W I L D E R N E S S W I L D E R N E S S

W I L D E R N E S S

REDROCKW I L D E R N E S S

REDROCKThe Newsletter of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance

Volume 26, Number 3 • Autumn/Winter 2009

The Utah Wilderness MovementReaches New Heights

Page 2 Redrock Wilderness

The mission of the Southern Utah WildernessAlliance (SUWA) is the preservation of the out-standing wilderness at the heart of the ColoradoPlateau, and the management of these lands intheir natural state for the benefit of all Americans.

SUWA promotes local and national recognition ofthe region’s unique character through research andpublic education; supports both administrative andlegislative initiatives to permanently protect ColoradoPlateau wild places within the National Park andNational Wilderness Preservation Systems or byother protective designations where appropriate;builds support for such initiatives on both the localand national level; and provides leadership within theconservation movement through uncompromisingadvocacy for wilderness preservation.

SUWA is qualified as a non-profit organizationunder section 501(c)(3) of the federal tax code.Therefore, all contributions to SUWA are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Staff

Board of Directors

Tiffany Bartz, Field Attorney

Steve Bloch, Conservation Director

Ray Bloxham, Field Inventory Specialist

Scott Braden, Legislative Assistant

Thomas Burke, Development ManagerClayton Daughenbaugh, Midwest Field OrganizerBarbara Eubanks, Western Regional OrganizerJackie Feinberg, National Grassroots Organizer

David Garbett, Staff Attorney

Scott Groene, Executive Director

Diane Kelly, Communications Specialist

Heidi McIntosh, Associate Director

Richard Peterson-Cremer, Legislative Director

Gina Riggs, Administrative Associate

Deeda Seed, Grassroots Outreach Director

Liz Thomas, Field Attorney

Anne Williams, Administrative Director

Brooke Williams, Field AdvocateDarrell Knuffke, ChairMancos, CO

Richard Ingebretsen,Vice-Chair & SecretaryEmigration Canyon, UT

Rusty Schmit, TreasurerSandia Park, NM

Ted WilsonSalt Lake City, UT

Jim BacaAlbuquerque, NM

Bill HeddenCastle Valley, UT

Cover Photo: The Green River as it runs through theDesolation Canyon proposed wilderness. Oil and gasdevelopment still poses a threat to this river runner’sparadise. Copyright Tom Till (www.tomtill.com).

Guy SapersteinPiedmont, CA

Cindy ShoganSilver Spring, MD

Johanna WaldSan Francisco, CA

Terry Tempest WilliamsCastle Valley, UT

Hansjorg WyssMalvern, PA

Advisory CommitteeSteve Allen (Boulder, CO), Bruce Berger (Aspen, CO),Harvey Halpern (Cambridge, MA), Ginger Harmon (Carmel,CA), Dale and Frandee Johnson (Boulder, CO), BillLockhart (Salt Lake City, UT), Roderick Nash (SantaBarbara, CA), Ed Norton Jr. (Washington, DC), Ken Sleight(Moab, UT), Susan Tixier (Santa Fe, NM), James Udall(Carbondale, CO)

Email: [email protected]: www.suwa.org

Internet services donated by XMission

Main Office425 East 100 South

Salt Lake City, UT 84111(801) 486-3161

Washington, DC122 C Street NW

Suite 240Washington, DC 20001

(202) 546-2215

MoabP.O. Box 968

Moab, UT 84532(435) 259-5440

Offices

Autumn/Winter 2009 Page 3

In this issue:

Wilderness Notes....................................................................................................................................................................4

Features:

Utah Wilderness Movement Reaches New Heights ............................................................................5

DC News ......................................................................................................................................................................................9

Cosponsors of America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act....................................................................................13

Canyon Country Updates................................................................................................................................................14

Inside SUWA..............................................................................................................................................................................20

America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act Reference Map ..................................................................................27

This issue of Redrock Wilderness was writtenby the following staff and outside contributors:Tiffany Bartz, Steve Bloch, Scott Braden, AmyBrunvand, Jackie Feinberg, David Garbett,Scott Groene, Heidi McIntosh, MaureenNelson, Richard Peterson-Cremer, Deeda Seed,and Liz Thomas. It was edited by DarrellKnuffke and laid out by Diane Kelly.

Newsletter design by Leslie Scopes Garcia.

Redrock Wilderness • Volume 26, Number 3 • Autumn/Winter 2009

Moving? Please send your change of address to:SUWA, 425 East 100 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Contributions of photographs (especially of areaswithin the citizens’ proposal for Utah wilderness)and original art (such as pen-and-ink sketches)are greatly appreciated! Please send with SASEto Editor, SUWA, 425 East 100 South, SaltLake City, UT 84111.

Redrock Wilderness is published three times ayear. Articles may be reprinted with creditgiven both to the author(s) and to the SouthernUtah Wilderness Alliance.

page 7

page 9

page 11


A Turning Tide Leaves Wilderness Opponents Adrift

Protection for wild Utah reached a new milestone on Oct. 1 when the House public lands subcommitteeheld a hearing on America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act. This is the bill’s first stand-alone hearing since itsintroduction 25 years ago (it was paired with another Utah bill in a mid-90s hearing). A new Congress andnew administration, bolstered by a quarter-century of tireless advocacy, converged to make it happen.

The hearing gives us new hope. Others will see in it only confirmation of the growing fear that was onsuch raucous display in an early August protest at the State Capitol. Under the banner of “Take BackUtah,” and parading on machines that would make Mad Max hyperventilate, off-roaders threatened andraged. One of their leaders warned: “We’re God-fearing and gun clinging . . . you guys that love rocks andtrees more than human beings, you have awakened a sleeping giant. There is a new war in the westernUnited States to take back our lands.”

“Take back” is a curious mantra for a gang whose stranglehold on Utah’s public lands was further tightenedin the BLM’s recent resource management plans. Perhaps what festers is that they didn’t get it all.

There is real economic fear in rural Utah communities, but they have no corner on it in the current econom-ic climate: ask any of millions of jobless Americans. And certainly some in Utah fear that the Obamaadministration portends a return to the Clinton days and more designations like the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. (They probably dread the prospect as much as we relish it.) Add to all thatthis summer’s arrests of San Juan County residents for looting archaeological sites and the conditions areripe for another sagebrush tantrum.

Where facile fear-mongering and mindless anger are, so too are Utah’s public figures. Our U.S. senatorshave lined up to lead the charge, forming a new Western Caucus to wrest control of western public landsfrom the federal government. At a June press conference, Sen. Orrin Hatch said, “As one of the senatorswho helped initiate and carry the battle on the original Sagebrush Rebellion back in the Carter years, we’rethere again.”

Indeed. Previous sagebrush rebellions included plenty of sound bites and fury, but accomplished blessedlylittle. That’s because these folks are wrong. The Take Utah Backwards crowd is long on rhetoric and shorton logic. Outside of a small group of the misinformed and permanently outraged, their arguments crumble.The politicians? They’re simply out of touch with their constituents. A September poll found that over 60percent of decided Utahns want 9 million acres or more of Utah BLM wilderness protected.

All the significant western public land conservation victories have been controversial at first, then accept-ed—even celebrated—in time. The Redrock will be no different.

Meanwhile, it’s as if a recent Stephen Colbert line has become guiding dogma for the rebels: “Rememberchildren, if you want to defend an untenable position, you must remain actively ignorant!”

For the Redrock,

Scott GroeneExecutive Director

w i l d e r n e s s n o t e s

f e a t u r e s


Utah Wilderness Movement Reaches New HeightsExciting Opportunities Build on Past Success

Walk from the Silver Island Mountains to theNewfoundland Mountains in Utah’s West Desertand you’ll cross 15 miles of salt flats with all therelief of a billiard table. Even after hours, yourfootsteps trailing behind you, the Newfies remainstubbornly distant. When eventually the SilverIsland range recedes behind you, there is little bywhich to mark progress at all.

