Obama to claim half million acres today under ‘Monument act’ UPDATE

UPDATE:  Done.

“I’ve preserved more than 3 million acres of public lands for future generations. And I am not finished,” Obama declared before signing a proclamation naming the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument.

Wednesday’s action marks Obama’s 12th use of the Antiquities Act to protect lands officials say deserve special treatment, and supporters are lobbying for the president to use his authority more often before he leaves office. Several Utah areas — including Cedar Mesa, the San Rafael Swell and Greater Canyonlands — have been touted as possible candidates for monument designations.

During his State of the Union speech earlier this year, Obama said he wants to work with Congress but would act on his own if it doesn’t move on this issue.

MORE AT  SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

Of all places, the announcement today will give illegals an open pathway on the border with Mexico directly to the U.S. Bundy style, the BLM moves again. Back in 2010, a leaked memo indicated Obama had his eye on 13 million acres. Some monuments larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined. Much of it rich in gas, oil and other minerals.

President Obama on Wednesday will declare a national monument in southern New Mexico, delivering a win for environmentalists but angering ranchers and local law enforcement, who say the land restrictions will end up creating a safe haven for drug cartels to operate within the U.S.

Mr. Obama will declare about 500,000 acres as the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument. About half of that land is expected to be set aside as wilderness, meaning it will be closed to vehicles and construction.

Know that this is just the beginning. From an earlier post:

Obama Eyes Western Land for National Monuments

February 19, 2010  Click here to view a list of the sites and a brief description of each one. 

Another 13 million acres? When is enough, enough? 

 No legislation needed.

Upwards to 40 percent of the United States land is already under some form of government control or ownership — 800 million to 900 million acres out of America’s total 2.2 billion acres.A disturbing report out from Fox News this afternoon:

More than a dozen pristine landscapes, wildlife habitats and scenic rivers in 11 Western states, some larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined, are under consideration by the Obama administration to become America’s newest National Monuments — a decision the administration can make unilaterally without local input or congressional approval.

According to internal Department of Interior documents leaked to a Utah congressman and obtained exclusively by Fox News, the mostly public lands include Arizona deserts, California mountains, Montana prairies, New Mexico forests, Washington islands and the Great Basins of Nevada and Colorado — totaling more than 13 million acres.

Many of the areas under consideration by the Obama administration are known to house rich deposits of oil and natural gas. 

For a list of monuments  he has in mind go to the link here at

Fox News

Now back to the latest so called Monument announcement today:

“This is about opposing so many thousands of acres that is going to create nothing more than a pathway for criminals to get into this country to do their criminal acts,” Dona Ana County Sheriff Todd Garrison told The Washington Times in a telephone interview Monday.

The monument would cover hundreds of thousands of acres right next to the Mexican border.

Only Congress can declare a national park, which stops most land uses. But under the 1906 Antiquities Act the president has the power to declare national monuments, which offer heightened environmental protections.

Read more: Washington Times