Words famously uttered by Michael Steele, future Chairman of the Republican National Committee, and echoed by Sarah Palin in a Vice Presidential debate.(Remember her?)

When I saw the Grand Forks Herald  headline

Oil drilling OK'd in protected area of North Dakota Badlands; environmental groups cry foul

I was like...huh, they finally got away with it. When I read about how 200,000 acres of the Little Missouri State Park that were previously protected were now ripe for oil rigging...

I WAS OUTRAGED!  I love the Little Missouri State Park.  Me, my daughter, and her friends went on a horsey ride along the canyon ridge.  God's country!  A beautiful valley carved through rough rock predating ancient times! I know they have oil rigs near Killdeer, but why in this breathtaking park!!

Seems, I may have over reacted.

It's actually the Little Missouri National Grasslands..

After nearly 20 years of back-and-forth, a new decision adopted by the Trump administration opens up more than 200,000 previously protected acres of the Little Missouri National Grasslands for surface drilling work.

Oh...grasslands, you say?

Empty grassland and sky at evening time
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Other than providing excellent sunsets and plenty of room for prairie dogs, grasslands have never "grabbed" me. I have friends that are very passionate about the pristiness of their prairie, and I say good for them. I find it pretty dull.  I'm the guy that thinks the wind turbines actually add to the landscape south of Minot.  I read further that some of the most disputed drill site areas of the Little Missouri National Grasslands were controversial because they were "road-less".  Meaning this area is so pristine, that if you parachuted in you wouldn't find a sign of civilization for grass covered mile after grass covered mile.

So I lost interest.  But if you want to get riled up about it- read the story here.

And here from the Forest Service here.  Forest? I'll leave that alone.

 

 

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