It’s easy to view the 25-year battle over America’sredrock wilderness from a similar perspective: atrail of footsteps behind, the goal still far ahead.But just as the attentive hiker will notice that theorientation of the distant desert peaks has shifted,so will the wilderness activist see that the politicallandscape has changed. Faith in the mile-eatingefficacy of step-by-step effort is our sustenance.

In 1989, Utah Congressman Wayne Owens intro-duced legislation to protect 5.1 million acres of UtahBLM wilderness. Many viewed Wayne’s bill aswildly unrealistic, even quixotic. With every other

Utah politician so hostile to wilderness—and seem-ing in that to so faithfully mirror their constituents—who would dream of protecting so much BLM landin Utah? In those days, 80 percent of Utahns who’dmade up their minds opposed that much wilderness.If, as Wallace Stegner said, “wilderness is the nativehome of hope,” Utah seemed surely to be the nativehome of “don’t even think about it.”

Utah Catches Up with Rep. OwensIf Wayne were alive today, he’d be delighted thatUtah support has caught up with his vision. Now,60 percent of decided Utahns support 9 millionacres or more of Utah BLM wilderness, whichmatches nicely our current wilderness proposal.Our anti-wilderness politicians have been leftbehind.

We’ve made steady steps towards protection, andthis progress in turn has made us stronger as amovement and created new opportunities. Along

FFaaccttoorryy BBuuttttee.. Factory Butte was once a premier target of reckless dirt bike use that left scarsrunning every which way. Trailer-loads of machines rumbled in on weekends, and clouds of selenium-laced dust blotted the sky as dirt bikers roared across the landscape as they pleased. Afteryears of SUWA work, including a legal petition, the BLM closed much of the area. Unfortunately,dirt bikers still press the BLM to reopen the area. Photo copyright Ray Bloxham/SUWA.


f e a t u r e s

the way, we’ve stopped enormous threats. WithoutSUWA, its activists, and its partners—includingredrock champions Rep. Maurice Hinchey and Sen.Richard Durbin—Utah wilderness would have beenshattered in many places. But even more impor-tantly, we’ve protected real places, like the CedarMountains, Muddy Creek, Beaver Dam Narrowsand Cedar Mesa. And we are poised for significantgains in the near future.

First, let’s talk about what hasn’t happened. We’vekilled 13 bad bills, all authored by members of theUtah congressional delegation and all of whichwould have harmed the Redrock.

We’ve successfully defended our proposal againstbogus RS 2477 road claims, off-road vehicle (ORV)use and energy development. In the 50 years from1930 to 1980, wilderness values vanished fromnearly 14 million acres of Utah BLM land—that’swell over half. In the almost 30 years since, we’vestemmed this horrendous rate of loss. In fact,we’ve lost far less than 1 percent of our proposal,despite two oil and gas booms, a pair of Bushadministrations, and the explosive rise in off-roadvehicle use. It was not a more enlightened federalgovernment that stopped the hemorrhaging, it wasunified citizen activism.

Conservation GainsThe Congress has enacted five significant pieces offederal legislation benefiting Utah wilderness:

� The Utah Schools and Lands Exchange Act of1998 (proposed wilderness in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument was converted fromstate lands managed for maximum revenue genera-tion to federal lands managed essentially aswilderness);� The West Desert Exchange Act of 2000 (alsotransferring proposed wilderness into federal man-agement); � The Cedar Mountains wilderness legislation in2006; � The Zion-Mojave wilderness bill in 2009; and,� The Utah Recreational Land Exchange Act of2009 (proposed wilderness along the ColoradoRiver traded into federal ownership).

Originally, only about 3 million acres of our pro-posal were closed to cross-country (off-trail) ORVtravel. Now, most of our proposal is closed to thisuse and the fight has moved to the hundreds of

ZZiioonn--MMoojjaavvee WWiillddeerrnneessss.. After five years of our advocacy,which included blocking two bad bills, the Congress in 2009 gavewilderness protection to wild lands surrounding Zion NationalPark, including Canaan Mountains, Black Ridge, CottonwoodCanyon, and Red Mountain. Especially important was the protec-tion of the remote Bull Valley Mountains wilderness complex cen-tered on the Beaver Dam Narrows. The bill also designated aswilderness over 200 square miles around Zion National Park and185 square miles in the park itself. It prevents mining and off-road vehicle use on 110 square miles of desert tortoise habitat, andit blocks dam development on 165 miles of river, vital to ZionNational Park, by placing them in the National Wild and ScenicRivers System. Photo copyright Ray Bloxham/SUWA.

CCeeddaarr MMeessaa.. It seems unthinkable today, but the BLM oncetried to transfer portions of the headwaters of Grand Gulch andFish and Owl Creek Canyons to the State of Utah for commercialdevelopment. SUWA’s litigation blocked the action. Now, theselands will remain safely in public ownership. Photo copyrightRay Bloxham/SUWA.


f e a t u r e s

KKaaiippaarroowwiittss PPllaatteeaauu.. The Kaiparowits is a big lonely coun-try of expansive views and rugged canyons. When a foreigncoal company conned the state of Utah into subsidizing a minethere it looked like mining would rip apart the heart of thiswilderness. President Bill Clinton’s proclamation of a nationalmonument ended that potential nightmare. Photo copyright LinAlder (www.alderphoto.com).

routes the BLM designated in these areas. ORVriders from states like Idaho and Colorado havelong hauled their machines to Utah because its pub-lic lands were less well-protected than those in theirhome states. That is no longer the case.

And while energy development from oil and gas,coal, uranium, tar sands, and oil shale still posemeaningful threats to our proposal in such places asthe Book Cliffs and Upper Desolation Canyon, ourwork has slowed the pace and helped bring sanityto the process.

Over the past two decades, we’ve made gainsthrough a willingness to work through all threebranches of federal government, and at times stategovernment, rather than focusing solely on passingfederal wilderness legislation. There are manyavenues for protection of our public lands. Wework where the best opportunities arise.

Thus, SUWA has staff in Washington, DC, lobbyingon legislation affecting Utah. Our grassroots teamworks nationally, in Utah’s urban core and in ruralsouthern Utah communities. SUWA staffers livingin southern Utah know first-hand our proposedwilderness areas and seek to influence the BLM inits management of these special places. And whenit is necessary, our attorneys challenge agency deci-sions in federal court.

The FutureAll of these gains have built our political strengthand opened new doors to protection. Twenty-fiveyears of relentless advocacy for the vision of pro-tecting the Redrock on a landscape scale has pre-vented loss and put meaningful protection in place.

We fully anticipate huge gains in protection in theyears ahead. It may come through negotiatingregional bills, working with the Obama administra-tion, moving America’s Red Rock Wilderness Actin the Congress, or all of these. But it will come.

The threats from climate change, uncontrolled ORVuse, and a lack of a sound national energy policyare real. But with your help we’ll keep pushingand pushing until the Redrock is designated wilder-ness. We’ve got far to go, but we’ve come far aswell. Though it can seem hard to measure, the goaldraws ever nearer.

—Scott Groene

CCeeddaarr MMoouunnttaaiinnss WWiillddeerrnneessss.. In 2006, President Bushsigned legislation granting wilderness protection to 150 squaremiles in the Cedar Mountains—a refuge of peace and solitudeless than an hour’s drive west of Salt Lake City. This took fouryears to accomplish, working with Utah Rep. Rob Bishopthrough two rounds of negotiations. Rising to 7,700 feet abovethe Great Salt Lake Desert, this island range is part of Utah’slonely and expansive Basin and Range province, and is knownfor its resident band of wild horses. Though markedly differentfrom Utah’s famous redrock canyon country, the CedarMountains’ rugged contours and awe-inspiring vistas are no lessenchanting. Photo copyright Ray Bloxham/SUWA.


f e a t u r e s

More Special Places Protected by Utah Wilderness Activists

EEssccaallaannttee CCaannyyoonnss.. To many, the Escalante is the best ofsouthern Utah. Rare springs nourish wildflower gardens hid-den in sinuous slickrock canyons. In the past, the Escalantehas been threatened by two mainstream dams, ORV use inthe canyons, and the trans-Escalante highway, which theCongress authorized to run from Big Water up the west sideof the Colorado River and across to Moab. Establishment ofthe Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in 1996eliminated many of these threats. Photo copyright JamesKay (www.jameskay.com).

