Land Rights Network

American Land Rights Association (ALRA)

Keep Private Land In Private Hands Coalition

http://www.landrights.org

Omnibus Lands Bill Sneak Attack In Lame Duck, You’ll Lose!

—–Before you do anything else after reading this message, forward

it on to as much of your e-mail list as you can.

By forwarding this message you can help create an uprising against

any Omnibus Federal Lands bill that rears it ugly head in the Lame

Duck Session of Congress.

The Omnibus Federal Lands bill as well as the LWCF Billion Dollar

Trust Fund and the Corps and EPA Wetlands Land and Water Grab bill

can be stopped but you and ALRA as well as many other groups as

possible. All of us must work together to stop this massive attack on

your rights.

You must let any Congressman or Senator who votes for the likely

Omnibus Federal Lands Bill know now, before the vote, that you will

remember and he or she will be held accountable.

We’ve listed the Senators who voted for the Omnibus Federal Lands

bill in 2009 so you can call them and make sure they know you will

hold any vote on a possible 2010 Omnibus Federal Lands Bill against

them. With the recent election results, they are likely to pay

attention to you.

Read the Full Entry on AMG

Editor’s Note: An abridged version of this editorial appeared in the September 2010 Loggers Voice – MAB

By Mike Beardsley – September 2010

Property rights: the ability to hold and dispose of property in any manner one sees fit, are at   the heart of liberty, the principle on which this nation was founded. America’s founders understood that property rights are not just the foundation of prosperity but of freedom. It has been enshrined in both common and state law.  The framers of our Constitution understanding the tendency of government toward tyranny and its long established history of taking private property, included specific language concerning the taking of property in the Fifth Amendment: “No Person shall…be deprived of life, liberty, or property without just compensation.” Today however, many in America are being indoctrinated that property should be preserved for the benefit of the public and public use.  Simultaneously governments, at the local, state, and federal levels, have endeavored to obtain lands for “the public good”…

Click Here to Read the entire Editorial: Freedom vs The Feds

Editor’s Note: in the interest of full disclosure, the editor is the son of Republican Candidate Bill Beardsley, although every effort was made to perform analysis in an objective manner, I encourage readers to take advantage of the links to the candidate’s websites to do additional research. The information in this preview is for informational purposes only for PLC of Maine membership and does not constitute an endorsement by the PLC of Maine for any candidate.  PLC analysis is based on research done by the Editor and represents his views, not necessarily those of the PLC or its Membership.

Primary – June 8, 2010

The following are brief profiles of the candidates for Governor.  They will face off in their respective Primary Races on June 8^th.  Maine has a “closed primary” meaning only Registered Republicans vote in the Republican Primary, only Registered Democrats vote in the Democratic Primary, and only registered Green Independents vote in the Green Independent Primary. Candidates are listed alphabetically, grouped by party. Independent or Unenrolled Candidates do not have a primary, candidates who meet qualification requirements automatically appear on the General Election ballot in November, and they are not included.

** Click Here to Read the 2010 Maine Governor’s Race Primary Preview **

WoodswiseWire
June 3, 2010

Review and comment on Draft State Forest Assessment and Strategy

We invite the public to review and comment on Maine’s draft State Forest Assessment and Strategy.

The Draft Forest Assessment provides information on forest conditions and trends and identifies the key issues and threats to forests statewide.  It also identifies priority forest areas as required by the 2008 Farm Bill.  The Draft Strategy describes the key statewide forest issues identified in the assessment and outlines objectives and strategies for addressing them.  The Strategy supports Maine Forest Service’s statutory mission of promoting the sustainable use and protection of Maine’s forests.

Download a copy of the draft at http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/mfs/state_assessment/downloads/maine_assessment_strategy_public_comment_draft_06022010.pdf

Please note that some sections still require work and internal review and could change significantly.

