mtt37849
10-14-2008, 01:55
Farm Bill Allows Sale of Forest Land To Ski Resort
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POSTED:(not on WB.) 11:36 pm EDT May 14, 2008
UPDATED:(not on WB.) 11:58 pm EDT May 14, 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- House Republicans are attacking Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) over a plan to sell Green Mountain Forrest Land to Bromley Ski Resort in southern Vermont. It is a plan that will benefit taxpayers, hikers and the ski industry according to Leahy's office. But Republicans call it a pork barrel earmark.
"I don't think taxpayers ought to have to bankroll this boondoggle," Republican Leader John Boehner said on the House floor Wednesday.
Boehner accused Leahy of slipping a provision into the farm bill behind closed doors during a conference committee.
The land sale will save taxpayers money, said a spokesman for Leahy. Bromley Ski Resort has leased for the last 66 years. Part of the Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail cross over ski run, not an ideal situation according to Leahy's office.
"It also is a management headache for the Forrest Service," said David Carle, Leahy's spokesman.
But during an effort to strike the provision from the Farm Bill Boehner said, "Now we're actually going to move the Appalachian Scenic Trail, possibly have to move it because we're going to sell this land to a ski resort."
"It's clear from Congressman Boehner's scripted comments that he doesn't know the first thing about Vermont or Vermont's priorities in the Farm Bill, and it's worse that he doesn't even seem to care," Carle said.
Selling this land to Bromley isn't a new idea for Leahy. He introduced identical legislation during the 108th and the 109th Congresses. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the Green Mountain Club, the Green Mountain Forrest and Bromley Mountain have all been involved in discussions over the land sale.
The House passed the 2008 Farm Bill Wednesday. The Senate begins debating the bill Thursday.
Sen. Leahy's Press Secretary, David Carle, released a statement Thursday night saying, "It's clear from Congressman Boehner's scripted comments that he doesn't know the first thing about Vermont or Vermont's priorities in the Farm Bill, and it's worse that he doesn't even seem to care.
"Bromley was first put under permit around 1940, and now for more than 66 years the ski area has held the permit for these Green Mountain National Forest lands. This has given rise to a situation in which part of the Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail now must cross over property that is being used as an active ski trail, which is not an ideal situation for anyone. It also is a management headache for the Forest Service. The rent for this ski trail parcel is $13,000 per year, while annual Forest Service management costs for the parcel are rising and now exceed $17,500 a year.
"The idea of a land exchange has been raised as a possible solution, but that can't happen without a congressional authorization.
"As early as 2005 the Eastern Region of the Forest Service worked with partners and other interested parties to review and provide feedback on the proposed Bromley Mountain Land Exchange. Those involved in these discussions include the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), the Green Mountain Club (GMC), the Green Mountain National Forest, Bromley Mountain, and others - to see if there's a solution that's better for everyone.
"In support of these efforts, Senator Leahy introduced the Green Mountain National Forest Land Adjustment Act of 2005 (S.425) for review and consideration in the 108th Congress back in 2004, and he again introduced it in the 109th Congress. The legislation in the Farm Bill is the same as these earlier Leahy bills. This is exactly the role Congress should play in such a situation. Forest Service lands cannot be added without congressional authorization (which means legislation), and Senator Leahy is glad to be in such a good position to help on this and on all the other Vermont priorities that have fared so well in the Farm Bill.
"The reason the State of Vermont, the Forest Service and others want this flexibility to make a land exchange possible is that it offers the chance for a mutually beneficial solution to benefit taxpayers, hikers, and a member of one of Vermont's most important industries."
Text of House Republican Leader John Boehner's Floor Speech:
"Let me thank my colleague for yielding. Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, I've been around the House Ag Committee nearly eighteen years. The chairman and I came together, we're good friends and so is the Ranking Republican, Mr. Goodlatte - and I know they've worked hard to produce this bill. But clearly most Americans think that Washington is broken and this Farm Bill is another example of that. I know there is some reform in this bill, but when you begin to step back and look at the bill, we didn't get anywhere near the reform that Americans would expect. At a time when we've got the highest commodity prices that we've seen in a generation, you would think that we would take a slightly different approach to the Farm Bill. But unfortunately because of the process, because of the negotiations, it didn't happen.
"I just want to point out what I would describe as the most egregious part of this. I'm going to have, I or one of my designees will have a motion to recommit this conference report. And it's no secret that politicians have traditionally abused the Farm Bill for their own pet projects. And if you look at some of the pet projects, there are three that I am going to single out in our motion to recommit.
"One, it would strip out the 'Trail to Nowhere,' a land swap that was airdropped into the bill by the senior Senator from Vermont. The language requires the U.S. Forest Service to sell portions of the Green Mountain National Forest exclusively to Vermont's Bromley Ski Resort. And believe it or not, to accommodate this obscure demand, portions of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail may have to be moved. Now we're actually going to move the Appalachian Scenic Trail, possibly have to move it because we're going to sell this land to a ski resort. I don't think taxpayers ought to have to bankroll this boondoggle..."
