Some things change, and some don't

This is a not so sweet summary of the EPA's announcement last week that it will regulate greenhouse gases, if Congress cannot find a way to do it first.

Here's a summary of the science behind the proposed action, and how to comment. On both sides of the budding war-o'-words, others are already weighing in. In an interview with ABC News over the weekend, U. S. House Republican Leader John Boehner said, "George, the idea that carbon dioxide is a carcinogen that is harmful to our environment is almost comical. Every time we exhale, we exhale carbon dioxide. Every cow in the world, you know, when they do what they do, you’ve got more carbon dioxide. And so I think it’s clear…"

Incidentally, the EPA's summary does not contend that CO2 is directly carcinogenic, and Boehner seems to have confused carbon dioxide with methane (another of the gases indicted in the EPA documents). Here's an overview of recent increases.

U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Gas. [Reference: Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2006, USEPA #430-R-08-005]

Regardless of facts, Congress can exempt industries from following such seemingly powerful laws as the Clean Air Act, and John Boehner's Congressional position gives him a very large stick in the debate over how to address some gorillas affecting (and fed by) our neck of the national woods.

Some recent history:

(As referenced above, H. R. 7231 was sponsored by Colorado Representative Diana De Gette in the 110th Congress, and co-sponsored by John Salazar. It died in a sub-committee.)

Colorado bill would make sportsmen liable for land damage

This from Matt Kenna, the Colorado chair for Backcountry Hunters and Anglers:

A particularly damaging bill to the Division of Wildlife (DOW) and sportsmen, SB 24, has been introduced in the state Legislature, and will be taken up by the Senate Agriculture Committee Thursday at 1:30 p.m.. This legislation would make Colorado sportsmen and women more liable for game damage to private landowners, potentially to the tune of $3.2 million more liable. And Colorado already has the most liberal game damage program in the country. SB24 would drain money away from important habitat protection and game management programs and put it into the hands of a few landowners.

Last year, sportsmen paid nearly $1 million for game damage claims, and an additional $600,000 for game damage prevention materials. Colorado’s sportsmen and women spend more money on game damage than any of the 10 state wildlife agencies that have similar programs, and 40 state wildlife agencies don’t pay anything for wildlife damages.

Daily Sentinel outdoors columnist Dave Buchanan says: “Senate Bill 024 would rewrite the rules on game damage payments, allowing a landowner to charge up to $2,500 trespass fees (it’s currently topped at $100) before becoming ineligible for game damage payments. I can’t think of many residents willing or able to pony up a couple Grover Clevelands for stepping across a fence to shoot an elk that ostensibly belongs to the public. It’s just another move toward making hunting a sport for the wealthy.” It doesn’t make sense that landowners should be able to “double dip” by both charging exorbitant access fees and receiving high damage claim payments from the state.

The Legislature’s Senate Agricultural Committee needs to hear from sportsmen and women on this issue (see email addresses and phone numbers for committee members below). Just write a short note explaining that you’re a hunter/angler and you oppose this legislation, then copy and paste it into an email and send to all of the Agricultural Committee members in one fell swoop. Or pick up the phone and make some calls.

Contact the Ag Committee members to voice your point of view:

Chair – Jim Isgar / isgarsenate@frontier.net / 303- 866-4884

Vice Chair- Gail Schwartz / gail.schwartz.senate@state.co.us / 303-866-4871

Dan Gibbs / dan.gibbs.senate@State.CO.US / 303-866-4873

Mary Hodge / mary.hodge.senate@state.co.us / 303-866-4855

Ken Kester / electkenkester@hotmail.com / 303-866-4877

Greg Brophy / greg@gregbrophy.net / 303-866-6360

Ted Harvey / ted.harvey.senate@state.co.us / 303-866-4881

For more information and membership info on the Colorado Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, see here.