Government Agencies and Shredding Documents - Corruption a Real Concern

THIS CLOSURE IS BASED ON AGENCY CORRUPTION

The Recreation HQ wants to assure riders and other readers of this blog that the issue of government agencies shredding documents to avoid their disclosure because of a FOIA, public record act request, or congressional inquiry/subpoena should be a real concern.

Article on Government Shredding of Documents
http://nation.foxnews.com/justice/2010/11/03/team-obama-better-not-shred-documents

Article on the Congress and its Agenda for Access and Public Land Management
http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2010/11/republicans-house-natural-resources-committee-planning-big-changes-public-lands7178

The Recreation HQ has experienced real world agency corruption on many occasions when after filing a FOIA or PRA request with federal or state government agency, The General would often get calls from his friends who worked at the agency and here is how those calls went…”Hey Don, I just wanted to let you know that we have been running the shredders here at the BLANK office because the agency does not want to be embarrassed or worse.”

The most recent example of that corruption is with the EPA Region 9 Office where they denied a FOIA asking for correspondence between the EPA, BLM, and other interests. What the EPA did not count on is the BLM complying with the same FOIA request which showed collusion and dishonesty designed to support the closure of Clear Creek to ALL publics.

2009 Overview of Agency Corruption and EPA Case Study to Prop up Closure
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2010/01/epa-violates-public-trust-at-clear.html

The Recreation HQ believes that Congress has a valid concern that agencies who have acted in a corrupt manner have already fired up their shredders or have hired shredding trucks to come and destroy thousands of documents that would show corruption, collusion with far-left wing environmental groups, or “science” that was ginned up to promote the closure agenda of the EPA or similar agencies.

The General wishes the new Congress good luck in this noble effort to acquire the public record associated with so much of the anti-access and anti-business agenda of this administration.

Thanks for your service!

Criminal Invasion Closes Public Lands in AZ

The Recreation HQ wants to lend its voice and support to Congressman Rob Bishop’s effort to reclaim public land that either has been closed to recreational access or has warning signs placed describing the danger posed by illegal drug smugglers and human traffickers.

PHOTO: BLM Warning Sign in AZ

Article on Public Land Closures and Restrictions on Federal Lands
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/18/federal-lands-arizona-travel-warnings-place/

I don’t know about you, but The General believes things are about 180 degrees backwards in this country right now. Instead of acknowledging that dangerous criminals are invading this country through our southern borders, the Forest Service (and by default the BLM) claims that OHV use is one of the major threats to public lands.

See the infamous FS 4 Threats Speech where OHV use is lumped in with wildfires, invasive species, and loss of open space as the 4 major threats to public lands. And yes, this speech was the launching pad for the equally infamous Travel Management Rule that is ironically closing Americans who love trails (i.e. Shasta Trinity NF closing 100 percent of single track trails) out of their own public lands while at the same time doing little to protect our access rights in Arizona and other places on the southern border.

4 Threats Speech
http://www.fs.fed.us/news/2004/speeches/01/idaho-four-threats.shtml

Maybe it is time for the federal land management agencies to push the reset button on TMR and focus their resources to stop criminals from entering this country rather than trying to make criminals out of law abiding citizens who simply want to use and enjoy historic access routes on federal lands.

It’s time to stop the madness.

National Monument Shell Game Continues at DOI

The Recreation HQ continues its efforts to break down the Obama Administration’s “Wall of Transparency” regarding the stonewalling by the Department of Interior to not release documents related to the creation of the Stonyford OHV Obamument.

Rather than being the most transparent administration in American history, DOI and EPA seem to have perfected a paperwork version of the “shell game.”
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Case Study of EPA hiding Clear Creek FOIA’d documents
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2010/01/epa-violates-public-trust-at-clear.html

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Even Retired Land Management Professionals are asking for info

http://www.arra-access.com/site/PageServer?pagename=pmr_salazar_treasuredlandscape

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As some of you know, The General (in his role as western representative for the BRC) filed a FOIA on February 19, 2010 after some secret documents were discovered by
Congress.
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See February 19 BRC News Release with Letter to Congress and Link to Secret Documents
http://www.sharetrails.org/releases/?story=685&filter=media

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When DOI said they did could not find any related documents, The General filed
an immediate FOIA appeal
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March 28 Blog with link to FOIA appeal
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2010/03/obamuments-april-16-white-house.html
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On May 24 DOI denied the FOIA appeal (link to FOIA Denial)
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/FOIAs/FOIA%20National%20Monument%20Appeal%20Decision%20may%2024.pdf

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As BRC legal continues to review options regarding the FOIA denial, The General filed separate FOIAs yesterday on BLM, NPS, NLCS, and USFWS. Be assured that HQ will keep you updated on the continuing saga of the non-transparency of this administration as it relates to public land access.

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Dark Ages and Large Buffer Zones Return to Congress

As certain congressional representatives voted against giving H.R. 1254 an affirmative recommendation to force the Department of Interior to hand over approximately 2,000 pages of documents that are being withheld from Congress, The General is reminded of the Dark Ages where information was also withheld from the public.

