Bill would ban Agenda 21 in Oklahoma

 

 December 27, 2012

By Phyllis Zorn, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle
 

ENID, Okla. — An Enid legislator has penned a bill calling for a ban on memberships or affiliations connected to the United Nations’ Agenda 21 plan.

Sen. Patrick Anderson authored Senate Bill 23, prohibiting Oklahoma cities or other political subdivisions from being members of groups tied to Agenda 21 activities.

The controversial Agenda 21 plan aims to preserve the environment by means of local, national and global actions. Drafted by the U.N. in 1992 with input from George H.W. Bush’s administration, the plan has drawn opposition from tea party Republicans and others concerned about landowners’ rights and development of a single world government.

Anderson said his bill was inspired by a similar bill passed in Alabama.

“My bill is simply copying what they have done in the state of Alabama regarding the concerns of the impact of Agenda 21,” Anderson said.

Anderson, R-Enid, said he was approached by Mark Irwin, one of the directors of the Enid group Sons and Daughters of Liberty, about offering the bill. Irwin did not return a call to the Enid News & Eagle seeking comment Thursday.

Anderson said the bill is about protecting the rights of landowners.

“I farm,” Anderson said. “As farmers, we’re seeing more and more proposals out there regarding farm use, what can and cannot be done on the farm.”

His primary concern is individual property rights, Anderson said.

Anderson said when he first started hearing about Agenda 21, he didn’t think it was any real threat to property owners, but the more he learned about it, the more real those concerns became.

“You hear about meetings to implement Agenda 21 initiatives across the country,” Anderson said. “You start hearing about controlling land use and sustainability more and more in our society.”

Anderson said he’s not opposed to efforts for sustainability of environment. The issue is when government entities start regulating what can be done on private land, he said.

Asked to give an example, Anderson pointed to requirements handed down by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality when Garfield County Rural Water District No. 5 needed to replace an existing buried water line. ODEQ directed the water district to do two $15,000 studies to ensure it was not disturbing an ancient burial ground or the habitat of burrowing beetles.

“The concern is when you let issues that are Agenda 21 creep into the discussions,” Anderson said.

Continues at enidnews.com