Comments will be accepted through 10 June 2010. It will help us in our review if you are specific as to the document, page, and issue or strategy you are commenting on.  You may submit comments through forestinfo@maine.gov.  Please include “State Forest Assessment” in the subject line.

Thank you.

Dear ALC members and friends:

On Tuesday, May 17, 2010, Senators Max Baucus (D-MT), John Tester (D-MT) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) introduced a stand-alone bill (S. 3381) that would establish a single definition of renewable biomass for the purposes of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), a future Renewable electricity Standard (RES), and climate change legislation.

The language in the bill is primarily based on the 2008 Farm Bill definition and includes woody biomass being harvested from both public and private lands.  The language is being supported by the American Loggers Council, the National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO) and other organizations representing forest landowners and timber harvesters to further develop markets for woody biomass as well as to ensure that our forests remain healthy, working forests.

The ALC and other organizations have been engaged in these discussions for several years, and now we need your help in making certain that the definition for renewable biomass in any existing or future energy bill will be as broad based as possible.  We are asking that you contact your Senators offices and ask them to support S. 3381 by becoming a cosponsor on the Bill.

Please send an email message to the ALC office at americanlogger@aol.com or simply call us at 409-625-0206 should you have any questions and/or comments.  We would appreciate any feedback that you can give us from the contacts that you have made.  This is our chance to place common sense language into present and future legislation as it refers to the definition of renewable biomass, don’t let the opportunity slip away.

View the Bill —>  Biomass_bill_S.3381_Baucus-Tester-Crapo[1]

The Wood Supply Research Institute and the University of Georgia Center for Forest Business are studying the potential impacts on the US wood supply system from large-scale woody biomass energy production. One method of gathering information for this work is a short survey designed for logging contractors, industry foresters, and wood dealers who are on the frontlines of dealing with these new opportunities that could impact the wood supply system.

You are receiving this email because our logging association and the American Loggers Council supports this work and has identified you as someone who should have an opportunity to contribute your input through the survey. The survey is brief and should take you less than 15 minutes to complete. The survey can be accessed online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/WSRI/UGA.

If you have already completed this survey, thank you and please ignore this reminder. If you have not done so, please take time to complete this before the survey closes on May 18.

If you prefer a printed copy of the survey to complete, this can be requested by sending an email to Dale Greene (greene@warnell.uga.edu). You will be responsible for return postage with paper versions of the survey.

Thank you in advance for your time to help provide timely, real-world information to this important research project.

Editor’s Note: The following is posted as a courtesy, at the request of the organization below, and for the convenience of our membership.  Action is requested on this item but is not required.   – MAB

Correct Wood Definition Needed on All Federal Energy Bills Take Action! Forest landowners are in danger of having their wood excluded from emerging energy markets. To ensure wood can be included in new energy-producing facilities, a broad definition of wood must be used in federal energy bills. A Senate energy bill that will craft the future of emerging energy markets is expected to come up for a vote very soon. The Forest Landowners Association (FLA) needs you to contact your Senators to support a broad definition of wood in the Senate energy bill. Click the above blue Take Action! link to send FLA’s email letter to your Senators now.Unfortunately, the current Senate energy bill does not use the broad, Farm Bill definition of renewable biomass (“…other plants and trees…”) that FLA wrote and for which we advocate. Without this specific broad definition, restrictions on wood could inhibit alternative energy producers from creating wood-using facilities – facilities that could provide new markets for wood products. Although President Obama’s Department of Agriculture is fully and publicly in support of the Farm Bill definition, it is doubtful that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will add the Farm Bill definition to any Senate energy bill. Please send FLA’s email letter asking your Senators to act now to add the Farm Bill definition to the Kerry/Graham/Lieberman bill – and to all energy bills – before it is released around April 26. To send FLA’s email letter to your Senators, click the above blue Take Action! link at the top of the page. Please also forward this alert to your friends and fellow landowners. For more information about federal energy legislation, view FLA’s position statements.