The American Land Rights Association (ALRA) is a Wise Use organization based in Battle Ground, Washington . The group describes itself as "dedicated to the wise-use of our resources, access to our Federal lands and the protection of our private property rights ."
59-608: The organization was founded in 1978 by property owners in the community of Wawona, California , located within Yosemite National Park . It was initially named the National Park Inholders Association; it describes its mission at that time as "to protect private property landowners from unwanted acquisition by the National Park Service". The National Park Inholders Association changed its name to
118-467: A bird considered the sequoia trees' spiritual guardian. Galen Clark , who helped gain preservation legislation for Mariposa Grove and what became Yosemite National Park , occupied this area in 1855. He established a tourist rest and modest ranch in 1856. Clark sold the property to the Washburn brothers in 1874, who built a larger hotel in 1876, adding to it later. Hotel keeper Jean Bruce Washburn named
177-402: A more unified bureau mission and recognized the value of the remaining public lands by declaring that these lands would remain in public ownership. The law directed that these lands be managed with a view toward "multiple use" defined as "management of the public lands and their various resource values so that they are utilized in the combination that will best meet the present and future needs of
236-590: A pilot project on the Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range known as the Adopt-A-Horse initiative. The program took advantage of provisions in the WFRHBA to allow private "qualified" individuals to "adopt" as many horses as they wanted if they could show that they could provide adequate care for the animals. At the time, title to the horses remained permanently with the federal government. The pilot project
295-513: A regular and recurring presence on a vast amount of public lands, roads and recreation sites. They focus on the protection of natural and cultural resources, other BLM employees and visitors. Given the many locations of BLM public lands, these rangers use canines, helicopters, snowmobiles, dirt bikes and boats to perform their duties. By contrast BLM special agents are criminal investigators who plan and conduct investigations concerning possible violations of criminal and administrative provisions of
354-531: A request of unification from western communities, through use of the Land Rights Network. The ALRA had reported that the Hammond family set a "minor fire that cost less than $ 100" and burned "127 acres of land." The ALRA had also reported what prosecutors stated on the arson charges with "the fires were set to reduce the growth of juniper trees and sagebrush" and to "accelerate the growth of rangeland grasses for
413-689: Is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior responsible for administering U.S. federal lands . Headquartered in Washington, D.C. , the BLM oversees more than 247.3 million acres (1,001,000 km ) of land, or one-eighth of the United States's total landmass. The Bureau was created by Congress during the presidency of Harry S. Truman in 1946 by combining two existing agencies:
472-546: Is not protected by a national park or monument designation. The BLM's May 30, 2019 statement proposed an additional 183,668 acres on "lands managed by the Canyon Country, Color Country, Green River, and West Desert districts" that would be listed for the quarterly oil and gas lease sale on September 10, 2019. In their May 2019, September lease offerings, the BLM said that they had "245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska" and across
531-619: Is the SIG Sauer P320 chambered in 9mm which is replacing the SIG Sauer P226 /P229 both chambered in .40 S&W. The BLM manages free-roaming horses and burros on public lands in ten western states. Though they are feral , the agency is obligated to protect them under the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 (WFRHBA). As the horses have few natural predators, populations have grown substantially. WFRHBA as enacted provides for
590-530: Is the agency's largest ever purchase in the state. In 2024 the Department of the Interior has begun to advance a new rule according to which the Bureau of Land Management can distribute restoration leases and mitigation leases exactly in the same way as it distributes new leases for oil and gas drilling. The designed land will be used for nature conservation including use of indigenous knowledge. Established in 2000,
649-643: The Bureau of Land Management and the Fish and Wildlife Service had sentenced the Hammond family to "gain ownership of the Hammond ranch which is intermingled with Federal ground in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge " and to "inflict as much pain as possible on the Hammonds to reduce the chances other ranchers will stand up for their rights." The ALRA had also reported on the interference of Ammon Bundy during
SECTION 10
#1733092465291708-466: The Department of the Interior . It took several years for this new agency to integrate and reorganize. In the end, the Bureau of Land Management became less focused on land disposal and more focused on the long term management and preservation of the land. The agency achieved its current form by combining offices in the western states and creating a corresponding office for lands both east of and alongside
