[SEDXC] NAVASSA/DESECHEO 1

[MIKE GREENWAY]

The messages I tried to forward for K4UEE show a paper clip as they have an
attachment but it appears they did not really have anything.  I am trying to
ship these now with the message right in the body.  73 Mike
1
House Floor Remarks of U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall, II
Tuesday, November 16, 2004

The Liberation of Navassa and Desecheo Islands Begins
Mr. Speaker, in my capacity as the ranking Democratic member on the
Committee on Resources, it has been both a pleasure and an honor to oversee
the
management of our Federal public lands and resources.  It is not an
exaggeration
 to say that our system of public lands - our parks,
forests, refuges and wilderness areas - is second to none when it comes to
providing world-class opportunities for Americans to enjoy outdoor
recreation.
That is, of course, when the general public is actually allowed to access
and use
their public lands.
Regardless of the fact that the Federal Government holds land in trust for
the
American people, sadly it appears that what the people own, the people may
not
necessarily ever get to use.
This is the case with two tiny islands in the Western Carribean. Navassa and
Desecheo islands have interesting histories, but I doubt most Americans even
know
they exist, let alone that the islands are, in fact, part of our very own
country.
The story of Navassa Island is a classic tale of American capitalism. It
came
to be part of America in the late 1800's through the mining and sale of
petrified bird
guano - yes, guano - as fertilizer. It is also the site of one of our Nation
's early,
ugly labor disputes. Over time, guano went out of fashion, but the outpost
served
a new purpose for 80 years, as a light source to guide ships through the
islands of
the Caribbean. In 1996, with the advent of new technologies, the lighthouse
went
dark. The property, however, remained part of the U.S.
Eventually that island and Desecheo Island, a former military training
range,
were incorporated into the National Wildlife Refuge system. The designation
rightfully recognizes the unique qualities of the two islands, which are
rich in
uncommon plant and animal life. But, in turn, it has also led to their being
essentially fenced off from the people who own them - the American public.
For
in fact, today, the Fish & Wildlife Service bars legal access to these two
islands
apparently under any circumstance.
That might be the end of the story, were it not for a group of Ham radio
operators, who, after having been granted special use access to these public
lands
for twenty years, were suddenly denied permission to visit the islands to
broadcast.