Dubya and BLM Lose Court Challenge by Marvel and Company....

[JoseCuervo]

Ahhhh... The power of a good attorney, to force Dubya and his Agencies to comply with the laws enacted by Congress, and not try and stonewall the dissemination of information to the Public.

On February 26, 2004 Federal District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill ruled in favor of Western Watersheds Project and against the Bureau of Land Management in a significant victory for public access to federal government documents under the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA).

Judge Winmill dismissed the BLM's denial of WWP's requested fee waiver under the FOIA for hundreds of BLM documents which the agency was trying to force WWP to pay large sums to process and copy. Under the FOIA, Congress has directed federal agencies to provide public documents at little or no cost when the distribution of those documents to a non-profit group is determined to be intended to educate and inform the general public. Judge Winmill denied all the BLM's claims that WWP was not capable and had no intention of disseminating the information derived from the documents and granted WWP a full fee waiver in keeping with the intent of Congress.

This victory will go a long way toward the ending of a recent tactic by federal land management agencies to attempt to prevent access to public documents by forcing non-profit groups to pay exorbitant fees.

The FOIA case decision can be reviewed at the following URL:

http://www.id.uscourts.gov/wconnect/wc.dll?usdc_racer~get_case_jb~4:3-cv-334~~All+Documents~on~PUID=RESTRICTED

 

[Ithaca 37]

Another victory for Marvel!!!! We should all thank him for standing up for the little guys and making the gummint back down!

 

[1_pointer]

That's kinda funny. You guys realize how much they are having to pay a Range Management Specialist to stand over a copy machine for many hours a day for a couple weeks or more?? Would you rather they make copies or be out on the ground doing something??

 

[Ithaca 37]

I'd rather have them give the copying job to some low paid flunky. Better yet, Don't give Marvel etc. anything to sue them about. Marvel only picks the sure winners to sue on.

 

[JoseCuervo]

The more Range Management Plans that are not updated, and are 20 years old results in more victories in court, claiming the BLM is using out of date information on their grazing plans.

With the Dubya administration, the only hope is slowing the BLM down from rolling back Clinton's reforms on grazing.

 

[1_pointer]

IT- Be careful with that flunky thing, as that is ME!!

 

[Washington Hunter]

1 pointer, I'm sure they have office clerks who are capable of making copies, and who make less than a "Range Management Specialist." Why would they have a high paid employee stuck in the office all day doing a job that a 12 year old could do?

 

[Ithaca 37]

1 pointer, Sorry! I forgot you're a low paid flunky!

 

[Ten Bears]

The proof will be if Marvel and crew produce public information documents, or just use this as a ruse for more law suits.

 

[Ithaca 37]

Ten, You idiot. Marvel has been using the documents he's been getting all along to win his lawsuits. Do you think he wins so many because he doesn't have any proof they're breaking the law?

 

[Ten Bears]

Under the FOIA, Congress has directed federal agencies to provide public documents at little or no cost when the distribution of those documents to a non-profit group is determined to be intended to educate and inform the general public.

We'll see how that all shakes out. If the intent is to just use the information as a basis for more lawsuits, then I think Marvel and company may be in the WRONG with this request.

 

[Ithaca 37]

Ten, You truly are a simpleton. "be intended to educate and inform the general public." How the hell is anyone gonna get their hands on the documents so they can educate the general public about what the gummint agencies are doing if the agencies, in their efforts to stonewall, jack up the price so high nobody can afford to search thru the documents? Are you saying the Freedom of Information Act is only for millionaires?

 

[1_pointer]

WH- Not in the Salt Lake Field Office.

IT- No worries, that'll be changing soon!

 

[Ten Bears]

Are you saying the Freedom of Information Act is only for millionaires?

What I said was pretty clear.

Under the FOIA, Congress has directed federal agencies to provide public documents at little or no cost when the distribution of those documents to a non-profit group is determined to be intended to educate and inform the general public.

I don't see anywhere where it says the information should be free to be used to file lawsuits against the agency. I will look forward to Marvels latest/next brochure with this information (I'd also like a copy of distribution and circulation).

 

[JoseCuervo]

Originally posted by Ten Bears:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr /> Are you saying the Freedom of Information Act is only for millionaires?

What I said was pretty clear.

Under the FOIA, Congress has directed federal agencies to provide public documents at little or no cost when the distribution of those documents to a non-profit group is determined to be intended to educate and inform the general public.

I don't see anywhere where it says the information should be free to be used to file lawsuits against the agency. I will look forward to Marvels latest/next brochure with this information (I'd also like a copy of distribution and circulation).

</font>[/QUOTE]Ten,
Are you that dense that you don't get any education or information from WWP? Go read their website, or better yet, have one of the smarter kids in 3rd grade read it to you....

I read all of their court proceedings, and get lots of education.