767-701: The Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument in southern Utah, the first of now 20 national monuments established on BLM lands and managed by the agency. The establishment of Grand Staircase–Escalante foreshadowed later creation of the BLM's National Landscape Conservation System in 2000. Use of the Antiquities Act authority, to the extent it effectively scuttled a coal mine to have been operated by Andalex Resources , delighted recreation and conservation enthusiasts but set up larger confrontations with state and local authorities. Under
826-673: The Mississippi River . As a matter of course, the BLM's emphasis fell on activities in the western states as most of the mining, land sales, and federally owned areas are located west of the Mississippi. BLM personnel on the ground have typically been oriented toward local interests, while bureau management in Washington are led by presidential guidance. By means of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, Congress created
885-698: The National Conservation Lands (formerly known as the National Landscape Conservation System), totaling about 36 million acres (150,000 km ). In addition the National Conservation Lands include nearly 2,400 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers , and nearly 6,000 miles of National Scenic and Historic Trails . There are more than 63,000 oil and gas wells on BLM public lands. Total energy leases generated approximately $ 5.4 billion in 2013, an amount divided among
944-574: The National Landscape Conservation System is overseen by the BLM. The National Landscape Conservation System lands constitute just about 12% of the lands managed by the BLM. Congress passed Title II of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-11) to make the system a permanent part of the public lands protection system in the United States. By designating these areas for conservation,
1003-652: The Treasury , the states, and Native American groups. The BLM's roots go back to the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. These laws provided for the survey and settlement of the lands that the original Thirteen Colonies ceded to the federal government after the American Revolution . As additional lands were acquired by the United States from Spain , France and other countries,
1062-725: The United States Census Bureau , the Wawona CDP covers an area of 1.08 square miles (2.8 km ), all of it land. The 2010 United States Census reported that Wawona had a population of 169. The population density was 26.6 inhabitants per square mile (10.3/km ). The racial makeup of Wawona was 138 (81.7%) White , 2 (1.2%) African American , 3 (1.8%) Native American , 4 (2.4%) Asian , 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander , 8 (4.7%) from other races , and 14 (8.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12 persons (7.1%). The Census reported that 163 people (96.4% of
1121-678: The United States Congress directed that they be explored, surveyed, and made available for settlement. During the Revolutionary War, military bounty land was promised to soldiers who fought for the colonies. After the war, the Treaty of Paris of 1783 , signed by the United States, the UK , France , and Spain , ceded territory to the United States. In the 1780s, other states relinquished their own claims to land in modern-day Ohio . By this time,
1180-715: The United States General Land Office and the Grazing Service . The agency manages the federal government's nearly 700 million acres (2,800,000 km ) of subsurface mineral estate located beneath federal, state and private lands severed from their surface rights by the Homestead Act of 1862 . Most BLM public lands are located in these 12 western states: Alaska , Arizona , California , Colorado , Idaho , Montana , Nevada , New Mexico , Oregon , Utah , Washington and Wyoming . The mission of
1239-636: The United States General Land Office as part of the Department of the Treasury to oversee the disposition of these federal lands. By the early 1800s, promised bounty land claims were finally fulfilled. In the 19th century, other bounty land and homestead laws were enacted to dispose of federal land. Several different types of patents existed. These include cash entry, credit, homestead, Indian, military warrants, mineral certificates, private land claims, railroads, state selections, swamps, town sites, and town lots. A system of local land offices spread throughout
SECTION 20
#17330924652911298-553: The state legislature , Wawona is in the 8th Senate District , represented by Democrat Angelique Ashby , and in the 5th Assembly District , represented by Republican Joe Patterson . In the United States House of Representatives , Wawona is in California's 5th congressional district , represented by Republican Tom McClintock . Bureau of Land Management The Bureau of Land Management ( BLM )
1357-555: The American people." Since the Reagan administration in the 1980s, Republicans have often given priority to local control and to grazing, mining and petroleum production, while Democrats have more often emphasized environmental concerns even when granting mining and drilling leases. In September 1996, then President Bill Clinton used his authority under the Antiquities Act to establish
1416-495: The BLM and other statutes under the United States Code. Special agents are normally plain clothes officers who carry concealed firearms and other defensive equipment, make arrests, carry out complex criminal investigations, present cases for prosecution to local United States Attorneys and prepare investigative reports. Criminal investigators occasionally conduct internal and civil claim investigations. The current sidearm
