Although the House bill does not include provisions to drill the Arctic
Refuge, it does contain a provision that could lead to the sale of millions
of acres of public lands.

The provision would allow the sale of existing and future mining claims on
public lands, National Forest lands, and lands in our National Parks, even
if the purchaser never intends to mine the claims. A conservative estimate
of the provision's reach is some 4.5 million acres of public lands,
including more than 600 "unpatented" mining claims in National Park units.
Claimants would not even have to prove that their claims contain mineral
deposits before they can purchase the rights to the land.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Neila Seaman" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <IOWA-TOPICS
Sent: Friday, November 18, 2005 9:00 AM
Subject: House Passes Budget Reconciliation Bill Sans Arctic and Offshore
Drilling


> House Passes Budget Reconciliation Bill Sans Arctic and Offshore Drilling;
>                         Bad Land Provisions Remain
>        Budget Could Become Vehicle For Rejected Drilling Provisions
>
>           Statement of Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director
>
> "Early this morning the House passed, by the narrowest of margins, a
Budget
> Reconciliation bill that spares the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and
> coastlines from drilling but puts America's public lands up for sale. The
> Sierra Club is delighted that the controversial provisions for drilling in
> the Arctic National Wildlife and offshore were stripped from the budget
> package prior to a vote but remain concerned that the bill will become a
> vehicle for the resurrection of these rejected ideas.

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