Bishop (R-UT) amends Sandy relief bill to prohibit park expansion

[Eugene]

Source: Salt Lake Tribune

Bishop amends Sandy relief bill to prohibit park expansion

By Thomas Burr | The Salt Lake Tribune |
First Published 25 minutes ago • Updated 1 minute ago

Washington • Rep. Rob Bishop pushed through language in an emergency spending bill for Hurricane Sandy relief that precludes the government from buying any more property, a move environmentalists say could undermine access to national park sites.

Bishop’s amendment, which passed the House late Tuesday on a near party-line vote of 223-198, is aimed at ensuring the National Park Service doesn’t try to add land to its inventory instead of using funds to repair Sandy-damaged parks.

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Bishop said he understands that the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and several other parks were hard hit by the storm last October but that the original bill was vague enough to allow the Interior Department to do more than repair storm-ravaged facilities.

Craig Obey, a senior vice president of the National Parks Conservation Association, says Bishop’s change in the legislation could hamper the government’s ability to add new trailheads or parking lots where previous access points were destroyed.

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Read more: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/55641556-78/access-add-bill-bishop.html.csp

[davidpdx]

1. Shithead

It's too bad he comes from a state that likely won't ever need disaster relief. It would be nice to throw it back in his face later down the road.

[LiberalFighter]

2. Remove interstate access to the state?

[davidpdx]

3. The problem with that is there are 3 or 4 major interstate roads that run through the state

Including one that runs east to west. Instead let's just revoke all their federal funding.

[LiberalFighter]

4. If we don't want to remove access to interstate roads for them

won't the federal funding do the same thing? They are unlikely or able to continue maintain those roads.

Most of any ideas we might have likely would have serious flaws anyhow and are just hopes that won't fly.

[politicat]

5. Fires. Every summer, which endanger the neighbors (Colorado)

Let's just remember come summer, okay?

[davidpdx]

6. Ah, good point

Touche!