RT @campingblogger: RT @roughin_it: Great News for Michigan Campers. DNR to keep open 23 State Campgrounds prev. set to close http://t.c ... - 11 June 2011, 5:33 am - View »
Ed Stafford nominated for National Geographic Adventurer of the Year. All amazing stories. http://tinyurl.com/2w2yeh7 - 18 December 2010, 7:04 am - View »
Backpacking: An extended form of hiking in which people carry double the amount of gear they need for half the distance they planned to go in twice the time it should take.
Terrible tag line notwithstanding, Smokey Bear has been a fixture in the camping world for longer than I've been alive. This year, he turns 65 and the celebration will be held in the Wayne National Forest (in Ohio). Smokey was "born" on August 9th, 1944.
Both the Associated Press and the Houston Chronicle announced today that President Elect Obama would be naming Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO) to be the next Secretary of the Department of the Interior. This would place Salazar over the Department under which the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) functions. Given the high number of rule changes currently be enacted by the BLM to favor energy exploration and development on public lands, this could signal the type of change hoped for by conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts. Salazar was opposed to opening up the Roan Plateau in Colorado, and has been opposed to many of the other recent rules changes passed or still being considered by the BLM. While the appointment is not official (rumored to be announced later in the week), if true, it could signal Obama's intent to reverse as many of the rule changes as possible. However, if the oil and gas leases on the proposed land (much of it in Colorado and Utah) has already been finalized, these would prove more difficult to undo, as they would be bound by legal contract and would most likely need to be re-purchased.
What started out as a simple idea fifteen years ago, has grown into CEJ Camping today. Our dedication to the outdoors is being documented amongst these pages for all to enjoy. Whether you prefer good stories to share, an honest gear review, or a simple “I think I’ll try that” recipe, we hope you’ll find it here.
Furthering their efforts to remove processes for providing checks and balances on the use of public lands, the BLM, under the Bush Administration, removed from its regulations a section that gives two congressional committees the authority to require the Secretary of the Interior to temporarily place public lands off-limits to oil and gas drilling. The 1976 Federal Land Policy and Management Act (Public Law 94-599, found in Title 43 of the U.S. Code, Chapter 35 starting with Section 1701) created the framework for BLM's mission of managing public lands for multiple use (e.g., recreation and resources). It also provides the House Natural Resource Committee and the Senate's Energy and Natural Resources Committee the ability to vote to require the Interior Secretary to temporarily halt oil and gas drilling on these lands. Until now.
I'm proud to say that CEJCamping has been accepted as an REI affiliate. REI is a fantastic company and their gear is top-notch. The customer service is probably the best I've ever had (they exchanged a broken water filter I hadn't used for a year with no questions, and even took extra time to make sure that my purchase was counted under my membership).
I've been posting a lot lately about the Bush Administrations Midnight Rules, specifically those focused on allowing additional oil and gas drilling on public lands. Recently, some of Clinton's own Midnight Rules are back in the news. In January of 2001, on their way out of the White House, the Clinton Administration enacted the Road-less Areas Conservation Rule (RACR) which was adopted by the US Forest Service. This rule essentially protected ~58 million acres of forest from roads, oil and gas drilling, mining, etc. Essentially placing these areas off limits for human development. However, shortly into his first term, Bush started trying to undo the RACR and continued this throughout his second term. This has played out through both government and the courts, with a new development happening just recently.
Yesterday I discussed the amount of BLM land being offered up for oil and gas leases (see article here). On Monday they had withdrawn some parcels of land that bordered Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. Well, after business hours on Tuesday, the Bureau of Land Management announced that they withdraw additional parcels of land from the lease auction.