*Photo: The General on a designated OHV trail in the middle of the proposed Stonyford Obamument

May 5 info on the 2,000 pages of info being withheld from Congress
http://republicans.resourcescommittee.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=184053

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March 17 BRC FOIA Appeal on Stonyford Obamument
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2010/03/obamuments-april-16-white-house.html

May 5 News Release with links to video clips of House testimony today
http://republicans.resourcescommittee.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=184379

The General also wants riders to know that he, on behalf of BRC, has contacted DOI’s
Open Government Initiative today reminding them of Obama’s directive to share information with the public and to get a status report of BRC’s FOIA Appeal.

Info on DOI Open Government Initiative
http://www.doi.gov/open/

BRC legal is also watching this issue and may have to file a lawsuit demanding the agency turnover information regarding the Stonyford Obamument as requested in the Feb. 19 FOIA/March 17 FOIA Appeal.

The Recreation HQ will keep you advised regarding DOI’s response to our request for a status update on the BRC FOIA Appeal.

HQ also wants to thank the Members of Congress who fought for our access rights today regarding H.R. 1254. Congressman Rob Bishop should also be commended for his fight today to try and include amendments that would prevent anti-access groups from basing “closure” lawsuits on arbitrary “buffer zones” that extend for 200-300 miles around the boundaries of National Monuments and National Parks.

Let’s all hope that the Dark Ages are relegated to our history books and are not part of our present day politics.
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Obama "Outdoors" Interview and Access

As western lawmakers including Congressman Rob Bishop and BRC wait for requested information from the Department of Interior regarding the suspected monument discussions between preservation groups and federal land agencies, The Recreation HQ remembers that candidate Obama gave an interview on natural resource issues to Field and Stream in 2008.

PHOTO: BRC's Don Amador on a designated trail at the Stonyford OHV Area - smack dab in the middle of the Snow/Goat Mtn. National Monument proposal

Cong. Bishop News Article on Wait for Info
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700020430/Bishop-blasts-Obama-administration.html

BRC FOIA Appeal
http://www.sharetrails.org/releases/?story=689&filter=media

Colusa County Opposes Stonyford OHV Monument Plan
http://www.colusa-sun-herald.com/news/county-4445-national-president.html

Often times political junkies like The General look through these interviews for hints at what a candidate’s views are on any given issue. Since ACCESS to public lands is a key tenet of the HQ, The General remembered that Obama mentioned “access” in the 2008 interview when he said, “…if you talk to sportsmen in my home state of Illinois, they will tell you that I've always been a forceful advocate on behalf of the rights of sportsmen, on behalf of access for sportsmen…”

Link to that 2008 Field and Stream Interview
http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/hunting/2008/09/exclusive-interview-senator-barack-obama

I think the off-road community will know more after the April 16 White House Great Outdoors Summit (the fact that the WH released that info late Friday afternoon – which is the proverbial dumping grounds for bad news – could be a harbinger of things to come) when the stakeholder names are revealed and the tone and direction of the summit are known.

Will the White House live up to its hint of support for access or will it issue National Monument proclamations that have little or no local support?

The Obamument saga continues….

Obama Administration to Attack OHV Areas?

I know many of you are already tired of the “good news” related to being an OHVer. Our SVRA’s are under attack. Our federal riding areas are being sued by anti-OHV groups asking for dirt-bikes and other motorized forms of recreation to be banned or severely restricted. The Forest Service is proposing to close almost 100% of all single-track and ATV trails on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Other Forests are closing thousands of miles of forest roads to green-sticker vehicles.

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Photo: See the description of the "Berryessa Snow Mountains" National Monument in the internal document below
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Just when you think you have seen it all. This alert comes. Thanks to some pro-access legislators, The Recreation HQ has learned that the Obama administration is planning to use the Antiquities Act to bypass Congress and designate millions of acres as “National Monuments.” The General remembers all too well what the Clinton/Gore team did a decade ago when they designated a number of national monuments including the Giant Sequoia National Monument.

See WND Story about that fight in 2000
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=18055

See internal DOI document day-lighted to the public by Congressmen Doc Hastings and Rob Bishop (see page one for ref. to Stonyford OHV Area)
http://republicans.resourcescommittee.house.gov/UploadedFiles/AntiquitiesDocument.pdf

See Congressional letter objecting to misuse of the Antiquities Act to lock up public lands and to acquire more private property
http://republicans.resourcescommittee.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Ltr_to_Obama_Re_AntiquitiesAct_021810.pdf

Per chance any of you discount the potential impact to OHV in Northern California, look on page one of the internal document. You will see that a majority of the Stonyford OHV area would be designated as a national monument… effectively closing the area to historic OHV use. Other riding areas would be impacted as well.

I know the AMA and BRC are working on this. Just as in the Cinton/Gore fight, The General will be engaged in this battle as well.

If you have not joined BRC please do so NOW! Send this blog to your riding buddies.

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