CCoorroonnaa AArrcchh.. Among the greatest threats to Utahwilderness are the scattered sections of state landinterspersed within proposed wilderness and managed by theSchool and Institutional Trust Lands Administration. Threeland exchange bills have tranferred over 400 square miles ofstate land within our proposal to federal ownership inexchange for less sensitive lands more suitable fordevelopment. Much of the federally acquired lands are nowmanaged as wilderness study areas. Under the recent Grand-Uintah land exchange, led by the Grand Canyon Trust, thefederal government acquired inholdings along the ColoradoRiver near Moab, including Fisher Towers and Corona Arch.Photo copyright Tom Till (www.tomtill.com).

SSaann RRaaffaaeell SSwweellll.. Portions of the San Rafael Swell, suchas Buckhorn Wash, used to be horrible examples of ORVabuse. Tracks shredded hillsides and dust clouds billowedwith spring winds. SUWA’s litigation prompted the BLM tocomplete a travel plan that, while far from perfect, went along way toward reining in the abuse by protecting over1,500 square miles from motorized cross-country travel. Theplan ended ORV use through Muddy Creek as it coursesthrough the Reef and closed unnecessary routes that splin-tered Segers Hole and other proposed wilderness areas.Photo copyright Ray Bloxham/SUWA.

D C n e w s


America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act (ARRWA) gotits time in the bright light of a congressional commit-tee on Oct. 1, and the testimony made one thing veryclear: the terms of the debate over wilderness in Utahhave shifted hugely, from “whether” wilderness to“how.” (The subtexts, of course, remain the same:“how much,” “where,” and who gets to decide.)

ARRWA’s sponsor and our House champion, Rep.Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) took full advantage of pro-environmental majorities in the Congress to securethe hearing before the House National Parks, Forestsand Public Lands Subcommittee. Such a hearing is acrucial first step towards passage of legislation.

While the hearing attracted the attention of activistsand Members of Congress from across the nation,its impact was seismic in Utah. The entire Utahcongressional delegation, along with Lt. Gov. GregBell, attended and testified. Significantly, they didnot condemn wilderness but instead committed toresolving the issue and suggested alternatives toARRWA as ways to do so. (As our lead story inthis issue reports, this represents a marked changeover the past 30 years.)

None of this is to say that the hearing was some sortof love-fest. There was criticism aplenty of ARRWAand its scope. That was predictable. So was the bit-ter carping and name-calling from some Utah localofficials (see sidebar, p. 10). But in the main, oppo-nents focused their criticism on ARRWA as legisla-tive vehicle, not on wilderness itself. The fact thatall the players in the debate—the BLM, the Utah del-egation, and conservationists—accept that morewilderness in Utah is a given constitutes a significantstep forward.

Rep. Hinchey’s mastery of his legislation’s particu-lars and his vigorous defense of it were impres-sive—so much so that even the Utah delegation andthe lieutenant governor encouraged him to partici-pate actively in the discussions ahead.

Other supportive witnesses brought their own pas-sion and their own differing perspectives to the

Historic Hearing for Red Rock Bill Marks Shift in UtahWilderness Debate

hearing. They included Peter Metcalf, chief operatingofficer of Black Diamond Equipment (an outdoorequipment company) and vice-chair of the OutdoorIndustry Association; Bryson Garbett, a formerRepublican Utah state legislator and now president ofGarbett Homes, a major development company; and,Rocky Anderson, former Salt Lake City mayor. Thisdiverse line-up of Utahns displayed broad support forwilderness stewardship in Utah that cuts across ideo-logical and political boundaries.

SUWA thanks the witnesses who testified in supportof the Red Rock bill and commends the leadership ofRep. Hinchey, Resources Committee Chairman NickRahall (D-WV) and subcommittee Chairman RaúlGrijalva (D-AZ).

To learn more, view additional photos, and readRobert Redford’s Huffington Post blog on ARRWA,visit www.suwa.org/subcommitteehearing.

—Richard Peterson-Cremer

GoodNews!

Utah wilderness activists George Handley, McKenzieCarlisle, and Eve Miller, posing here with redrock champi-on Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), flew to Washington DCfor the October 1st congressional hearing on America’sRed Rock Wilderness Act.

Photo by Michael Iger


D C n e w s

“Let’s Talk . . . and Bring Your Lackey!”At the October 1 hearing on America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act (see previous page), most of“official” Utah criticized the bill as too much of just about everything. The better way, theyintoned in chorus, is a series of county-by-county processes, now sanctified by the Zion-Mojavewilderness bill, wherein conservationists sit down with right-minded county commissioners andcome to agreement.

Then the antis trotted out Carbon County Commissioner John Jones. Apparently, he didn’t get thegoodwill-and-brotherhood tweet and delivered a tirade rather than testimony. The ill-informedJones claimed grazing is not allowed in wilderness. Oh yes it is, Rep. Martin Heinrich (D-NM)pointed out in quick rebuttal. Not only is grazing allowed, but ranchers are even permitted motor-ized access in certain cases, making them something of a privileged class.

Jones saved his really big guns for ARRWA sponsor Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), calling himSUWA’s “lackey.” That earned Jones another rebuke from the committee chairman. The House,you see, strives for decorum; calling a member a lackey is scarcely decorous. (None too bright,either, if you are trying to persuade a House committee.)

Watching someone like Jones struggle to get both feet in his mouth is pretty good theater. But thegiggles give way to a sobering concern. SUWA is more than willing to work with county govern-ments in southern Utah on wilderness issues. But Commissioner Jones’s rant illustrates just howchallenging that may prove to be, a message not lost on the committee.

Senate Red RockSponsorship HitsRecord High

The welcome addition of Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)brings U.S. Senate sponsorship of America’s RedRock Wilderness Act (S.799) to a new high of 21since Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Il) first introduced itin1996. The late Utah Rep. Wayne Owens firstintroduced the bill in the House in 1989 and todayit has 146 House cosponsors.

Those are remarkable numbers: fully one third ofthe House members and over a fifth of senators arecosponsors of the bill. That broad support hasincreased the national visibility of Utah’s redrockcountry and our ability to keep it safe. And it didn’tjust happen. It is the result of the tireless work ofan exceptional network of redrock volunteers acrossthe country who have taken the time to meet withtheir representatives to educate them about Utahwilderness, why it matters, and what threatens it.

Congressional support is a powerful tool for protect-ing redrock wilderness from damaging off-road vehi-cle use, destructive mining and energy development,and administrative mismanagement. Our championsare essential to keeping the redrock country intact andwild until we achieve eventual wilderness protection.They deserve our gratitude—please thank them.

And SUWA thanks the countless dedicated activistsacross the country who have done so much to buildthis support!

—Maureen Nelson


(Continued next page)

GoodNews!

D C n e w s

SUWA ApplaudsPassage of Utah LandExchange Bill

In a polarized political world, it is rare legislationthat allows everyone to claim victory. The UtahRecreational Land Exchange bill, which PresidentObama signed into law in August, is such a measure.

This law provides for the federal government toacquire state land parcels within the spectacular

Colorado River corridor near Moab. Many of thelands to be acquired by the Bureau of LandManagement (BLM) in this exchange qualify aswilderness and would be managed to preserve theirwilderness character. The law also trades out stateparcels within the Sand Flats Recreation Area, thusprotecting recreational opportunities, and at thesouth end of Castle Valley, guaranteeing that devel-opment will not alter the area’s rural character.

The exchange simplifies land ownership patterns andmanagement for stellar landscapes, among themwilderness study areas encompassing Morning GloryArch and the North Fork of Mill Creek, and otherlands proposed for wilderness at Onion Creek, FisherTowers, and Mary Jane Canyon. Many of the stateparcels to be traded are completely surrounded bylands proposed for wilderness in America’s RedRock Wilderness Act. Their acquisition strengthensthe bill. At the same time, the State of Utah and itsschoolchildren will benefit by receiving lands inUintah County that are more appropriate for energydevelopment and can provide school revenues.

Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT) and Senator BobBennett (R-UT), the Utah School and InstitutionalTrust Lands Administration, the BLM, and theGrand Canyon Trust all contributed significantly todrafting this legislation and seeing it to passage.

GoodNews!

© Ray Bloxham/SUWA

Spectacular landscapes like Mary Jane Canyon (pictured above) can be bettermanaged for protection of their wilderness character now that the UtahRecreational Land Exchange bill has been signed into law.


We commend them for meeting with and involvingsuch a diverse group of interested parties.

This land exchange is a noteworthy example of howdiverse stakeholders can work constructively togeth-er to balance conservation and development needs.

—Scott Braden

D C n e w s

SUWA Welcomes New BLMDirector Bob AbbeyThe United States Senate in August confirmedPresident Obama’s selection of Bob Abbey asDirector of the Bureau of Land Management(BLM). Abbey is no stranger to the BLM. Hedirected the BLM’s Nevada state office for eightyears and has had a long career in the agency evenbefore turning his attention to the Great Basin.

Perhaps more important to us, Abbey is no strangerto Utah and Utah wilderness. He co-led the 1996-1999 Utah wilderness re-inventory ordered byInterior Secretary Bruce Babbitt—an inventorywhich confirmed that an additional 2.6 million acresof BLM-managed lands (on top of the existing 3.4million acres of wilderness study areas) in Utah werewilderness quality landscapes. The inventory was apowerful reversal of decades of BLM statements onthe issue of Utah wilderness. The agency consistent-ly argued that the initial inventories it conducted inthe late 1970s had found all the wilderness there wasin Utah. (Our citizens’ inventory, of course, foundover 9 million acres of wilderness-quality land.)

Mr. Abbey has a daunting job in Utah: cleaning upthe mess left by the Bush administration. We’rehoping that he’ll start with six resource manage-ment plans finished in the waning days of the lastadministration. Those plans sought to cement theBush administration’s unbalanced agenda of pro-moting off-road vehicle use and oil and gas devel-opment above all other uses of the public lands.

We have had a few opportunities to meet and discussthese critical issues with Mr. Abbey and are opti-mistic that he is up to the task. After weathering theonslaught of the past eight years, the redrock wilder-ness desperately needs his attention and help.

—Steve Bloch

Activists’ Summer WorkBoosts Support for Red RockBill in CongressIt’s becoming a gratifying—and effective—pat-tern: the U.S. Congress goes home during theAugust recess and SUWA’s activists across thecountry start scheduling meetings with their repre-sentatives.

This summer during Wild Utah Local ActionMonth, redrock activists set up over 30 local meet-ings, often with Congress members themselves,sometimes with district staff people. These meet-ings were designed to gather even more support inCongress for America’s Red Rock Wilderness Actand to help prepare our congressional championsfor the hearing on the bill we hoped for—and got.It was held on October 1 (see article on page 9).

In-district meetings are perhaps the most effectiveway to convince those Senators and Representativeswho are on the fence to support Utah wilderness,and also to re-invigorate those members ofCongress who have been longtime supporters of thecause.

This summer’s meetings resulted in new cospon-sors for America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act andpledges from House Natural Resource Committeemembers to support the bill at the fall hearing.Clearly, the involvement of passionate constituentsmakes SUWA’s legislative efforts much moreeffective.

We thank all who participated in this year’s LocalAction Month and look forward to working witheven more activists the next time around. If youare interested in meeting with your Member ofCongress locally, it is not too late! Please contactSUWA’s National Grassroots Organizer, JackieFeinberg, at [email protected] or (202) 266-0474for more information about how you can helpSUWA’s legislative campaign.

You can view an interactive map showing all thelocal meetings which took place over the summer atwww.suwa.org/localaction.

—Jackie Feinberg

South CarolinaJohn Spratt, D-05

TennesseeSteve Cohen, D-09

TexasCharlie Gonzalez, D-20Lloyd Doggett, D-25Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-30

VermontPeter Welch, D-VT

VirginiaJim Moran, D-08Gerry Connolly, D-11

Virgin IslandsDonna Christensen, D-VI

WashingtonJay Inslee, D-01Rick Larsen, D-02Brian Baird, D-03Norm Dicks, D-06Jim McDermott, D-07Adam Smith, D-09

WisconsinTammy Baldwin, D-02Gwen Moore, D-04

S. 799, Sponsored by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)

21 Senate Cosponsors

Barbara Boxer, D-CAMark Udall, D-COJoseph Lieberman, D-CTTed Kaufman, D-DERichard Durbin, D-ILRoland Burris, D-ILTom Harkin, D-IABenjamin Cardin, D-MDEdward Kennedy, D-MA John Kerry, D-MADeborah Stabenow, D-MIFrank Lautenberg, D-NJRobert Menendez, D-NJKristen Gillibrand, D-NYChuck Schumer, D-NYJeff Merkley, D-ORJack Reed, D-RISheldon Whitehouse, D-RIPatrick Leahy, D-VTBernie Sanders, D-VTMaria Cantwell, D-WARussell Feingold, D-WI

H.R. 1925, Sponsored by Rep. Maurice Hinchey

(D-NY22)146 House Cosponsors

ArizonaRaul Grijalva, D-07

CaliforniaMike Thompson, D-01Lynn Woolsey, D-06George Miller, D-07Barbara Lee, D-09Ellen Tauscher, D-10Jerry McNerney, D-11Jackie Speier, D-12Pete Stark, D-13Anna Eshoo, D-14Mike Honda, D-15Zoe Lofgren, D-16Sam Farr, D-17Lois Capps, D-23Brad Sherman, D-27Howard Berman, D-28Adam Schiff, D-29Henry Waxman, D-30Jane Harman, D-36Grace Napolitano, D-38Loretta Sanchez, D-47Bob Filner, D-51Susan Davis, D-53

ColoradoDiana DeGette, D-01Jared Polis, D-02

ConnecticutJohn Larson, D-01Joe Courtney, D-02Rosa DeLauro, D-03Chris Murphy, D-05

District of ColumbiaEleanor Holmes Norton, D-DC

FloridaCorrine Brown, D-03Kendrick Meek, D-17Robert Wexler, D-19Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, D-20Alcee Hastings, D-23

GeorgiaHank Johnson, D-04John Lewis, D-05David Scott, D-13

HawaiiMazie Hirono, D-02

IllinoisBobby Rush, D-01Jesse Jackson, Jr, D-02Dan Lipinski, D-03Luis Gutierrez, D-04Mike Quigley, D-05Danny Davis, D-07Jan Schakowsky, D-09Mark Kirk, R-10Jerry Costello, D-12

New JerseyRob Andrews, D-01Frank LoBiondo, R-02John Adler, D-03Chris Smith, R-04Frank Pallone, D-06Leonard Lance, R-07Bill Pascrell, D-08Steven Rothman, D-09Donald Payne, D-10Rush Holt, D-12Albio Sires, D-13

New MexicoMartin Heinrich, D-01

New York Steve Israel, D-02Gary Ackerman, D-05Jerrold Nadler, D-08Anthony Weiner, D-09Nydia Velazquez, D-12Carolyn Maloney, D-14Charlie Rangel, D-15Jose Serrano, D-16Eliot Engel, D-17Nita Lowey, D-18John Hall, D-19Maurice Hinchey, D-22Dan Maffei, D-25Brian Higgins, D-27Eric Massa, D-29

North CarolinaDavid Price, D-04Melvin Watt, D-12Brad Miller, D-13

Ohio Marcy Kaptur, D-09Dennis Kucinich, D-10Betty Sutton, D-13Tim Ryan, D-17

OregonDavid Wu, D-01Earl Blumenauer, D-03Peter DeFazio, D-04

PennsylvaniaRobert Brady, D-01Joe Sestak, D-07Allyson Schwartz, D-13Mike Doyle, D-14

