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<br /> COMMO�,N, GROUND vOL , 12 NO . 2 JANUARY-MARCH 2O01
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<br /> Bush , from page 1 the Department of Agriculture from 1984-
<br /> state and local governments more of the 1985 , She then moved to the Interior Depart-
<br /> power that the federal government now ment, where she was associate solicitor for
<br /> wields . Conservationists will anxiously wait conservation and wildlife from 1985-87 ,
<br /> to see how Bush' s ideas are implemented as In 1990 , she was elected Colorado attor-
<br /> federal policy over the next four years . ney general, winning reelection in 1994 . She
<br /> Bush ' s nominee to implement natural re- lost to Sen . Wayne Allard in 1996 in the
<br /> source policy was unexpected . Attorney Gale Republican Senate primary . In 1999 , she
<br /> Norton, 46, started her law career in the late joined Brownstein, Hyatt & Farber, a Denver
<br /> 1970s at the Mountain States Legal Founda - law firm ,
<br /> tion, the property rights group in Denver . Described as smart and politically
<br /> In 1981 , President Reagan tapped the found. savvy, Norton has one thing going for her
<br /> ation' s president, James Watt, to run the that Watt didn' t—a Republican Congress . If
<br /> Interior Department . He resigned two years she and her boss try to open the Arctic ref-
<br /> later amid controversy . uge to drilling, she could offset some of the
<br /> After four years at the foundation, political heat by championing Bush ' s request
<br /> Norton went to Washington, where she ' for full funding of the Land and Water Con-
<br /> served as assistant to the deputy secretary at servation Fund .
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<br /> President - elect George W. Bush : In His Own Words
<br /> M Below are excerpts from a speech given by servation easements receive a tax credit .
<br /> President- elect Bush on June 1 , 2000 , . at Lake In all these efforts , we see the future of
<br /> Tahoe, Nev . conservation . What is the federal role ? To
<br /> provide the scientific and financial resources
<br /> The federal government has a crucial to help states, local communities and private
<br /> role to play in conservation . At its best, the landowners preserve land and wildlife . To
<br /> federal government can lend support to local provide flexibility, decentralization arid
<br /> and state conservation efforts . The federal positive incentives to involve more Ameri-
<br /> government should cooperate in the effort to cans in the responsibility of conservation .
<br /> preserve the beauty of Lake Tahoe . I will seek to fully fund the Land and
<br /> We have a national consensus about the Water Conservation Fund—to its authorized
<br /> "' We have a importance of conservation . Problems arise level of $ 900 million. I will propose that half
<br /> national when leaders reject partnership and rely on of those funds be devoted to state and local
<br /> consensus about the power of Washington—on regulations, conservation .
<br /> penalties and dictation from afar . Of that $900 million, I will ask that $50
<br /> the importance of We have seen millions of acres of land million help states set up Landowner Incen-
<br /> conservatZon . declared off-limits and designated national tive Programs, s.; . .....:ar to ours in Texas . And
<br /> —President-elect Bush monuments . We have seen a steady decline $ 10 million for a Private Stewardship Pro-
<br /> in funding for the state and local component gram—making grants to individuals and
<br /> of the Land and Water Conservation Fund . groups engaged in private conservation.
<br /> It' s time to build conservation partner- I will seek an additional tax incentive to
<br /> ships between the federal government and encourage private conservation . Under my
<br /> state governments , local communities and proposal, the seller would receive a 50 %
<br /> private landowners . break on a capital gain if the land is sold for
<br /> Nearly 10 million acres in Texas are un- conservation purposes .
<br /> der wildlife management plans . Under our Finally, I will ask Congress to abolish
<br /> Private Lands Enhancement Program, Texas the death tax . This tax often leaves citizens
<br /> provides technical assistance to landowners with no choice but to sell farmland or open
<br /> who want to make conservation a priority . space to developers to meet their tax bill—
<br /> In Wyoming, revenue from the sale of wild- when they would much rather pass it along
<br /> life permits goes to funding youth-led con- for future generations to enjoy .
<br /> servation projects . The demands of development have
<br /> Utah has partnered with private land- sometimes been harsh on the natural world
<br /> � Y x owners and conservation groups to protect and its inhabitants . But it need not be so—if
<br /> J the watershed of a 7, 000 - acre working ranch . we bring to conservation the same vision
<br /> In Colorado, landowners who donate con- and ingenuity we bring to development .
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