Angler Alert: Toxic Bachmann Advisory

Bachmann is grandstanding (again) on the Stillwater bridge.

The PiPress:

Bachmann, R-Minn., said she is working on a bill to have the area south of Stillwater — where the bridge would be built — removed from the protection of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

The 6th District congresswoman said she thought that would be "the quickest possible solution."

U.S. District Chief Judge Michael Davis ruled Thursday in favor of the Sierra Club in its lawsuit to prevent construction of the bridge. In a 93-page decision, Davis found that the National Park Service's approval of the bridge plans violated federal law.

This is what the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act is about:

It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States that certain selected rivers of the Nation which, with their immediate environments, possess outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural or other similar values, shall be preserved in free-flowing condition, and that they and their immediate environments shall be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Congress declares that the established national policy of dams and other construction at appropriate sections of the rivers of the United States needs to be complemented by a policy that would preserve other selected rivers or sections thereof in their free-flowing condition to protect the water quality of such rivers and to fulfill other vital national conservation purposes. (Wild & Scenic Rivers Act, October 2, 1968)

Speaking of Bachmann and fish... according to MinnPost, Bachmann has also been spreading the rumor that President Obama wants to ban sport fishing:

During a conversation in her Washington office last week, Rep. Michele Bachmann asked me if I was working on any interesting stories. I told her that, oddly enough, I was doing a story on sport fishing, at which point she asked me if I'd heard that President Obama might be trying to ban sport fishing.

It seems to me that the fish and anglers should be more concerned about Michele Bachmann and other elected officials who seek to eliminate government protection of wetlands and waterways.

UPDATE: Snopes says Bachmann's rumor is false.