Northwest Volunteers Want To Help Restore Malheur Refuge

[struggle4progress]

by Jes Burns OPB/EarthFix | Feb. 4, 2016 4:57 p.m. | Updated: Feb. 4, 2016 6:28 p.m. | Burns, Oregon

... At the end of January, the Oregon Natural Desert Association put out a call for volunteers interested in doing environmental restoration at the refuge after the occupation is over. In just a week, more than 600 people from all over the Northwest have signed up ...

The extent of damage to the refuge is still unclear, but the armed occupiers have created a new road, expanded a parking lot, dug trenches and removed fencing.

“I think there’s a great opportunity to get people together around a shared interest, and better understanding of how our public lands work,” Morse said ...

“It’s galvanized cooperation throughout the conservation community” ...

http://www.opb.org/news/series/burns-oregon-standoff-bundy-militia-news-updates/northwest-volunteers-restore-malheur-refuge-occupation-oregon/

[valerief]

1. I think they should bill the assholes who damaged the place. nt

[Major Nikon]

3. That's probably what will happen

If and more than likely when they are convicted, criminal restitution judgments will be levied against them.

[csziggy]

5. Some of those jerks will never have the money to pay fines

Others will fight any fines for years rather than pay them - look at how Cliven Bundy has resisted paying grazing fees for decades. Do you think his sons will pay anything to the government if and when they get out of jail?

The refuge will need to be cleaned up and restored long before the nutjobs are convicted. If volunteers can help it recover sooner from the damage that has been done that would be great.

In addition, it will be a real lesson to these idiots that are trying to "take back the land" to see how many MORE people are willing to preserve the wildlife refuge than were willing to occupy the place for their cause.

[valerief]

6. So their assets (property) is taken. That's how things are done when

you don't pay your bills. It's called "taking back the land."

[csziggy]

7. For most of them there will not be enough assets to cover any fines

Ammon Bundy recently walked away from a foreclosure in Nevada and moved to Idaho, probably to a place that is mortgaged to the hilt - and I suspect that the Bundys are among the most affluent of the militants.

I'm sure the government will take everything they can to cover their costs, but I doubt the total assets of all the militants put together would cover more than a few days of the costs involved in law enforcement, lost wages, and damages to the wildlife refuge. On top of that, add in court costs and prison costs.

These idiots are going to cost us, the people and legitimate taxpayers, millions we will never get out of them.

[gratuitous]

2. The natural order of things

Conservatives make a mess, liberals clean it up.

[scottie55]

4. We Always Have To Clean It Up

Yer right.

Just ask Bush.... and Bush....