Wyoming Gubernatorial Candidate Calls For Drilling In Yellowstone National Park

[n2doc]

There is perhaps no national park more sacrosanct to America than Yellowstone. Anyone who has marveled at its Old Faithful Geyser or looked out at its large herds of roaming bison or stood in awe at its cascading waterfalls has, whether they knew it or not, been the beneficiary of a massively successful government program: conservation of public lands.

But Yellowstone National Park’s days as a pristine ecological retreat could be numbered if Wyoming gubernatorial candidate Taylor Haynes (R) gets his way.

Haynes, a physician and former trustee at the University of Wyoming, wants all national parks and federal lands in Wyoming to be turned over to the state. According to the Casper Star Tribune, Haynes wants to allow all lands in Wyoming, including Yellowstone, to be leased for drilling, mining, and grazing. “We will manage every square inch of Wyoming,” the gubernatorial hopeful said.

The chance that there could soon be drilling in Yellowstone, which in 1872 became the first national park in the world, is exceedingly slim. Haynes is challenging incumbent Gov. Matt Mead (R), who opposes drilling in Yellowstone, in the August 19th primary. Election analysts expect Mead to prevail handily.

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/07/16/3460799/drilling-yellowstone/

[gejohnston]

1. Yes Mead will win.

and his replacement either this year or four years from now will likely be a Democrat, according to historical trends. The two parties alternate the governorship. Of course that could end, just like sending one Republican and one Democratic senator to DC ended in 1980.
We had a guy named Hugh "big foot" Binford who ran on the sagebrush rebellion back in the day. After the Republican primary, he was never heard from again.
While I'm sure Haynes is a good MD, he doesn't know the US or Wyoming constitutions that well, given his misunderstanding of the US Constitution being allowed to own land. The Wyoming Constitution likely would prohibit such a grab. Article 21 Section 26 of the Wyoming Constitution:
http://www.uwyo.edu/robertshistory/wyoming_constitution_full_text.htm

Even the most conservative people I know are not raving about him. He'll land up like like the Tea Party favorite who wanted to legalize horse meat. In these parts, that went over as well as if she said "I like Mike Bloomberg's view on guns."