Proposed law would exempt tribal energy projects from environmental regs(S. Ben Nighthorse Campbell)

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[chance33_98]

Proposed law would exempt tribal energy projects from environmental regs

Some EPA rules stall projects

Sam Lewin 05/01/2003

A plan by Colorado Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell to exempt energy projects on Indian land from federal environmental regulation passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Tuesday. The measure is now part of a massive Indian energy bill that could be heard on the Senate floor as early as next week.

Campbell chairs the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, and is a senior Republican on the Energy Committee. The Republican-dominated Senate has the power to strip provisions from the energy bill, but is unlikely to do so.

As it stands now, tribes seeking to lease to energy companies must first obtain Interior Department permission. Even after that approval is gained, an environmental impact statement could take years to produce. Campbell thinks that’s too long of a process.

“For far too long, Indian-owned energy resources have been overlooked and untapped”, Campbell said in a statement.

Campbell maintains the move will reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and assist tribal areas where unemployment runs as high as 70 percent.

Environmentalists say Campbell’s real motivation is to help oil and gas companies skirt laws meant to protect tribes and they point to Campbell’s campaign disclosure records, which show oil and gas companies are his biggest contributors.

Some experts believe Indian-owned land contains 10 percent of the country’s natural resources, including 30 percent of the known coal deposits in the West, and 10 percent of the onshore natural gas deposits. Less then a quarter of that has been tapped.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

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[Libertarianize the GOP]

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[rontorr]

What is going on in this country?!@!!!! I was gone for a few years and when I come back the "Native Americans don't seem to need to follow the same rules as the rest of the country! The only thing you need do to open a casino and create a whole lot of gambling addicts in Oregon is to have an Indian on your board, and now they want to bypass the rules for safe (admittedly too restrictive) energy projects, well, you can look at it two ways, there is a "good", and a bad. Give me some insight

[hchutch]

It's an interesting solution to some of the energy mess. Perhaps we can cede ANWR to a pro-development tribe.

It gets more energy production in the USA, giving Native Americans good jobs that are NOT tied into gambling, and it can, if we do it right, set up a precedent where we can show which regulations are superflouous and can therefore be eliminated without a threat to the public.

That is a win-win, IMO.

[flying Elvis]

At every reservation I have visited, it is white people doing the work while the Indians sit at home and collect checks. The problem with Campbell's bill is that if those companies come in and screw up the environment, the US will be the one footing the cleanup bill, not the tribes. I'd also want the tribes to assume legal responsibility for any damage outside of the tribal boundaries resulting from their entrepreneurship.

[Iconoclast2]

The destruction of equal rights for citizens is a far worse thing than not developing some energy projects. Equal rights for Red and White, said a billboard along I-5 not too long ago. . .

[holyscroller]

The envirowackos out my way worship the Indians as "the original enviornmentalists" etc. What's funny though, is to drive through the reservations and see that they're as bad as any inner city slum. They must all still have every car they ever owned (it looks like they drive them until they quit, then park them), trash and filth everywhere, falling-down homes. Looks like nobody ever repairs anything. If they were environmentally conscious, that must have stopped once the white man got here. These people aren't poor though by any means. The casinos here are making a fortune, and in addition to all the money they get from the government, they all get a healthy split from the casino profits.

[hchutch]

The advantage I see here is taking down a lot of the burdensome regulations that don't do any good for people (well, except the bureaucrats who make and enforce them). The fact is, we need to prove a lot of these regulations come at a high cost and do not deliver much performance in return (like Jeffrey Hammonds of the Brewers).

This sort of set up would allow us to do that.

[Grampa Dave]

Actually, it could be great news in California where the Enviralist Watermelon Jihadists from Hell have basically prevented the construction of new power plants for decades.

No company will build an unsafe plant, so this could be a great way to by pass the Watermelons who are probably funded by the Opecker Princes and Thugs to make us more dependent on Opec Energy.

Also, when the Enviralist Watermelon Jihadists from Hell fight the Indian Tribes on this issue, the Indian tribes will back away from some of the phoney relationships they have with the enviralists.

I see it as a big win against the Enviralist Watermelon Jihadists from Hell.

[hchutch]

And it sets the stage for more.

Once we can ID the regulations that are BS, we will have a body of evidence that will allow us to make a case to the American people for reform and the repeal of the BS regulations.

THAT will make for a better business climate in the US and will help keep good jobs here.

[BOBTHENAILER]

I see it as a big win against the Enviralist Watermelon Jihadists from Hell.

No question about it. There are ways to destroy the strangle hold the enviros have put on many a project and this is one of them.

Once we can ID the regulations that are BS, we will have a body of evidence that will allow us to make a case to the American people for reform and the repeal of the BS regulations.

Touche', and don't forget that the tribe within some of the ANWR area, that has the most to gain from the economic boon, is 100% behind the development.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Actually, it could be great news in California where the Enviralist Watermelon Jihadists from Hell have basically prevented the construction of new power plants for decades.

Very interesting!

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[Carry_Okie]

Equal protection anyone?

[mabelkitty]

UNCONSTITUTIONAL BUMP!!

[mabelkitty]

The list was longer than my arm. Free health care, tax free businesses on the reservations, checks every month from the casino business, which translates into BIG TIME LOBBY DOLLARS TO FORCE THEIR OWN AGENDA!! And is also the reason they don't go to college. Casino checks can be several thousand dollars that go to each tribal member each month.

[NormsRevenge]

Keep the Lights on in the Tee-Pee Motel and Casino Bump!

[chance33_98]