============================================================
This alert is brought to you by the Southern Utah Wilderness
Alliance 1471 S. 1100 E., Salt Lake City, UT 84105, 801-486-3161,
suwa@suwa.org
============================================================
In this issue:
*****UPDATES*****
(1)PRICE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN NEEDS YOUR
INPUT NOW--DEADLINE NOVEMBER 29TH
(2)THE FUTURE OF WILDERNESS, POST-ELECTION
=======================================================
*****UPDATES*****
(1)PRICE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN NEEDS YOUR
INPUT NOW--DEADLINE NOVEMBER 29TH
The Price Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
manages and oversees the wild, scenic and beautiful high deserts
of central Utah--places like the San Rafael Swell, the Book
Cliffs, Desolation Canyon, the San Rafael Desert and Labyrinth
Canyon. Once finalized, this plan will govern the fate of all
wilderness quality lands within the Price BLM field office for
the next 10 to 20 years. This is an extremely important process,
and your comments now are crucial. For photos and more details
about the draft plan and the places that would lose protection if
the draft is implemented, please visit our web site at
http://www.suwa.org/page.php?page_id=139
Price Field Office Total Acres: 2.5 million
Acres within America's Redrock Wilderness Act: Roughly 1.5
million
Proposed Wilderness Units at Risk: Sids Mountain, Mexican
Mountain, Hondu Country, Eagle Canyon, Upper Muddy Creek,
Desolation Canyon, Desbrough Canyon, Mussentuchit Badlands, Wild
Horse Mesa, San Rafael Knob, Cedar Mountain, San Rafael River,
Molen Reef, Lost Springs Wash, Sweetwater Reef, Flat Tops, and
Labyrinth Canyon.
In the Draft Price RMP, the BLM currently proposes:
--Leaving 98% of wilderness-quality lands (outside of already
protected wilderness study areas) open to oil and gas drilling,
leasing and development, despite the fact that the U.S.
Geological Survey estimates that oil and gas deposits under
America's redrock wilderness would amount to a mere 4 days worth
of oil and less than 4 weeks worth of natural gas;
--Leaving far too much land open to off-road vehicles (ORVs) in a
place that has already borne the brunt of unregulated ATV and
dirt bike use. Nearly 80% of the public lands managed by the
Price Field Office are within one mile of a motorized route.
Such an imbalance makes it difficult, if not impossible, for
hikers, horseback riders, kayakers, and other non-motorized
recreationists to escape the sights and sounds of ATVs, dirt
bikes, and other off-road vehicles.
The Castle County Heritage Plan strikes a better balance by
protecting special places like Nine Mile Canyon, Upper Desolation
Canyon (below Sand Wash), the Price River corridor, the San
Rafael Reef, the San Rafael River and Labyrinth Canyon from oil
and gas leasing and industrialized development. It would further
safeguard other wilderness quality lands such as Muddy Creek,
Mexican Mountain, San Rafael Knob, and Sids Mountain, all within
the San Rafael Swell, from off-road vehicle abuse, while still
providing around 2,900 miles of routes for motorized recreation.
These areas are all included within America's Redrock Wilderness
Act and contain stunning scenery, valuable wildlife habitat, and
rare archaeological sites that reveal a record of early human
presence dating back hundreds of years.
Suggested Points to Raise in Your Personalized Comment Letter:
--Tell the BLM you support the Castle County Heritage Plan--the
citizen's alternative which offers a solid balance between
natural preservation and continued development and motorized
recreation.
--Urge the BLM to protect special places from the scars and other
damage caused by ORVs. There should, for example, be no
designated routes within Wilderness Study Areas and other lands
within America's Redrock Wilderness Act. Other special places
that need protection include: Chimney Rock, and its riparian
zones and wildlife habitat; Behind the Reef, one of the best
hiking zones in the Swell; The Price River proposed area, a
wilderness jewel; and the San Rafael Knob, an area highly valued
by hikers and other non-motorized recreationists.