Puerto RicoPedro Pierluisi, D-PR

Rhode IslandPatrick Kennedy, D-01James Langevin, D-02

Judy Biggert, R-13Tim Johnson, R-15Phil Hare, D-17

IndianaAndre Carson, D-07Baron Hill, D-09

IowaBruce Braley, D-01Dave Loebsack, D-02Leonard Boswell, D-03

KentuckyJohn Yarmuth, D-03Ben Chandler, D-06

MaineMichael Michaud, D-02

Mariana IslandsGregorio Sablan, I-MP

MarylandElijah Cummings, D-07

MassachusettsJohn Olver, D-01Richard Neal, D-02Jim McGovern, D-03Barney Frank, D-04Niki Tsongas, D-05John Tierney, D-06Ed Markey, D-07Mike Capuano, D-08Stephen Lynch, D-09Bill Delahunt, D-10

MichiganVernon Ehlers, R-03Dale Kildee, D-05Gary Peters, D-09Sander Levin, D-12Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-13John Conyers, D-14

MinnesotaTim Walz, D-01Betty McCollum, D-04Keith Ellison, D-05Collin Peterson, D-07

MissouriWilliam Lacy Clay, D-01Emanuel Cleaver, D-05

NevadaShelley Berkley, D-01

New HampshireCarol Shea-Porter, D-01Paul Hodes, D-02

America’s Red Rock Wilderness ActCosponsors in the 111th Congress

(as of October 14, 2009)

To learn more aboutAmerica’s Red RockWilderness Act, go towww. suwa.org/arrwa

c a n y o n c o u n t r y u p d a t e s


SUWA Wins LitigationVictory in MonumentRS 2477 Case

The Kane County commissioners have been gun-ning for the Grand Staircase-Escalante NationalMonument since the day they took office.

Ultimately, in 2003, they took the law into their ownhands and ripped out scores of BLM signs meant tokeep off-road vehicles (ORVs) out of sensitive areasclosed by the monument’s land management plan.Later, the county planted its own signs on monu-ment ground specifically inviting ORV use in sensi-tive areas. To cap it all off, the commissionerspassed an ordinance that allowed ORV use on all ofthe county’s RS 2477 right-of-way claims, many ofwhich are the faint trails and tracks the BLM foundso damaging to the monument. (To learn about RS2477, visit www.suwa.org/RS2477.)

What did the BLM do in response to this audaciousact? Nothing. Remember, this was during the Bushyears when standard practice was to roll over tolocal politicians hostile to land preservation.

So, in 2005, SUWA and The Wilderness Societybrought suit, arguing that Kane County had violatedthe Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution byenacting its ordinance and taking actions thatspecifically conflicted with federal law. We wonthe case in the federal district court in 2008. The

court enjoined the county from encouraging ORVuse in places the monument plan had closed toORVs. The county appealed.

In August 2009, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appealsupheld the district court’s decision, ruling that thecounty had indeed violated the U.S. Constitution.Until it “proves up” its RS 2477 rights in court, thecounty may not simply wield its claims to under-mine the BLM’s authority to protect the monument.Undeterred (and spending cash like mad), the countyhas asked for additional review by all of the TenthCircuit’s judges, not just the three-judge panel.

SUWA and The Wilderness Society were represent-ed in this case by Heidi McIntosh and Steve Blochof SUWA, and Jim Angell and Ted Zukoski ofEarthjustice.

—Heidi McIntosh

‘Give Me What I Want or I’ll Hurt Myself . . .”After losing their case in the district court, the Kane County commissioners blew a gasket. In a fit ofpure pique the commissioners unleashed their frustration on Kane County drivers by abandoning theirroad maintenance responsibilities, even on routes where there is absolutely no controversy, such as theSkutumpah Road.

They’re hoping that locals will buy the goofy story that the court’s injunction applied to all roads inthe county, a notion that both the district court and the Tenth Circuit dismissed as “dramatically over-stat[ing]” the ruling. The commissioners have even gone so far as to remove highway safety signsmeant to protect motorists, including stop signs. This scorched-earth approach endangers everyone,and is in no way required by the courts who have heard this issue. You can see for yourself by read-ing the court opinions at www.suwa.org/RS2477library.

GoodNews!

A route sign erected illegally in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument by Kane County officials.



Salt Creek (Canyonlands)Highway Claim on TrialIn 1995—fourteen years ago—SUWA filed a law-suit challenging Canyonlands National Park’s deci-sion to allow hundreds of jeeps a month to drivethrough a sensitive riparian area known as SaltCreek. The creek is the only perennial source ofwater in the park, other than the Green andColorado Rivers, and contains the park’s densestconcentration of Native American artifacts. It was agem. And it was getting hammered by jeeps.

SUWA won round one when a federal district courtenjoined further use, but the litigation continues tothis day in various forms. Fortunately, all this time,Salt Creek has been protected from jeeps and thewater pollution, soil erosion, and diminished nativeplant and animal life jeeps leave in their wake.

In September, the district court convened the latestround in this legal battle: a trial on San JuanCounty’s claim that Salt Creek is actually an RS2477 highway. This is an important case to watch.This canyon is like many others throughout theWest where cowboys occasionally camped, uraniumminers poked around, and eventually jeepers startedto explore using their post-WW II jeeps. Yet nohighway was ever constructed, and the route lies atthe bottom of the canyon where tremendous flashfloods roll boulders through the canyon and scourthe vehicle tracks on a regular basis, leaving 4-footdeep incisions where soil used to be.

This case has already made history due to our earlyappeal of the court’s denial of our motion to inter-vene in the case. We had argued that, based on our20 years of hard work to preserve Salt Creek, wehad a legally recognizable interest that could beimpaired by a decision in the case.

It took a milestone opinion by the Tenth Circuit toaffirm that principle. However, in the end itappeared that the United States was, in legal parl-ance, “adequately representing our interests,” andthat proving otherwise—the final requirement ofintervention—would be a sketchy proposition. Theupshot is that we are actively participating in thecase, together with the Grand Canyon Trust, NationalParks Conservation Association and The WildernessSociety, as amici curiae, or “friends of the court.”

The trial was scheduled to end with closing argu-ments on Oct. 9, after this newsletter’s deadline.We will update you online and in the next issue ofRedrock Wilderness. Whatever the decision, it willhave enormous ramifications for citizens’ ability toprotect Utah’s remaining wild country.

—Heidi McIntosh

Settlement Protects40,000 Acres in SWUtah from Leasing

Nearly 40,000 acres of wilderness-quality land insouthwestern Utah are now off limits to oil and gasleasing thanks to a settlement agreement SUWA hasreached with the Bureau of Land Management.

The late August agreement settles an appeal SUWAfiled before the Interior Board of Land Appeals in2008. The appeal, based on the agency’s failure tocomply with the National Environmental Policy Act,challenged the BLM’s environmental assessment foroil and gas leasing in the eastern portion of landsthe agency’s Cedar City field office manages.

The agency agreed to amend its environmental docu-ment to place off limits to oil and gas leasing allBLM-managed lands in the eastern portion of thearea that are proposed for wilderness protection inAmerica’s Red Rock Wilderness Act (ARRWA).The agreement binds the agency until it completes anew land use plan or revises its existing plan. Theamended document similarly prohibits oil and gasleasing from occurring on lands the BLM has foundto possess wilderness characteristics.

Two unique areas in southwestern Utah receiveimmediate protection under the settlement: GranitePeak and the Antelope Range, both around 20,000acres in size, both proposed for wilderness protec-tion in ARRWA. In addition, the BLM’s Fillmorefield office, which manages most of Utah’s WestDesert public lands, has independently enacted thesame restrictions, protecting hundreds of thousandsof acres of land. As result of the two actions,SUWA can happily announce that a vast majority ofthe West Desert is off limits to oil and gas leasing.

—Tiffany Bartz

GoodNews!



that stretch 50 miles or more in every direction—over the canyons of the Escalante, Fifty MileMountain, the Kaiparowits Plateau, and beyond toNavajo Mountain.

