Pocatello,
ID -- The BlueRibbon Coalition
(BRC), a national trail-based recreation group, applauded the House Committee
on Natural Resources for holding an oversight hearing on taxpayer funded
eco-lawsuits. BRC sent in a letter of support to the Committee for its hearing
on June 19, 2012.
BRC believes that Congress must address this issue where
eco-lawsuits are being used to bypass the administrative and legislative
process through litigation driven settlements where land and wildlife
management decisions are crafted behind closed doors by courts and green
litigants.
Greg Mumm, Executive Director for the BlueRibbon Coalition,
said, "BRC has seen where settlements designed in 'smoke filled backrooms'
by special interest advocacy groups are being used to expand trail closures
beyond the original scope of the litigation. Sadly, the public is paying for
this abuse of the Equal Access to Justice Act and the Agencies cannot
accurately quantify the total price tag."
"BRC respectfully requests that our concerns are made
part of the official record and we will be submitting more formal comments in
the coming days," Mumm concludes.
