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tncaver wrote:1. How will the government recoup the tax money that current landowners are paying? Will they raise your property taxes?
tncaver wrote: 2. Will they close all the current existing four wheel drive roads and trails to the public on the new land purchase? Previous land purchases in this and other states have done exactly that in most cases, so ONLY hikers and overnight backpackers will benefit. That would not benefit older recreationists who depend on 4 wheel drive or ATV to get to some areas due to the distances involved.
tncaver wrote: 3. Will all other recreation be closed during hunting seasons, as happens on the Bridgestone/Firestone Recreation area? Hunting season always corresponds with the best weather for hiking and camping. If only hunters are allowed on the land during hunting season, then bird watchers, hikers, campers and backpackers, kayakers, etc., will lose out during the nicest weather of the entire year.
tncaver wrote: 4. Will all caves be closed on the refuge? Again that will exclude recreation by a large portion of the citizens of TAG. I would suggest closing ONLY major hibernacula, but that has not been the case in Tennessee. All caves are closed on government land in Tennessee.
trogman wrote:Kelly:
Thanks for your interest and taking the time to get involved!
My letter has been sent.
Trogman
tncaver wrote:I have another question which I forgot to ask. Is the government going to take people's land in Paint Rock River Valley by imminent domain? That is; take their land whether they want to sell it or not? If they do, and those people want to buy another 15,000 acre
property, just where could they go to find it? Alaska maybe? I doubt anyone could find many places that big for sale in TAG because the government has acquired an incredible amount of huge estates in the Cumberland Plateau. There may not be any more places for anyone to buy large tracts in the plateau because the government is buying them all. So much for private land ownership in
America. Such land acquisitions are commonly known as land grabs. Why is our government doing this? Conservation can only go so far and eventually there will be no land left for the populace to make a living on.
PYoungbaer wrote: When the folks at the public hearing said the caves would be closed to recreational caving due to WNS, it sounded like this was imminent. However, reading the document makes it sound like it may be quite a while until the refuge properties are accumulated and any management plan put into effect.
For those of you who were there, was any timetable discussed?
Myrna Attaway wrote:Sounds like the best idea is for all of us to send emails. Ive sent mine, have you sent one?
tncaver wrote:On Thu, Apr 11, 2013 at 1:25 PM, jh <Mr. ***********> wrote:
To whom this may concern,
There are many questions regarding the continued acquisition of huge acreages of land by government agencies. 1.One of my primary concerns is, how does the government plan to replace the tax dollars that the former property owners paid? Raising taxes on everyone else is a selfish venue. 2.Does the USFWS plan on closing all the logging roads that have been used by many people for recreational camping and off roading? If you close all roads, you are not benefitting the general public.
3.Again, if you plan on closing all the caves on that land you are not benefitting the public. If there is a cave with a colony of gray bats, then close it but please leave the others open for citizens to enjoy, learn and recreate in. 4.Will the land be closed to recreation during hunting seasons? If so then again only hunters will benefit during the best camping and hiking weather of the entire year. If you plan on doing any of the closures I have mentioned above, I am NOT in favor of buying up that land.
Mr. ************
1127 ************ Road
**************, TN
UnderGroundEarth wrote:
1) The county will receive money from the govt to make up for the tax loss on the sale of land to the USFWS (see page 108 under Local Tax Revenues for your answer).
1 Reply: Tax money comes from tax payers. The FED may pay tax dollars to the state but the tax money still comes from taxpayers ( you and me).
2) YES, logging roads and those used for off roading will be closed. There will be no off roading or camping allowed on the public land in this refuge (see table 19 on page 161).
2 Reply: This is restricting recreation. Once again, the public will be paying for recreation they are not allowed to have.
3) Yes, it is the current policy of the USFWS that all caves on govt land are closed for recreational uses. This does not mean they will not allow cavers access for scientific purposes (inventory counts, survey, etc... also see table 19 on page 161).
3 Reply: Caving only for scientific purposes once again is NOT recreation. Taxpayers will be paying for something they are not getting.
4) The only activity that I could find in the document that is prohibited during hunting season is horseback riding (page 190)
4 Reply: If horseback riding is the only thing restricted during hunting season, all that is left is hiking and photography unless
there are also some navigable waters available, which is doubtful most of the year.
tncaver wrote: As a caver, hiker, camper, off road enthusiast and taxpayer, I feel cheated. Don't forget, the land will also have to be paid for. If The Nature Conservancy is involved with purchasing any of the land, I suspect they will be making money off it when they sell it to the government (ie: you and me). Regardless, citizens will be paying the taxes for the purchase as well as for lost revenue each year. Nothing is free. Not much bang for the buck.
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