The highway agencies propose a 200-foot-wideright-of-way for Highway 12 through the monu-ment. They are intent on turning this wonderfuland remote route into a straighter, wider, stupefy-ingly ordinary version of itself, happy to sacrificeits charm in the process.

BackgroundThe Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has juris-diction over this route, and has allowed UDOT tomaintain it for decades. Now, however, UDOT andFHWA have decided that they want jurisdiction andcontrol, as they want to make significant “improve-ments.” The agencies allege that the proposedimprovements are to reduce accidents and “driverfrustrations,” and improve deteriorating pavementedges, embankments, and barriers.

The agencies have provided no data that indicatethat the current road is unsafe. In fact, data showthat the number of crashes on this highway is lowerthan would be expected on rural highways in gener-al, and that most of the crashes are due to animals

Help Us Save ScenicHighway 12!Usually, terrible things that are done with theexcuse that progress requires them are not reallyprogress at all, but just terrible things.

~Russell Baker, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer

Highway 12 is the narrow, winding, breathtakingroad through the Grand Staircase-EscalanteNational Monument (GSENM) from Boulder toEscalante—so spectacular that it is a destination initself. Few people with a soul can forget their firsttrip over the Hogback

Well, busy, busy road engineers from the FederalHighway Administration (FHWA) and the UtahDepartment of Transportation (UDOT) are plottingto significantly change the character of one of themost scenic and best-loved roads in all of Utah.They have targeted Highway 12 for a majormakeover, and everyone who loves this stunningroute will hate what they have in store for it.

Today, Highway 12, designated a Scenic Bywayand All-American Road, is a narrow (22 to 34 feetwide), winding road. It offers heart-stopping views

Utah’s renowned Highway 12 offers heart-stopping views that stretch 50 miles or more in every direction—over thecanyons of the Escalante, Fifty Mile Mountain, the Kaiparowits Plateau, and beyond to Navajo Mountain.

© Liz Thomas/SUWA



Address your comments to:

Rene Berkhoudt190 East CenterKanab, UT 84741

Email: [email protected]

and excessive speed. We are left to wonder howturning a narrow, winding scenic road into astraighter and wider one will encourage drivers toslow down. Certainly the highway buildershaven’t provided any support for that bizarreproposition.

The GSENM was the first national monument tobe entrusted to management of the BLM. Themonument proclamation states clearly that the pur-pose of the GSENM designation is to protect theresources of the monument, including the rugged,remote and unspoiled naturalness of the area.Granting this 200 foot-wide right-of-way will ter-minate BLM’s authority to manage this scenicroute through the GSENM. It would give the roadengineers free rein to turn this one-of-a-kind roadinto a major highway indistinguishable from anyother.

Please take a moment to contact Rene Berkhoudt,manager of the Grand Staircase-Escalante NationalMonument, and urge him to reject this right-of-wayapplication. Highway 12 is an integral part of themonument and an unforgettable introduction to themonument experience. The BLM should retainjurisdiction and control and manage the route incompliance with the monument’s proclamation.

—Liz Thomas

Utah Dust Is MeltingColorado SnowWhile naysayers tie themselves into rhetorical knotsarguing that climate change is hoax, a natural,cyclical occurrence, and an environmentalist plot,science moves inexorably ahead.

We have by now heard much about what the desertsouthwest faces from a warming climate caused bygreenhouse gases. Rapidly developing science now

suggests that human activity on the Colorado Plateaudestabilizes desert soils, feeding large dust storms.Those dust storms may be responsible for creatingregional climate change in the Colorado River Basin.

A group of researchers, led by Dr. Thomas Painter ofthe University of Utah, set out to test that proposi-tion. The team determined that disturbed desert soilsare leading to early snowpack melt in the San JuanMountains of Colorado. Every westerner knows thatwinter snowpack is summer water supply. Its slow,steady release from melting sustains the arid Westthrough spring, summer, and into fall when the nextsnows historically arrive. Disruption in that usuallyreliable cycle—too little snow or snow that disap-pears too quickly—means inadequate water.

In the spring, as of late, a number of monster duststorms have blown into Colorado from the west.These dust storms leave a clearly visible pink,brown, or red layer on mountain snow. The result isa huge increase in the amount of sun absorbed bythe snowpack because of decreased reflectivity(think of wearing a dark shirt or getting into a dark-colored car on a bright summer day).

In 2005 and 2006, Dr. Painter and his team esti-mate, the snowpack in southern Colorado’s SanJuan Mountains disappeared anywhere from 18 to35 days earlier than it would have without that dustbecause of decreased reflectivity. This early melt-ing of the snowpack leads to a chain reactionthroughout the ecosystem.

It seems that the biggest cause of this dust onColorado’s snowpack can be attributed to surfacedisturbing activities on the Colorado Plateau, muchof it in Utah, where the federal government is byfar the largest landowner.

Human activity, off-road vehicles (ORVs), dirtroads, oil and gas development, and grazing alltend to destabilize soils, making them susceptibleto wind erosion. For example, scientists from theU.S. Geological Survey and elsewhere recentlypublished information showing that ORVs in theFactory Butte area were increasing dust productionby a factor of approximately 68. This story isrepeated throughout southern Utah.

Clearly, one solution to limiting this early snowmeltand its cascading environmental consequences is toprotect big areas of the Colorado Plateau from



these soil-disturbing activities. Passage ofAmerica’s Red Rock Wilderness Act would be agreat first step.

—David Garbett

We haven’t forgotten about the Monticello,Richfield, and Kanab RMPs that were finished atthe same time as the three plans now in litigation.Look for updates on SUWA’s website,www.suwa.org, for the latest information on ournext steps regarding those plans.

Lila CanyonThe Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals recentlyannounced that it will hear oral argument onSUWA’s challenge to the Lila Canyon coal mine onNov. 18. This hearing follows a federal districtcourt judge’s rejection in 2008 of our claims thatthe BLM and the Office of Surface MiningReclamation and Enforcement violated federal lawswhen they green-lighted the mine. Since the dis-trict court’s decision, the mining company has pro-ceeded with initial operations at the mine site,including clearing the surface area and tunnelinginto the rock face. If we prevail on appeal, thecompany will not be permitted to continue mining.

The Lila Canyon mine is located on the westernslope of the Book Cliffs not quite halfway betweenPrice and Green River, Utah. Several of the coalleases that will be mined as part of the Lila Canyonmine are located beneath the Desolation CanyonWilderness Study Area.

Over our nine year challenge to this ill-conceivedproject we have been supported by attorneys fromthe national law firm of Jenner & Block; the firm iswith us at the appeal stage as well. Pro bono attor-neys William Hohengarten and Joshua Segal are thelead attorneys on the appeal and Segal will arguethe matter before the Tenth Circuit.

—Steve Bloch

Update on Utah RMPs andthe Lila Canyon Coal MineIt’s been nearly a year since BLM’s Utah statedirector Selma Sierra signed off on six resourcemanagement plans (RMPs) in Utah, ending a fran-tic sprint by the agency to finish these plans beforethe Bush administration left office. The plansopened the door for ORVs to drive on more than20,000 miles of dirt roads and trails and attemptedto memorialize the last administration’s “drill here,drill now” policies.

In December 2008 we filed our first lawsuit chal-lenging three of these plans—the Moab, Price, andVernal RMPs—and this litigation is moving alongin the courts. The BLM has begun producing allthe paper (called the administrative record) in sup-port of its decisions and we are reviewing thatmountain of documents. The federal district courtjudge hearing our case in Washington, DC, has notyet ruled on motions filed by the state of Utah andothers to move the case from Washington to Utah,but we expect a decision soon.

From the BLM Vault:You never know what gems you’ll comeacross when reviewing internal BLM docu-ments. Here’s a good example:

Utah BLM Director Selma Sierra to RMPplanner Lauren Mermejo on getting the greenlight to publish the (lousy) Kanab Draft RMPin 2007: “Party time!”

Site of the proposed Lila Canyon coal mine on the western slope of the BookCliffs (part of the greater Desolation Canyon proposed wilderness).

