Strong land protection needed

National Review, Sept 29, 1997 by Don Young

Strong Land Protection Needed Ronald Bailey's ''Who Is Maurice Strong?'' [Sept. 1] is an apt discussion of the threats to American sovereignty posed by several United Nations environmental initiatives. Not mentioned is another UN boondoggle, the ''Man and Biosphere'' program, used to designate hundreds of ecosystems as ''UN Biosphere Reserves'' -- 47 of which are in the United States.

That means that about fifty million acres of U.S. soil are within reserves established without any authorization from Congress. Should the Convention on Biological Diversity lead to binding international commitments for plant and animal habitat preservation, the existing UN Biosphere Reserve System will be the most likely means of implementing these commitments. In fact, U.S. agreement to such a treaty, coupled with a moderate expansion of U.S. biosphere reserves, would truly let the UN make land-use policy for the United States. This is one reason I introduced the American Land Sovereignty Protection Act, which requires congressional case-by-case approval of any UN land designation within the United States. Rep. Don Young (R., Alaska) Washington, D.C.