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POSTED:(not on WB.) 11:36 pm EDT May 14, 2008
UPDATED:(not on WB.) 11:58 pm EDT May 14, 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- House Republicans are attacking Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) over a plan to sell Green Mountain Forrest Land to Bromley Ski Resort in southern Vermont. It is a plan that will benefit taxpayers, hikers and the ski industry according to Leahy's office. But Republicans call it a pork barrel earmark.
"I don't think taxpayers ought to have to bankroll this boondoggle," Republican Leader John Boehner said on the House floor Wednesday.
Boehner accused Leahy of slipping a provision into the farm bill behind closed doors during a conference committee.
The land sale will save taxpayers money, said a spokesman for Leahy. Bromley Ski Resort has leased for the last 66 years. Part of the Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail cross over ski run, not an ideal situation according to Leahy's office.
"It also is a management headache for the Forrest Service," said David Carle, Leahy's spokesman.
But during an effort to strike the provision from the Farm Bill Boehner said, "Now we're actually going to move the Appalachian Scenic Trail, possibly have to move it because we're going to sell this land to a ski resort."
"It's clear from Congressman Boehner's scripted comments that he doesn't know the first thing about Vermont or Vermont's priorities in the Farm Bill, and it's worse that he doesn't even seem to care," Carle said.
Selling this land to Bromley isn't a new idea for Leahy. He introduced identical legislation during the 108th and the 109th Congresses. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the Green Mountain Club, the Green Mountain Forrest and Bromley Mountain have all been involved in discussions over the land sale.
The House passed the 2008 Farm Bill Wednesday. The Senate begins debating the bill Thursday.
Sen. Leahy's Press Secretary, David Carle, released a statement Thursday night saying, "It's clear from Congressman Boehner's scripted comments that he doesn't know the first thing about Vermont or Vermont's priorities in the Farm Bill, and it's worse that he doesn't even seem to care.
"Bromley was first put under permit around 1940, and now for more than 66 years the ski area has held the permit for these Green Mountain National Forest lands. This has given rise to a situation in which part of the Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail now must cross over property that is being used as an active ski trail, which is not an ideal situation for anyone. It also is a management headache for the Forest Service. The rent for this ski trail parcel is $13,000 per year, while annual Forest Service management costs for the parcel are rising and now exceed $17,500 a year.
"The idea of a land exchange has been raised as a possible solution, but that can't happen without a congressional authorization.
"As early as 2005 the Eastern Region of the Forest Service worked with partners and other interested parties to review and provide feedback on the proposed Bromley Mountain Land Exchange. Those involved in these discussions include the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), the Green Mountain Club (GMC), the Green Mountain National Forest, Bromley Mountain, and others - to see if there's a solution that's better for everyone.
"In support of these efforts, Senator Leahy introduced the Green Mountain National Forest Land Adjustment Act of 2005 (S.425) for review and consideration in the 108th Congress back in 2004, and he again introduced it in the 109th Congress. The legislation in the Farm Bill is the same as these earlier Leahy bills. This is exactly the role Congress should play in such a situation. Forest Service lands cannot be added without congressional authorization (which means legislation), and Senator Leahy is glad to be in such a good position to help on this and on all the other Vermont priorities that have fared so well in the Farm Bill.
"The reason the State of Vermont, the Forest Service and others want this flexibility to make a land exchange possible is that it offers the chance for a mutually beneficial solution to benefit taxpayers, hikers, and a member of one of Vermont's most important industries."
Text of House Republican Leader John Boehner's Floor Speech:
"Let me thank my colleague for yielding. Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, I've been around the House Ag Committee nearly eighteen years. The chairman and I came together, we're good friends and so is the Ranking Republican, Mr. Goodlatte - and I know they've worked hard to produce this bill. But clearly most Americans think that Washington is broken and this Farm Bill is another example of that. I know there is some reform in this bill, but when you begin to step back and look at the bill, we didn't get anywhere near the reform that Americans would expect. At a time when we've got the highest commodity prices that we've seen in a generation, you would think that we would take a slightly different approach to the Farm Bill. But unfortunately because of the process, because of the negotiations, it didn't happen.
"I just want to point out what I would describe as the most egregious part of this. I'm going to have, I or one of my designees will have a motion to recommit this conference report. And it's no secret that politicians have traditionally abused the Farm Bill for their own pet projects. And if you look at some of the pet projects, there are three that I am going to single out in our motion to recommit.
"One, it would strip out the 'Trail to Nowhere,' a land swap that was airdropped into the bill by the senior Senator from Vermont. The language requires the U.S. Forest Service to sell portions of the Green Mountain National Forest exclusively to Vermont's Bromley Ski Resort. And believe it or not, to accommodate this obscure demand, portions of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail may have to be moved. Now we're actually going to move the Appalachian Scenic Trail, possibly have to move it because we're going to sell this land to a ski resort. I don't think taxpayers ought to have to bankroll this boondoggle..."