All we historic preservation fans can take delight in the
fact that H.R. 2617 has been introduced in the House of Representatives. As the national historic preservation program
dribbles off to nothing, as communities and indigenous groups across the nation
struggle to protect their historic neighborhoods and traditional cultural
landscapes from the untrammeled forces of economic and energy development, H.R.
2617 has as its purpose – yes, ladies and gentlemen, it has as its purpose to
create a national historic landmark (NHL) at Tranquility Base on the Moon.
I wrote about the idiocy of this proposition back in 2010
when the historic preservation authorities of several states began thumping
their chests about it (See “California Shoots for the Moon,” http://crmplus.blogspot.com/2010/02/california-shoots-for-moon.html.) I don’t propose to write more about it, but
have asked for the opportunity to testify against it should the House take time
off from voting down Obamacare to hold a hearing.
Tom King’s CRM Plus -- Ruminations on "cultural resource management," environmental impact assessment, and related esoteric topics, by a curmudgeon who seldom has anything good to say about anything.
4 comments:
I thought the Navajo had already claimed it as a TCP.
Good point. That'll complicate 106 review of the park plan.
What would be the APE of a lunar landing ? Don't forget that astronaut bootprints and Moonbuggy tracks leave indelible marks. Would these adversely affect the moon, or would they in fact create a historic property, and an entire new class of thematic nominations? The question is filled with imponderables. There will be other serious issues to be dealt with as well, so you shouldn't make light of it.
Heavens (sic) no, let us not make (moon)light of it. These issues can involve armies of NPS specialists for decades, at great but oh-so-justified cost to the taxpayer. And what about all the OTHER sites, on the Moon, on Mars, and floating around in space? It's a growth industry, for sure.
Post a Comment