The land owner is PO'd and rightfully so. But there are some glaring questions and the answers are mostly simple common sense. 1.If the cave
and land has been in the owner's family for decades, yet the sculpins are still in the cave unharmed, why does anyone think they are going to be harmed now? 2.Water flows down stream. If the sclupins are up stream in the cave, where are the sinkholes in relation to the sculpins? If the
sinkholes are downstream from the sculpins, then there is no way harmful chemicals will ever reach the sculpins. The answer requires a map
of the cave with a surface survey of the sinkholes in relation to the cave. 3.If cavers have been going into the cave for decades and no harm has occurred to the sculpins or bats, why is it necessary to fence off the sinkholes and block entry to the cave? Obviously no harm is being done 4. Why doesn't the USFWS have the guts to counter sue the enviro group? This kind of crap will never end if a line isn't drawn. There are thousands of caves and each one can become a opportunity for any enviro group to sue unless a stand is taken to stop this kind of crap. 5.A bill was supposed to be presented to Congress last year that would have put a stop to enviro groups suing Federal agencies for money. What ever happened to that bill? I wrote my legislators urging them to pass the bill if it came up for a vote. Never heard another word about it. Did YOU contact your legislators in favor of that bill? 6.Are there any caver/lawyers who are willing to provide pro bono legal assistance to this landowner? Are there any cavers who give a dang about landowner rights? Seems to me this man is being harassed by both an enviro group and a government agency. This man's livelihood is being threatened. 7.If all those sinks are fenced off and the cave permanently closed against the will of the land owner, what kind of message is this going to send to ALL other cave owners around the entire country? It is way past time for something to be done to stop enviro groups from suing the government and/or individuals over private property situations.
Here is a link to the congressional bill I mentioned above.
http://www.hatch.senate.gov/public/inde ... 571d292082Here is a link that should anger every tax payer in America. The actions mentioned in this link can impact cavers, caving and landowners
exactly like the situation mentioned in this thread.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/11 ... -lawsuits/The following link explains what happened to the bill to limit enviro groups from suing government agencies. Basically the bill died before
it was hatched (yes that is a play on words).
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr1996