--Urge the BLM to protect all areas within America's Redrock
Wilderness Act from oil and gas leasing, drilling, and
industrialized developments. The oil and gas supply which may be
gained from these activities are measured in weeks and days, and
don't compare with these irreplaceable wilderness lands and the
crucial habitat for deer, elk, bear cougar and other wildlife
they offer.
--Urge the BLM to protect special places from oil and gas
drilling, including: The Labyrinth Canyon corridor, Desolation
Canyon roadless area, including Nine Mile Canyon, Horse Bench,
Maverick Canyon, upper Rock House Canyon, Pinnacle Canyon, South
Franks Canyon, Christmas Canyon, Rabbit Valley and the Big Horn
Benches; the Price River Wilderness Unit.
--Finally if you've visited or explored any of these areas, tell
the BLM about your personal experience, why these places are
special to you and how you are affected by ORVs, roads,
pipelines, oil and gas developments and other activities.
SEND COMMENTS TO:
PRICE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
ATTN: FLOYD JOHNSON
125 S. 600 W.
PRICE, UT 84501
OR YOU CAN EMAIL YOUR COMMENTS TO:
comments@pricermp.com
Thank you for taking the time to write your comments. More than
ever it is important to take part in the process of changing the
policies that affect the management of our public lands.
(2)THE FUTURE OF WILDERNESS, POST-ELECTION
After an intense contest for the White House, the race for the
nation's highest office is now behind us and the job of saving
wilderness remains as important as ever. SUWA does not support or
endorse candidates, but Utah wilderness supporters were keenly
aware of what was riding on the elections. We now know that
another four years of the Bush Administration awaits us, and as
we look ahead, we are wondering what to expect from a second
term. No one knows for sure, but we can get a pretty good sense
of what to anticipate by looking back at the past four years.
During the past four years, our nation's public lands have
experienced an onslaught of threats ushered in by policies of the
Bush Administration. The Bush-Cheney energy policy
recommendations, which were released early during Bush's first
term, smacked of political favors for the energy and oil and gas
industries. We then saw the dismantling of wilderness policy
through repeated regulatory changes and judicial settlements.
Increasingly, oil and gas drilling have become a dominant theme
for our wild public lands.
You can be sure that Utah wilderness advocates fought back,
stymieing the Administration's attempted land grabs on false road
claims, protesting the lease sales of oil and gas parcels in
proposed wilderness, and involving Members of Congress in the
fight for Utah Wilderness.
But this is only the tip of the iceberg - both in our fight and
in the challenges we will face. Utah wilderness advocates have
persevered because losing our redrock wilderness simply isn't an
option. This does not change with a second term for President
Bush. Activists have countless opportunities to urge the
President, their Members of Congress, and other public officials
to protect wild Utah.
In addition to the anti-wilderness outcome of the presidential
race, Congress shifted slightly, but notably. The balance of
power in both the House and Senate did not change, though it
became more Republican pronounced. All in all, this means that
Utah activists will have to be vigilant and hard working when it
comes to convincing our public officials of the need to designate
wilderness in Utah. The House and Senate champions of the
America's Redrock Wilderness Act are returning in the 109th
Congress, and we could even see support for the bill
reinvigorated by backing from newly elected Members of Congress.
As we look ahead, please feel free to visit our website,
www.suwa.org, to learn how to get involved.
======================================================
To join the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, go to
http://www.xmission.com/~suwa/join_form.php Since our early days
as a small locally-based advocacy group, SUWA has remained a lean
issues-focused organization with low overhead costs and a
commitment to on-the-ground wilderness protection. Nearly 80% of
our funding comes from individual donations from concerned
citizens like you. PLEASE JOIN SUWA TODAY and participate in one
of the nation's most effective forces for wilderness protection.
Thank you.
To change your list settings or to unsubscribe, go to
http://www.suwa.org/AlertList/settings.html. You can also use
this page to change your password to something more memorable or
to add your zip code, which allows us to be more effective in our
use of this email alert system. Thank you for your support.
