
Voters could help preserve much of Daisy Mountain land if they
approve an initiative that you can see by clicking
HERE
or going to
http://www.azsos.gov/election/2008/general/ballotmeasuretext/c-20-2008.pdf
If approved,
it will be on Nov. 4 ballot. Under the proposed initiative, the
remaining land could be bought by a city, county, or land
conservancy at appraised value, instead of competing with developers
at auction. For a summary
click here.
For a map that shows the area of Daisy Mountain that is included,
click here.
The coalition needs 300,000 signatures on the petition by July 3.
If you would like to add you support, please email us at
info@daisymountain.org.
Tell us where you are located and we tell you the closest location
to find the petition or figure out some other way to get your
signature.
We need your donations ($5 to $500) to get this initiative on on the
ballot and implemented (mailings, meetings, signatures, etc.).
Related News Articles
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/04/15/20080415sr-trustland0416-ON.html
Not all is secure. There may be some efforts to derail the
initiative. For more see
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/234093
We encourage you to contact the governor and your legislators to
communicate your desire to protect Daisy Mountain from development.
District 6 Senator Pamela Gorman -
pgorman@azleg.gov
District 6 Representative Sam Crump -
SCrump@azleg.gov
District 6 Representative Doug Clark -
dclark@azleg.gov
District 7 Senator Jim Waring -
jwaring@azleg.gov
District 7 Representative Ray Barnes -
rbarnes@azleg.gov
District 7 Representative Nancy Barto -
nbarto@azleg.gov
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AZ State
Trust Land Group Recreational Permit for Daisy Mountain
If you would like to have a Daisy Mountain
Preservation event with the North Country Conservancy, we now have a
State permit to have group informational or educational event.
Reason: To do anything on State Trust Land you need to have a permit
- such as a recreational permit or, if hunting is allowed, a hunting
permit. See
more on permits
at
http://www.land.state.az.us/programs/natural/recreation_permit.htm
Please contact Ann Hutchinson (623-742-6514)
or Frank Grimmelmann (623-551-1526) if you have a idea how we could
use this permit to support our mission to preserve Daisy Mountain.
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News
and Updates on the Conservation Tax Incentive
4/17/2008 Farm Bill Negotiators Consider Pared Down Easement Incentive
Farm Bill negotiations are in a frenzy, and the conservation easement
incentive needs your help now. In the face of
continued resistance by the House leadership to any
tax cuts being included in the Farm Bill, the Senate has
offered to cut the easement incentive provision back from a
permanent extension to a two-year extension. Even a short-term
extension is in severe jeopardy.
More
Background: On August 17, 2006 the President signed it into law a TEMPORARY expansion of the federal conservation tax
incentive for conservation easement donations. This was a great victory for
conservation! 2008 - Efforts are now under way to make these changes a permanent part of
the tax code. Senate bill S. 469 would make the new
tax incentive permanent. H.R. 1576 parallels the Senate bill. These bills will help local
family farmers, ranchers, and moderate-income level families protect
their land. President Bush has also endorsed making the new tax incentive permanent
in his fiscal year 2008 budget.
Go to
http://www.lta.org/publicpolicy/tax_incentives_updates.htm for
the latest. Go to
http://webreprints.djreprints.com/1672640152281.html for
explanation and stories of conservation easements put to use.
Of the ARIZONA Senators
and Representatives, only Rep Giffords,
Gabrielle [AZ-8] has supported this bill. We need our
other legislators to get on board.
Write them to express your support for the bill. See
sponsor current list here. Tell them that you support these bills and request that
they become co-sponsors. Sample letter at
http://www.lta.org/publicpolicy/conservation_tax_incentive_letter.doc It’s also a good idea to include a personal note
indicating how important the conservation tax incentive is to your organization and landowners
in your community.
McCain letter,
Kyl letter,
Shadegg letter
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Ask to co-sponsor
S. 469
US Senator John McCain
241 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
Email: Click here |
Ask to co-sponsor
S. 469
US Senator Jon Kyl
730 Hare Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
Email: Click
here |
Ask to co-sponsor
H.R.
1576
US Representative John Shadegg
306 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Email: Click here |
Sign up to be a Land Trust ADVOCATE at:
http://www.lta.org/publicpolicy/advocates.htm |
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Other Conservation Related - Federal Legislative Updates
Arizona 2007 Environmental Report Card
Each year since 1994 (and in 1991 and 1992), the Sierra Club's Grand Canyon Chapter has graded
Arizona legislators on their performance relative to environmental legislation. For 2007, link to
http://arizona.sierraclub.org/political_action/pa_2007/2007ReportCardFinal.pdf.
Weekly updates of Arizona bills and other actions taken in our Arizona State Legislature -
See
http://arizona.sierraclub.org/political_action/pa_2008/index.asp
EPA Seeks Public Comment on Water and Climate Change -
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public comment on a draft strategy
that describes the potential effects of climate change on clean water, drinking water, and
ocean protection programs and outlines EPA actions to respond to these effects.
The National Water Program Strategy: Response to Climate Change focuses on actions designed
to help managers adapt their water programs in response to a changing climate.
Public comments must be received by May 27, 2008. For more information see:
http://www.epa.gov/water/climatechange/
US H.R.5583 Grand Canyon Watersheds Protection Act - Nearly 750,000 Acres of BLM-Arizona Land Potentially
Affected by New Legislation: U.S. Representative Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ) will be working to pass this just-introduced Act. The bill would withdraw approximately one
million acres near the Grand Canyon from mineral exploration under the 1872 Mining Act.
The Grand Canyon Watersheds Protection Act of 2008 has been referred to the House Natural Resources Committee,
on which Congressman Grijalva serves. The bill would also withdraw from mining 628,886 acres in the Kanab Creek area,
and 112,655 in House Rock Valley managed by BLM, as well as 327,367 acres in the
Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest, south of the Canyon. For updates, see
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-5583
Jan 26, 2008 -
HR 2262 has been passed in the
US House. H.R. 2262 Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007 seeks to reform the Mining Law of 1872 to impose
royalties on mining companies that mine on federal lands. The
royalty system would collect $30-$70 million be used to fund cleanup
of abandoned mines. The bill now goes on to be voted on in the Senate.
Keep in mind that debate may be taking place on a companion bill in the Senate,
rather than on this particular bill. [no updates since Jan 26, 2008]
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