1475-513: The BLM is "to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations." Originally BLM holdings were described as "land nobody wanted" because homesteaders had passed them by. All the same, ranchers hold nearly 18,000 permits and leases for livestock grazing on 155 million acres (630,000 km ) of BLM public lands. The agency manages 221 wilderness areas , 29 national monuments and some 636 other protected areas as part of
1534-615: The Biden administration, the BLM is working on a pilot project called "outcomes-based grazing", to see if cattle grazing can help achieve conservation, agency director Tracy Stone-Manning said in an interview published in April 2022. In June 2022, the BLM finalized two acquisitions in Colorado and Wyoming, acquiring over 40,000 acres of previously inaccessible land. The acquisition in Wyoming for 35,670 acres
1593-403: The Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service are presenting an "abuse of power" towards the Hammond family being sentenced to five years. The ALRA also believe that "peaceful protest is always the way to go" and that sending the Hammond family for an additional time in jail is a "great injustice." The ALRA redistributed this news of what was happening to the Hammond family, and making
1652-568: The Burns, do not speak for the town" in regards to Ammon Bundy's group, who had also attended the rally for the Hammonds. Wawona, California Wawona (formerly Big Tree Station, Clark's Station, Clarks Station, Wah-wo-nah, and Clark's Ranch ) is a census-designated place in Mariposa County , California , United States. The population was 111 at the 2020 census. It is located entirely within Yosemite National Park , as it preceded
1711-587: The Hammond family incident with the Bureau of Land Management. The Occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge , led by Ammon Bundy , was commented on by Len Vohs, the mayor of Burns from 2008 to 2010, stating "many locals and himself, share the frustration with the federal government that drove Bundy and others to occupy the wildlife refuge" and continued on saying "few support their tactics, and wish they would just go home." Len Vohs had also stated "the occupiers, few if any of whom are from
1770-502: The Hammond's' cattle." The United States Department of Justice however, have documented the burning of land by the Hammond family as affecting "139 acres of public land" to "destroy all evidence of game violations." The United States Department of Justice had also documented that "Witnesses at trial, including a relative of the Hammonds, testified the arson occurred shortly after Steven Hammond and his hunting party illegally slaughtered several deer on BLM property." The ALRA believe that
1829-571: The National Inholders Association (NIA) in 1980. In 1985, it added a number of grazing permittees on federal land to its membership roll. In the early 1990s, it advocated the cause of mining claimholders. In 1995, the organization was renamed as the American Land Rights Association (ALRA). A case of an appointee, that was for environmental preservation, was John Turner, a friend of vice-president Dick Cheney , who
American Land Rights Association - Misplaced Pages Continue
1888-557: The National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund each year for five years for needed maintenance for critical facilities and infrastructure in national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, recreation areas and American Indian schools. The Act also committed $ 900 million a year in royalties from offshore oil and natural gas to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund investments in conservation and recreation opportunities across
1947-733: The Pilgrim family and the NPS , over a bulldozing incident in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve . Some coverage was done on this event by the ALRA on their newsletter here , which was part of a much bigger inquiry on what the National Park Service was doing in Alaska. The ALRA supported the Pilgrim family's use of the Revised Statute 2477 , a written law enacted by the United States Congress , to state that
2006-606: The Pilgrim family to utilize the Revised Statute 2477 as a support to their case. The Bureau of Land Management has also stated the Revised Statute 2477 as a "complex and controversial issue with far-reaching implications to the management of federal lands throughout the West." The American Land Rights Association has also done coverage on the issue between the Hammond family and the Bureau of Land Management in Oregon. The ALRA believe that
2065-599: The Trump administration, the BLM offered millions of acres of available Federal lands for 10-year leases for commercial development, potentially in oil and gas and mining, with the stated goal of "promoting American energy security". The BLM holds quarterly oil and gas lease sales. According to a June 18, 2018 article in The Atlantic , under the tenure of then- United States Secretary of the Interior , Ryan Zinke "practically gave away hundreds of thousands of acres of open land across
2124-550: The United States another "700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate" is under their management. The statement also said that these "diverse activities authorized on these lands generated $ 96 billion in sales of goods and services throughout the American economy in fiscal year 2017" while supporting over 468,000 jobs". On August 4, 2020, President Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act into law, committing up to $ 1.9 billion from energy development revenues to
