Originally published August 6 2005
Conservationists say environmental law isn't enough
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Conservationists from around the country joined in their stance to say that the National Environmental Policy Act, enacted by President Nixon in 1970, is in danger of weakening.
Conservationists from around the region who participated in a telephone press conference Thursday said the National Environmental Policy Act, which President Nixon signed in 1970, is in danger of being weakened.
They also argued that a congressional committee is failing to involve the public adequately in evaluating a law to involve the public in federal land management.
Pursuant to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements, the Bureau of Land Management is working on an environmental impact statement for the plateau.
Environmentalists say such public involvement is crucial to public lands management, but also is threatened by a current congressional review of NEPA.
Environmentalists fear that efforts to speed up review processes under NEPA could result in eliminating opportunities for public comment.
Environmentalists also contend that a congressional task force reviewing NEPA often keeps details of its hearings secret, at least until hearing dates, and that the public is given little opportunity to testify.
Resources Committee spokesman Brian Kennedy said the rules of House committee hearings preclude audience participation, but anyone is welcome both to attend and to submit comments.
Greg Schnacke, executive vice president of the Colorado Oil & Gas Association, also said it's premature to be judging the task force's work when it isn't finished.
... It's not necessarily a process that is in our view in that regard serving the public good."
But environmentalists say NEPA can be credited with accomplishments such as ensuring that uranium tailings will be relocated away from the Colorado River near Moab, Utah, giving ethnic and low-income populations an opportunity to speak out about environmental threats in their neighborhoods, and causing oil and gas operators to work with the BLM and private landowners on issues such as wildlife habitat protection.
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