=======================================================
This alert is brought to you by the Southern Utah Wilderness
Alliance 1471 S. 1100 E., Salt Lake City, UT 84105, 801-486-3161,
suwa@suwa.org
============================================================
In this issue:
*****UPDATES*****
(1)PRICE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN NEEDS YOUR
INPUT NOW--DEADLINE NOVEMBER 29TH
(2)THE FUTURE OF WILDERNESS, POST-ELECTION
=======================================================
*****UPDATES*****
(1)PRICE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN NEEDS YOUR
INPUT NOW--DEADLINE NOVEMBER 29TH
The Price Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
manages and oversees the wild, scenic and beautiful high deserts
of central Utah--places like the San Rafael Swell, the Book
Cliffs, Desolation Canyon, the San Rafael Desert and Labyrinth
Canyon. Once finalized, this plan will govern the fate of all
wilderness quality lands within the Price BLM field office for
the next 10 to 20 years. This is an extremely important process,
and your comments now are crucial. For photos and more details
about the draft plan and the places that would lose protection if
the draft is implemented, please visit our web site at
http://www.suwa.org/page.php?page_id=139
Price Field Office Total Acres: 2.5 million
Acres within America's Redrock Wilderness Act: Roughly 1.5
million
Proposed Wilderness Units at Risk: Sids Mountain, Mexican
Mountain, Hondu Country, Eagle Canyon, Upper Muddy Creek,
Desolation Canyon, Desbrough Canyon, Mussentuchit Badlands, Wild
Horse Mesa, San Rafael Knob, Cedar Mountain, San Rafael River,
Molen Reef, Lost Springs Wash, Sweetwater Reef, Flat Tops, and
Labyrinth Canyon.
In the Draft Price RMP, the BLM currently proposes:
--Leaving 98% of wilderness-quality lands (outside of already
protected wilderness study areas) open to oil and gas drilling,
leasing and development, despite the fact that the U.S.
Geological Survey estimates that oil and gas deposits under
America's redrock wilderness would amount to a mere 4 days worth
of oil and less than 4 weeks worth of natural gas;
--Leaving far too much land open to off-road vehicles (ORVs) in a
place that has already borne the brunt of unregulated ATV and
dirt bike use. Nearly 80% of the public lands managed by the
Price Field Office are within one mile of a motorized route.
Such an imbalance makes it difficult, if not impossible, for
hikers, horseback riders, kayakers, and other non-motorized
recreationists to escape the sights and sounds of ATVs, dirt
bikes, and other off-road vehicles.
The Castle County Heritage Plan strikes a better balance by
protecting special places like Nine Mile Canyon, Upper Desolation
Canyon (below Sand Wash), the Price River corridor, the San
Rafael Reef, the San Rafael River and Labyrinth Canyon from oil
and gas leasing and industrialized development. It would further
safeguard other wilderness quality lands such as Muddy Creek,
Mexican Mountain, San Rafael Knob, and Sids Mountain, all within
the San Rafael Swell, from off-road vehicle abuse, while still
providing around 2,900 miles of routes for motorized recreation.
These areas are all included within America's Redrock Wilderness
Act and contain stunning scenery, valuable wildlife habitat, and
rare archaeological sites that reveal a record of early human
presence dating back hundreds of years.
Suggested Points to Raise in Your Personalized Comment Letter:
--Tell the BLM you support the Castle County Heritage Plan--the
citizen's alternative which offers a solid balance between
natural preservation and continued development and motorized
recreation.
--Urge the BLM to protect special places from the scars and other
damage caused by ORVs. There should, for example, be no
designated routes within Wilderness Study Areas and other lands
within America's Redrock Wilderness Act. Other special places
that need protection include: Chimney Rock, and its riparian
zones and wildlife habitat; Behind the Reef, one of the best
hiking zones in the Swell; The Price River proposed area, a
wilderness jewel; and the San Rafael Knob, an area highly valued
by hikers and other non-motorized recreationists.