2183-475: The United States needed revenue to function and land was sold as a source of income for the government. In order to sell the land, surveys needed to be conducted. The Land Ordinance of 1785 instructed a geographer to oversee this work as undertaken by a group of surveyors. The first years of surveying were completed by trial and error; once the territory of Ohio had been surveyed, a modern public land survey system had been developed. In 1812, Congress established
2242-792: The United States. There are several herds of horses and burros roaming free on 26.9 million acres of range spread out in ten western states. It is essential to maintain a balance that keeps herd management land and animal population healthy. Some programs and partnerships include the Mustang Heritage Foundation, U.S. Border Patrol, Idaho 4H, Napa Mustang Days and Little Book Cliffs Darting Team. These partnerships help with adoption and animal population as well as education and raising awareness about wild horses and burros. In 2009, BLM opened Renewable Energy Coordination Offices in order to approve and oversee wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal projects on BLM-managed lands. The offices were located in
2301-719: The West, leasing it to energy companies for pennies on the dollar." The Salt Lake Tribune reported that in March 2019, the price per acre for leases near the Golden Spike National Historical Park , in Utah were "$ 1.50 an acre for the next two years". By September 11, 2018, the Department of Interior was offering 2.9 million acres to be leased to commercial operations including drilling for oil and gas and mining in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and other states where public land
2360-452: The center of Yosemite Valley , at an elevation of 3,999 feet (1,219 m). The ZIP Code is 95389. The community is inside area code 209 . It was known to the local Native American Miwok in their language as Pallachun ("a good place to stay"). The origin of the word Wawona is not known. A popular story claims Wawō'na was the Miwok word for "big tree", or for "hoot of the owl",
2419-450: The country. Also in August 2020, the BLM headquarters was relocated to Grand Junction, Colorado , by an order signed by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt . The relocation was praised by Republican Western politicians but criticized by Democrats as a move to weaken the agency through the loss of experienced staffers, who opted to stay in Washington, D.C. Some ranchers were concerned about
American Land Rights Association - Misplaced Pages Continue
2478-508: The early successes of the adoption program, the BLM has struggled to maintain acceptable herd levels, as without natural predators, herd sizes can double every four years. As of 2014, there were more than 49,000 horses and burros on BLM-managed land, exceeding the BLM's estimated "appropriate management level" (AML) by almost 22,500. The Bureau of Land Management has implemented several programs and has developed partnerships as part of their management plan for preserving wild burros and horses in
2537-400: The founding of the park as a national recreation area. The number of inhabitants increases dramatically during peak tourist seasons, due to the large number of rental cabins in the town. It is located at 37°32′13″N 119°39′23″W / 37.53694°N 119.65639°W / 37.53694; -119.65639 , 20 miles (32 km) north of Oakhurst and 26 miles (42 km) south of
2596-440: The isolation of Grand Junction compared to other Western cities, having limited flights and road access. After the announcement, 87% of D.C.-based employees left, prompting former lead career BLM official Steve Ellis to state "the bureau lost a tremendous amount of expertise...[of] very seasoned people." On September 17, 2021, Secretary Deb Haaland announced that the headquarters would be moved back to Washington, D.C. Under
2655-859: The law directed the BLM to ensure these places are protected for future generations, similar to national parks and wildlife refuges . Source: BLM Resources and Statistics The BLM, through its Office of Law Enforcement & Security, functions as a federal law enforcement agency of the United States Government. BLM law enforcement rangers and special agents receive their training through Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC). Full-time staffing for these positions approaches 300. Uniformed rangers enforce laws and regulations governing BLM lands and resources. As part of that mission, these BLM rangers carry firearms and defensive equipment, make arrests, execute search warrants, complete reports and testify in court. They seek to establish
2714-452: The path bulldozed in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve was private land owned by the Pilgrim family. A map showcasing the trails in Alaska that are documented by the Revised Statute 2477, as of August 13, 2013, can be seen on this here . The Revised Statute 2477 was however, repealed by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 . This repeal however, did not "terminate right-of-way conveyed under R.S. 2477" allowing
2773-615: The population) lived in households, 6 (3.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized. There were 71 households, out of which 16 (22.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 29 (40.8%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 3 (4.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 4 (5.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 4 (5.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships , and 2 (2.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships . 26 households (36.6%) were made up of individuals, and 2 (2.8%) had someone living alone who
