Swordsmyth
11-04-2018, 10:56 PM
A federal judge in California ruled in favor of the Trump Administration on Thursday, blocking a bill that gave the state the right to thwart the sale of federal lands to private interests, including loggers, oil drillers and developers, reports said.
U.S. District Judge William Shubb ruled against the state’s Senate Bill 50, which gave the State Lands Commission the first right of refusal of the sale of federal lands in California, the Sacramento Bee reported. The bill was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in October 2017, according to the Sacramento Bee (https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article221054635.html). State Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica had sponsored the law, the San Francisco Chronicle (http://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Judge-knocks-down-California-law-to-stop-Trump-13359436.php) reported.
The judge’s ruling said the bill is unconstitutional because it “trespasses on the federal government’s ability to convey land to whomever it wants,” the Bee reported.
The federal government owns 46 million acres of land in California, including Point Reyes National Seashore and Yosemite National Park, according to the Chronicle.
The State Lands Commission said it is analyzing the ruling, but had no further comment, the Bee reported.
Meanwhile, the Trump Administration lauded the court victory.
“The court’s ruling is a firm rejection of California’s assertion that, by legislation, it could dictate how and when the federal government sells federal land,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a prepared statement, according to the Bee. “This (law) was a stunning assertion of constitutional power by California, and it was properly and promptly dismissed by the district judge.”
The lawsuit had cited the sale of Army property east of San Francisco, which the state declined to purchase. The State Lands Commission has requested information about a planned property sale in Santa Barbara County to decide whether to buy first, according to the lawsuit.
The auction of 1.7 acres owned by the U.S. Postal Service was suspended when nobody bid, and a developer looking to purchase property at the now-closed Naval Air Station Alameda has requested a delay, the lawsuit contended,
The deadline to appeal the ruling is Dec. 31.
More at: https://www.foxnews.com/us/judge-rules-in-favor-of-trump-administration-vs-california-blocks-bill-giving-state-right-to-regulate-sale-of-federal-land
U.S. District Judge William Shubb ruled against the state’s Senate Bill 50, which gave the State Lands Commission the first right of refusal of the sale of federal lands in California, the Sacramento Bee reported. The bill was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in October 2017, according to the Sacramento Bee (https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article221054635.html). State Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica had sponsored the law, the San Francisco Chronicle (http://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Judge-knocks-down-California-law-to-stop-Trump-13359436.php) reported.
The judge’s ruling said the bill is unconstitutional because it “trespasses on the federal government’s ability to convey land to whomever it wants,” the Bee reported.
The federal government owns 46 million acres of land in California, including Point Reyes National Seashore and Yosemite National Park, according to the Chronicle.
The State Lands Commission said it is analyzing the ruling, but had no further comment, the Bee reported.
Meanwhile, the Trump Administration lauded the court victory.
“The court’s ruling is a firm rejection of California’s assertion that, by legislation, it could dictate how and when the federal government sells federal land,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a prepared statement, according to the Bee. “This (law) was a stunning assertion of constitutional power by California, and it was properly and promptly dismissed by the district judge.”
The lawsuit had cited the sale of Army property east of San Francisco, which the state declined to purchase. The State Lands Commission has requested information about a planned property sale in Santa Barbara County to decide whether to buy first, according to the lawsuit.
The auction of 1.7 acres owned by the U.S. Postal Service was suspended when nobody bid, and a developer looking to purchase property at the now-closed Naval Air Station Alameda has requested a delay, the lawsuit contended,
The deadline to appeal the ruling is Dec. 31.
More at: https://www.foxnews.com/us/judge-rules-in-favor-of-trump-administration-vs-california-blocks-bill-giving-state-right-to-regulate-sale-of-federal-land