--Urge the BLM to protect all areas within America's Redrock
Wilderness Act from oil and gas leasing, drilling, and
industrialized developments. The oil and gas supply which may be
gained from these activities are measured in weeks and days, and
don't compare with these irreplaceable wilderness lands and the
crucial habitat for deer, elk, bear cougar and other wildlife
they offer.
--Urge the BLM to protect special places from oil and gas
drilling, including: The Labyrinth Canyon corridor, Desolation
Canyon roadless area, including Nine Mile Canyon, Horse Bench,
Maverick Canyon, upper Rock House Canyon, Pinnacle Canyon, South
Franks Canyon, Christmas Canyon, Rabbit Valley and the Big Horn
Benches; the Price River Wilderness Unit.
--Finally if you've visited or explored any of these areas, tell
the BLM about your personal experience, why these places are
special to you and how you are affected by ORVs, roads,
pipelines, oil and gas developments and other activities.
SEND COMMENTS TO:
PRICE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
ATTN: FLOYD JOHNSON
125 S. 600 W.
PRICE, UT 84501
OR YOU CAN EMAIL YOUR COMMENTS TO:
comments@pricermp.com
Thank you for taking the time to write your comments. More than
ever it is important to take part in the process of changing the
policies that affect the management of our public lands.
(2)THE FUTURE OF WILDERNESS, POST-ELECTION
After an intense contest for the White House, the race for the
nation's highest office is now behind us and the job of saving
wilderness remains as important as ever. SUWA does not support or
endorse candidates, but Utah wilderness supporters were keenly
aware of what was riding on the elections. We now know that
another four years of the Bush Administration awaits us, and as
we look ahead, we are wondering what to expect from a second
term. No one knows for sure, but we can get a pretty good sense
of what to anticipate by looking back at the past four years.
During the past four years, our nation's public lands have
experienced an onslaught of threats ushered in by policies of the
Bush Administration. The Bush-Cheney energy policy
recommendations, which were released early during Bush's first
term, smacked of political favors for the energy and oil and gas
industries. We then saw the dismantling of wilderness policy
through repeated regulatory changes and judicial settlements.
Increasingly, oil and gas drilling have become a dominant theme
for our wild public lands.
You can be sure that Utah wilderness advocates fought back,
stymieing the Administration's attempted land grabs on false road
claims, protesting the lease sales of oil and gas parcels in
proposed wilderness, and involving Members of Congress in the
fight for Utah Wilderness.
But this is only the tip of the iceberg - both in our fight and
in the challenges we will face. Utah wilderness advocates have
persevered because losing our redrock wilderness simply isn't an
option. This does not change with a second term for President
Bush. Activists have countless opportunities to urge the
President, their Members of Congress, and other public officials
to protect wild Utah.
In addition to the anti-wilderness outcome of the presidential
race, Congress shifted slightly, but notably. The balance of
power in both the House and Senate did not change, though it
became more Republican pronounced. All in all, this means that
Utah activists will have to be vigilant and hard working when it
comes to convincing our public officials of the need to designate
wilderness in Utah. The House and Senate champions of the
America's Redrock Wilderness Act are returning in the 109th
Congress, and we could even see support for the bill
reinvigorated by backing from newly elected Members of Congress.
As we look ahead, please feel free to visit our website,
www.suwa.org, to learn how to get involved.
======================================================
To join the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, go to
http://www.xmission.com/~suwa/join_form.php Since our early days
as a small locally-based advocacy group, SUWA has remained a lean
issues-focused organization with low overhead costs and a
commitment to on-the-ground wilderness protection. Nearly 80% of
our funding comes from individual donations from concerned
citizens like you. PLEASE JOIN SUWA TODAY and participate in one
of the nation's most effective forces for wilderness protection.
Thank you.
To change your list settings or to unsubscribe, go to
http://www.suwa.org/AlertList/settings.html. You can also use
this page to change your password to something more memorable or
to add your zip code, which allows us to be more effective in our
use of this email alert system. Thank you for your support.
=======================================================