Sunday, June 21, 1998

Cattlemen decry defective federal program on habitat conservation

By J.T. Smith / Abilene Reporter-News

"Don't mess with Texas' private lands" is the message that state and federal leaders heard from the Indepedent Cattlemen's Association (ICA) as the ranchers exposed serious defects of a habitat conservation plan in Central Texas.

The "Central Texas Rare Species Conservation Plan" -- originally touted as win-win agreement for landowners was brought to the light of dy by ICA and the Austin-based organization Liberty Matters as as flawed and ineffective program for Texas landowners.

The plan, initially designed for the preservation of the golden-cheek warbler and black-capped vireo, was supposed to allow landowners to "voluntarily" set aside land for protection of endangered species "with no strings attached."

In exchange for safekeeping the endangered species, landowners were told they would receive "tax breaks" on the reserved land.

"What sounded like a great idea intially was actually just a classic 'bait and switch' sales scam ever I ever saw one," said ICA president John Brown. "What the federal government and specifically Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt didn't want property owners to know was that although you could opt ouf of the <I>state<I> program at any time for any reason, you were required to get permission to withdraw from the federal program."

"In essence, what the federal government was tyring to do was take control of our private lands," Brown said.

To protect Texas property rights, ICA and 27 other Texas organizations joined forces for a grassroots effort to educate state and federal leaders -- including members of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on the serious repercussions of the plan.

ICA members visiting Washington, D.C., for a legislative seminar also personally met with the Texas delegation armed with briefs detailing the inaccuraceis of the program.

"Texas members were initially surprised at our opposition to the Central Texas Rare Species Conservation Plan," Brown said. "Like us -- in the beginning -- they were unaware of the 'between the lines print' the federal government inserted."

As the word from ICA and other agricultural organizations resonated throught thestate and federal capitals, Congressional and state representatives swiftly responded.

Support for the Central Texas program was dropped on all government levels and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officially discontinued the conservation plant.

Gary Graham, director of the Endangered Resources Program with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, commented on the fallen plan and said they were unwilling to risk the trust they had bulkt with Texas landowners ofver the past several years to continue support of the Central Texas Program.

Charles Carter, ICA executive director in Texas, applaued the efforts of their members and other organizations who fought to protect landowners' rights.

"We could not have succeeded without the commitment of our members and the other participating organizations," Carter said. "This is a victory not only for our organization, but for all Texas property owners."

Fiddlers Contest is July 4 at Stamford

A Fiddlers Contest is 9:30 a.m. of the Fourth of July during the final day of the 1998 Texas Cowboy Reunion in Stamford.

Fiddlers can gather at the Rounduup Hall at 9 a.m. for registration.

Prizes are $75 for first place, $50 for second and $35 for third place. Each winner also gets a ribbon for bragging rights.

All fiddlers must be 45 years old or older to be eligible for the competition, said Mrs. Charles (Dorothy) Clark of the Texas Cowboy Oldtimers Assocaition and chairman of the contest.

Call (940) 997-2680 for more information.