I believe the Humboldt County Commissioners were in fact elected by the public and do represent the wishes of the public. If it just so happens that there are two commissioners out of five that are ranchers/rural, enabling rural concerns as well as non-rural, then what’s the problem with that? Also your statement that most of the counties have always been dominated by ranchers on the county commissions does not hold at this time. Previously, and in many counties, the primary industry was ranching, and consequently that was represented in the commissioners. However, at this date, it’s just the opposite due to population changes and the addition of numerous businesses related to mining and services. It still remains that the ranching community families are still the underlying, solid businesses that continue to support the tax base of cities, towns, counties and state.
All the electorate in Humboldt county obviously are not ranchers or rural, but they must have surmised that those you disparage were worthy of representing most within the county. Right?
Would you rather no one stood up against the Fed. and the proposed LUPA just because you yourself do not understand the damaging ramifications of the plan? This land use plan just replaces the same range habitat control that would have occurred under any listing for the greater sage grouse with a plan just as onerous. It all boils down to habitat/range control, as if there wasn’t already enough rules, regulations, criteria from the BLM, USFWS, USFS, EPA, etc. etc., all predicated on the whims of a federal bureaucrat as to what you can and can’t do. As all grazing permits say “or up to the discretion of the authorized officer”.
Do you actually believe these agencies do a good job? They are ruining the Western ranges by reduction of AUMs, time of use, duration of use and using postage stamp size areas to control millions of acres of range land, resulting in huge fuel (feed) overloads resulting in million acre+ range fires destroying all wildlife habitat and grazing.
Wait 10 years to see if there is actual damage from LUPA???? How would you like to wait 10 years to see if you could continue to produce your paper if the government mandated specific restrictions on your business as of today’s date. A little late I think.
If we don’t stand together we fall separately.
I encourage you to educate yourself as to the ramifications of this land use plan and how it will affect each and every land owner, rancher, farmer as well as urban citizens.
Sincerely,
Lyman Youngberg
Winnemucca