© Ray Bloxham/SUWA



SUWA Participates inNational Public Lands DayTo mark National Public Lands Day (Sept. 26)SUWA teamed up with the Bureau of LandManagement (BLM) to implement the new RedButte Wilderness Area designation in southwesternUtah’s Washington County.

Eight volunteers, including two SUWA staff mem-bers, and the Outdoor Recreation Planner for theBLM’s St. George field office, spent several hourserecting signs along the eastern boundary of the newwilderness area, removing old WSA (wildernessstudy area) signs, eliminating vehicle tracks thatentered the wilderness, rehabilitating and removingunsightly fire rings, and generally cleaning up trash.

This project was particularly meaningful for SUWAbecause it marked the first time our staff has partici-pated in on-the-ground implementation of a wilder-ness area designation on BLM land. There is some-thing very satisfying about pounding into theground a sign that declares “Wilderness!”

Throughout Utah, the BLM and volunteers fromother groups participated in a variety of service proj-ects in recognition of National Public Lands Day.Volunteers on Cedar Mesa restored areas impactedby vehicle tracks entering wilderness study areas,removed unauthorized fire rings, posted signs toidentify WSA boundaries, monitored archaeologicalsites for illegal digging and vandalism, and removedgraffiti. In the Westwater Canyon WSA, volunteersremoved trash and non-native species and cleaned upcampsites along the Colorado River.

—Tiffany Bartz

Our Secret Agenda UncoveredA few months back, the Southern Utah News printed a rather inflammatory article by Shawna Cox,organizer of the illegal Paria Canyon ORV ride in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monumentlast spring (see Summer 2009 issue, page 17). Following is one of the more intriguing passages:

“Daily our natural resources are being literally stolen from the people of America under the guises of danger to everything from desert tortoises to cryptogrammic [sic] crust. We recognize these are onlylies perpetrated on Congress and the general public to further environmentalists’ goal of control andthe damnation of the United States.”

On National Public Lands Day, SUWA staff and volunteers spent severalhours erecting signs along the eastern boundary of the new Red ButteWilderness Area, removing old WSA signs, eliminating vehicle tracks thatentered the wilderness, rehabilitating and removing fire rings, and clean-ing up trash.

i n s i d e S U W A


The congressional hearing on America’sRed Rock Wilderness Act (ARRWA) was a wel-

come milestone in a debate that has raged for over20 years (see article on page 9). But whenCongress takes up the bill it won’t necessarily betalking about the same thing that Utah citizens talkabout when we talk about wilderness. To membersof Congress, wilderness is a legal term that definesa specific set of land management rules, and prop-erly so. But to many citizens wilderness has moredeeply personal, symbolic, and even spiritualmeanings.

There was another recent hearing on ARRWA andlawmakers didn’t convene it. It happened at theUnitarian Universalist General Assembly that tookplace at the Salt Lake City Salt Palace in June.There, thousands of delegates from religious con-gregations across the United States voted to adoptAmerica’s Red Rock Wilderness Act as an Actionof Immediate Witness. That is a term with particu-lar force among Unitarian Universalists. It reflects

delegates’ belief that Utah wilderness protection isan urgent social issue worthy of a response based ondeeply held principles of their religious community.

Of course, legislation should not be based on any-one’s religion. Still, faith really is an issue in thewilderness debate. A remarkably beautiful andmoving interfaith statement titled “Faith and theLand: a Call for Wilderness Stewardship” should berequired reading for any legislator who seeks toengage the issue of Utah wilderness.

“Faith and the Land” was compiled from conversa-tions held during the past year with members ofRoman Catholic, Episcopalian, Islamic, Jewish,Latter-day Saint, Methodist, Presbyterian, Quaker,Unitarian Universalist, and United Church ofChrist communities. SUWA facilitated the discus-sions, but participants clearly spoke only for them-selves. We began with the question, “How do theteachings and traditions of your church call on usto care for the natural world?” Despite the varying

Another Sort of Hearing on the Red RockGoodNews!

Members of the Holladay United Church of Christ call for the protection of Utah’s wild lands during“Wilderness Stewardship Days.”

Photo by Terri Martin


i n s i d e S U W A

religious practices represented, no one seemed sur-prised or confused by the question. People of allfaiths could—and did—clearly describe the impor-tant place Earth stewardship occupies in their ownreligions.

Many of us find in wilderness a counterbalance tothe busyness of day-to-day lives, a place of spiritualreflection, a reminder of what is important in life,and a place of revelation and enlightenment that hasinspired great spiritual teachers throughout history.As the “Faith and the Land” statement puts it, “Theastounding beauty, utter vastness, and envelopingsilence of wild places awaken our sense of awe andconnect us to something larger than ourselves—God, Allah, the Divine, spirit, the un-nameablemystery of life.”

We care deeply about wilderness protection becausein our direct experience, wilderness has alreadygiven us something of enormous value. It seemslikely that legislators’ discussions about Utahwilderness would be more fruitful, their decisionswiser, if they truly understood that. Conservationethics often go hand-in-hand with spiritual practiceeven though, as one LDS “Faith and the Land” par-ticipant wryly put it, “Scripture says ‘Be fruitful,multiply, and replenish the earth.’ Some peopleskip over the ‘replenish’ part.”

We leave the pragmatic and bureaucratic aspects ofwilderness legislation to the Congress. We willspeak from the heart about experiences and moralvalues that are to us profoundly more importantthan oil profits and off-road thrill-seeking.

—Amy Brunvand

(Amy Brunvand writes about environmentalissues for Catalyst Magazine and is a member ofthe First Unitarian Church in Salt Lake City andof SUWA.)

You can learn more about the Faith and theLand statement and the Act of ImmediateWitness at:

www.suwa.org/FaithandtheLand and

www.suwa.org/UnitarianAIW

SUWA Welcomes BrookeWilliams to the StaffA new and welcome addition to SUWA is BrookeWilliams, who’s joined us in our Moab office.Brooke, a native Utahn, is no novice to the work ofhelping save southern Utah wildlands: he has beenactive in Utah wilderness and public lands issuesfor the past 30 years.

Most recently, Brooke was the executive director ofthe Murie Center in Jackson Hole, WY, a fledglingnon-profit organization focused on conservation ofwild places and wildlife. Brooke has been akeynote speaker and panelist at a wide array ofmeetings, conferences, and workshops and has writ-ten four books including Halflives: ReconcilingWork and Wildness, and hundreds of articles. He isalso involved with The Great West Institute, a thinktank exploring expansion and innovation in the con-servation movement.

Brooke’s M.O. is energy, imagination and passion,all of which he fuels by being in nature. He is abirder and backcountry skier, and has a rich store oftales from his hiking and other outdoor adventures.One of them includes repeating a hike to locateRio, his loyal (and head-strong) Basenji dog thathas his own notion of when a hike should end.

Brooke says his personal goal is to “understand whatThoreau meant when he said, ‘in wildness is the

Brooke Williams looking out over Castle Valley, Utah. © Chris Noble


i n s i d e S U W A

with two Native American Tribes, the Hopi and theLaguna Pueblo. In another, Morgan uncovered anillegal oil and gas lease reinstatement and engi-neered a settlement agreement with the oil companythat guarantees protections for a beautiful landscapenear Canyonlands National Park.

Morgan was an integral part of SUWA’s legal teamand her kindness, enthusiasm, and dedication toprotecting Utah’s wild lands endeared her to theentire staff. Thank you, Morgan, for all your hardwork and long nights sleeping under your desk atSUWA! We wish you the best of luck in your newjob at NRDC.

preservation of the world,’ because it seems to methe world could use a little preservation about now.”

Brooke makes his home in Castle Valley, with hiswife Terry and dog Rio.

A Sad Goodbye to MorganWyenn!We are very sorry to say goodbye to SUWA StaffAttorney Morgan Wyenn, who recently accepted aposition as a Project Attorney with the NaturalResources Defense Council in Santa Monica, CA.

In her new post, Morgan will tackle the enormoustask of improving the air quality of the LosAngeles metropolitan area. Southern Californiacouldn’t wish for a better person to take on thiscritical issue. While we at SUWA already deeplymiss Morgan, we are excited that she will continueher career as a public interest environmentallawyer.

