The President has released it's 2018 budget proposal for Department of Interior

As expected the anti-access/conservation/preservation minded folks are decrying it in very dire terms. If anything, this is a budget that supports multiple use of public lands in a manner where not stakeholder is favored over another.

Reading just a few of the comments on several social media posts reveals many people with no comprehension of the concept of "multiple use" as being reflected in the proposed budget. People are quick to castigate the "extraction" and cry about sellout of public lands to big business. Well, "extraction" is one of the pillars of "multiple-use". Within that context, extraction, preservation, and recreation are the components that encompass "multiple use". Key point is that ownership of lands remain "public" with access for all to pursue their desire. Focusing one over the other limits access and limits opportunities by the public as that action takes the "public" out of "public lands".

Interestingly, California Governor Brow characterized the proposed budget misguide and based on false assumptions. One only has to look at the recent May Rewrite of his proposed budget for the State of California to note the glaring hypocrisy of that characterization. Brown has called for a significant reduction in funding for CalFire which protects home owners from the devastation of wildfires. And, calls for a massive gas tax increase for roads and infrastructure while targeting about 30% of that income to shore up the chronically underfunded and mis-manged calPERS retirement system along with inner-city parks and bicycle lanes and light rail systems.