2832-463: The public rangelands by establishment of advisory boards that set grazing fees. The Oregon and California Revested Lands Sustained Yield Management Act of 1937, commonly referred as the O&;C Act, required sustained yield management of the timberlands in western Oregon. In 1946, the Grazing Service was merged with the United States General Land Office to form the Bureau of Land Management within
2891-597: The removal of excess animals; the killing of lame, old, or sick animals; the private placement or adoption of excess animals; and even the killing of healthy animals if range management required it. The killing of healthy or unhealthy horses has almost never occurred. Pursuant to the Public Rangelands Improvement Act of 1978 , the BLM has established 179 "herd management areas" (HMAs) covering 31.6 million acres (128,000 km ) acres where feral horses can be found on federal lands. In 1973, BLM began
2950-470: The resort property Wawona in 1883. Wawona is the location of the historic Wawona Hotel , built by Washburn in 1876, with additional structures added into the early 20th century. A classic Victorian resort, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987. The Clark's Station US Post Office opened in 1878. In 1883 its name was changed to Wawona. The town is located in a large mid-elevation basin with Wawona Meadow as its centerpiece. Situated in
3009-639: The southwest part of Yosemite National Park , it lies along the South Fork of the Merced River at an elevation of about 4,000 feet (1,200 m). The town is accessible via State Route 41 , the main highway from Fresno to Yosemite Valley . Wawona is the closest town to Chilnualna Falls and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia . It also serves as the main gateway to the southern Yosemite wilderness , with several principal trailheads located here. According to
SECTION 50
#17330924652913068-615: The territories, patenting land that was surveyed via the corresponding Office of the Surveyor General of a particular territory. This pattern gradually spread across the entire United States. The laws that spurred this system with the exception of the General Mining Law of 1872 and the Desert Land Act of 1877 have since been repealed or superseded. In the early 20th century, Congress took additional steps toward recognizing
3127-528: The value of the assets on public lands and directed the Executive Branch to manage activities on the remaining public lands. The Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 allowed leasing, exploration, and production of selected commodities, such as coal , oil , gas , and sodium to take place on public lands. The Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 established the United States Grazing Service to manage
3186-502: Was 43.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 141.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 149.1 males. There were 370 housing units at an average density of 58.3 per square mile (22.5/km ), of which 22 (31.0%) were owner-occupied, and 49 (69.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.0%. 45 people (26.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 118 people (69.8%) lived in rental housing units. In
3245-400: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30. There were 36 families (50.7% of all households); the average family size was 2.94. The population was spread out, with 32 people (18.9%) under the age of 18, 10 people (5.9%) aged 18 to 24, 46 people (27.2%) aged 25 to 44, 66 people (39.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 15 people (8.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
3304-596: Was a measure to prevent restoration of the Fairness Doctrine on radio and television. The ALRA has also sent representatives to testify before various governing bodies. The ALRA has questioned the actions of the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management as they continue expanding national parks and public lands. The American Land Rights Association has done coverage in Wrangell, Alaska , between
3363-457: Was so successful that BLM allowed it to go nationwide in 1976. The Adopt-a-Horse program quickly became the primary method of removing excess feral horses from BLM land given the lack of other viable methods. The BLM also uses limited amounts of contraceptives in the herd, in the form of PZP vaccinations; advocates say that additional use of these vaccines would help to diminish the excess number of horses currently under BLM management. Despite
3422-689: Was then appointed and held the position in office until July 2005. The ALRA cooperates with broad-based conservative organizations on land-use related issues. It is associated with the Land Rights Network, a lobby outreach network that utilizes mail, phone, fax and e-mail. It also organizes the League of Private Property Voters , which has published a vote index since 1990, scoring members of Congress on votes relating to regulations on private property rights and restrictions on use of federal public lands. The League promotes some general conservative causes unrelated to land use: for example, their 2007 ratings of U.S. Senate members were based on ten votes, one of which
3481-615: Was under consideration for the #2 position in the Department of the Interior . ALRA and other property-rights organizations opposed Turner's appointment because of his position as president of the Conservation Fund , which an ALRA release asserted was "dedicated to threatening, dividing and isolating land owners and small towns". President George W. Bush chose not to appoint Turner, instead selecting mining-industry lobbyist J. Steven Griles . President George W. Bush however, nominated Turner for Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs , who
#290709