Utah’s public lands benefited greatly fromMorgan’s year of work with SUWA. She was thelead attorney on several administrative appealsbefore the Interior Board of Land Appeals andachieved some significant victories. In one appeal,Morgan’s challenge of an oil and gas lease saleresulted in an IBLA decision that directed theBureau of Land Management to comply with theNational Historic Preservation Act and to consult

Register at SUWA.org and You Could Win a Backpack!Join the movement of e-activists working to protect Utah’s wild lands byregistering on SUWA’s website. You’ll get the most up-to-date informationabout what we’re doing to protect Utah’s redrock wilderness and how youcan help; access to free Utah wilderness screensaver images; and a secureprofile page where you can update your email preferences, change youraddress, subscribe to our various email lists, and more. And don’t worryabout spam—we promise not to share your email address with anyone else!

Special Offer: Register online in the month of November and your namewill be entered into a drawing to win a free Osprey Talon 22 backpack(retail price $99)! To be entered in the drawing, go to:www.suwa.org/NovemberDrawing.

Morgan is now working on air quality issues for theNatural Resources Defense Council in Santa Monica,California.


i n s i d e S U W A

Left: Barbara Eubanks and TiffanyBartz tabling at the Salt Lake CityBonnie Raitt/Taj Mahal concert.

Above: SUWA grassroots leader Denise Sobieskitables at the Terre Haute Indiana Farmer’s Market.

Above: Terri Martin and ArneCarter at the Salt Lake CityAvenues Street Festival.

Above: WestminsterCollege students poseafter a SUWA publiceducation and out-reach project in down-town Salt Lake City.

Above: SUWA grassroots leaders Jonathan Wall and JohnKashwick march in the NYC Pride Day Parade.

SUWA Grassroots In ActionAcross the country this summer and fall, Utahwilderness activists were busy educating peopleabout the importance of protecting Utah’s wildlands. To become more active in your area, visitwww.suwa.org/volunteer.

Above: Ed Riggs (sitting) and Bob Wuerthner (standing, left)manned the Mainers for Utah Wilderness table at the MaineCommon Ground Fair.


i n s i d e S U W A

The Desert’s Beauty Is TimelessYour Planned Gift Can Help Keep It that Way

Many of us are unable to make major donations to the causes we love during our lifetimes. Aplanned gift gives us an additional opportunity to make a difference. Even a modest percentage ofan estate can have a major impact on protecting the redrock. Options may include:

� Bequest by WillA simple and common way to give

� Living TrustsA revocable trust provides flexibility and privacy

� Charitable Life InsuranceAn excellent way to make a gift with modestannual payments

� IRAs and Qualified Retirement PlansRetirement plans are often considered the smartestassets to leave to organizations

� Gifts that Provide Income for LifeContribute cash or stock and you can receive pay-ments for life.

These are just some of the ways you can leave a lasting legacy of wilderness protection for thebenefit of future generations. Please consult your financial advisor or estate attorney on tax-related matters specific to your own financial situation. For more information, visitwww.suwa.org/plannedgiving or contact Thomas Burke, Development Manager, at (801) 236-3763 or [email protected]. We welcome the opportunity to answer any questions you might haveabout SUWA and our work to protect Utah’s redrock country.

Wanted: Your Used CarSUWA is still in need of two vehicles our staff can use for conducting fieldwork and traveling throughout thestate. We’d like something with low miles (say under 75K) and in good shape. Please consider donating yourused vehicle to help us save money. We’re looking for:

1. An all-wheel drive car that is relatively fuel efficient and can carry four adults. Imagine something suitablefor traveling down an icy I-15 for a meeting in Cedar City. Say a Subaru Outback or Forester, or a ToyotaRav4.

2. A four-wheel drive similar to a Jeep Cherokee or Toyota 4Runner. Something with more passenger capacitythan a pickup, and in good enough condition to handle difficult four-wheel drive roads.

If you’re able to donate one of these vehicles, please contact Ray Bloxam at (801) 428-3982 or [email protected]!


i n s i d e S U W A

Gift Membership #1

From:______________________________(your name)

To:Name:______________________________

Address:____________________________

City:__________________State:_____Zip:________

Give Two Gift Memberships and Save $10!

Gift Membership #2

From:______________________________(your name)

To:Name:______________________________

Address:____________________________

City:__________________State:_____Zip:________

If you share a love of the outdoors with your friends, why not share your activism too? Gift mem-berships make wonderful gifts for birthdays and holidays. Simply mail in this order form with $50for two memberships (a $10 savings) or $30 for one membership and get your pals involved inthe wilderness cause!

Credit Card #: _____________________ CVC#_____

Exp. date:_______ Amount: $________

Mail form with payment to:SUWA, 425 E. 100 S.

Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Please make your check payable to SUWA or include credit card information below (VISA, MC, or AMEX):

Thank you to all who contributed to the Earth FriendsWildlife Foundation’s Challenge Grant!

We did it! Through this generous challenge, you helped SUWA raise$272,445 dollars to protect America’s redrock wilderness!

i n s i d e S U W A


These now classic 24" x 36" SUWA posters featurefull-color images of southern Utah by world-renowned wilderness photographer David Muench.The White Canyon poster (on black) featuresEdward Abbey’s words, “The idea of wildernessneeds no defense, only more defenders.” TheCedar Mesa poster (on natural fiber ivory) includesa quote by the Wallace Stegner: “...the spiritual canbe saved...” Either one would make a great gift forthat wilderness lover on your holiday shopping list!

White Canyon

Cedar Mesa

Fine Art Postersby David Muench

Please send _____ White Canyon or _____ Cedar Mesa fine art posters at $20 each(including shipping).

Mail form with payment using enclosed envelope. SUWA, 425 E. 100 S.

Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Name: ________________________________

Address: ______________________________

City: _____________State:____Zip:________

Please make your check payable to SUWA or include credit card information (VISA, MC orAMEX):CC#_____________________CVC#______

Exp. date:_______Amount $_____________

Get a Copy of SUWA’s Wild Utah Video on DVDSUWA’s popular multi-media slideshow, Wild Utah! America’s Redrock Wilderness includes video interviews,stunning photos, and compelling narration by longtime wilderness activist Robert Redford. These DVDsmake great gifts and educational tools!

Please send_____copies of the Wild Utah DVD at$10 each (includes shipping).

Name:__________________________________

Address:________________________________

City:_____________State:_____Zip:_________

Please make your check payable to SUWA or includecredit card information (VISA, MC, AMEX):

CC#:________________________CVC#______Exp. date:______ Amount: $________________

Mail form with payment to:SUWA, 425 E. 100 S. Salt Lake City, UT 84111Wild Utah DVDs can also be ordered online

at www.suwa.org/goodies.

2

Reference Map for Articles in this Issue

Cedar Mesa (p. 6)

1 Factory Butte (p. 5)

2

Kaiparowits Plateau (p. 7)4

9

3 Cedar Mountains (p. 7)

8

Corona Arch (p. 8)

San Rafael Swell (p. 8)

5

6

6

1

5

4

7 Mary Jane Canyon (p. 11)

3

7

Salt Creek Canyon (p .15)8

Lila Canyon (p .18)9

Printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink.

Non Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDS.L.C., UT

Permit No. 474

425 East 100 SouthSalt Lake City, Utah 84111

Visit Us OnlinePlease visit www.suwa.org for more news andinformation relating to Utah wilderness, including:

• The latest action alerts and news updates(with convenient RSS feeds)

• Our Wild Utah video and an updated travelingslideshow tour schedule for 2009-2010

• A Utah wilderness resource library

• Activist tips and sign-up opportunities

• Job and internship postings

• Utah wilderness photo galleries

• An online store for purchasing SUWA baseballcaps, DVDs, posters, and more

Register online and you could win a free Osprey backpack (see page 22)!

“Calf Creek, October.” Plein-air pastel by Scotty Mitchell (www.scottymitchell.com)

Documents

W I L D E R N E S S W I L D E R N E S S