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Show resources to look at everything and they just looked at the stuff they knew about and so as a result, deserving areas got left out,” explained Scott Groene, director of the National BLM Wilderness Campaign. Based on the new survey, environmentalists now believe that 9.1 million acres actually qualify as wilderness in the state of Utah. They have now turned to Congress to determine whether their new numbers are legitimate. Activists are lobbying in Washington for America's Redrock Wilderness Act; so far 165 Representatives in the House and 15 Senators have agreed to sponsor the bill. Keiter believes some sort of negotiations between all interested parties will have to happen before any legislation is passed. “It is fundamentally a political decision. So, what SUWA and the other organizations have done is to raise the stakes in the political negotiations over what lands and how much acreage ought to Activists say “We have an to spend a lot of receive a wilderness designation on Utah's they will work on the issue until they are obligation to see that all this gets protected time seeing that it doesn't get destroyed,” BLM public lands,” Keiter said. satisfied with the legislation. and in the meantime you need said Groene. There is another wilderness movement on the burner in Utah; this one deals with Forest Service land. There are still thousands of acres of Forest Service land that could be eligible for the pristine designation. This will probably be the next chapter in the wilderness debate. In 1984, over 700,000 acres were designated as wilderness in Utah. Most of the land was in high elevation areas, mostly in the High Uintas. But after surveying and studying Forest Service lands, one environmental group has found that these rock and ice areas are not to adequately protecting wildlife. “We know now that the vast majority of critters need that low elevation for where they live and rear their young,” explained Boggs, “The animals do go up high in the summertime when the weather is hot, but they can't live there year round, so it's really important that we get some low elevation habitat protection for them and not for us,” said Denise Boggs, the executive director of the Utah Environmental Congress. The UEC has almost completed a survey of roadless areas in Utah's six National Forests. When the survey is completed, the group plans to incorporate the information into a comprehensive statewide forest wilderness bill. They estimate been 2 and 3 million acres of these roadless areas will qualify as wilderness. “Wilderness has to be roadless, but roadless doesn't necessarily have to be wilderness. A roadless area may not have roads, but it may have a lot of old logging and grazing impacts that would preclude it from being considered pristine enough to be wilderness,” said Boggs. The protection of these low elevation forests may be critical for protecting species and their ecosystems. : NORMA NUNN (w) 435.259.5021 (h) 435.259.7275 Contutiey At Quality Realty * 505 N. Main St. * 435.259.5021 Each office independently owned & operated CUSTOM BUILT EXECUTIVE HOME ON HILLSIDE. 3/4 acre lot overlooking rims & mtns. | Approx. 3000 sq.ft. Large in-ground pool, garage and | room for RVs. 5 bdrms, 3 baths, great room family room. A must see at $235,000 (207) #3128 and » ‘ SERENITY & SELF SUFFICIENCY can be yours on | this 5 acre horse property in La Sal. 4 bdrm, 2 bath home. Good well with fenced pasture that doesn’t require irrigation. Great views of the La Sal Mtns. $99,500. (193) #3017 HORSE PROPERTY WITH GREAT VIEWS of the La Sal Mtns. 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(253) #3272. “The failure to do that runs the risk of additional listings under the Endangered Species Act,” said Keiter, “As soon as that happens you bring the regulatory power of the federal government on public lands and potentially private lands; so there is a built-in incentive given the rigorous protection under the Endangered Species Act to get ahead of the curve and protect species and their habitat.” Keiter said. The stakes are slowly rising to keep lands in Utah away from the clutches of _ATOMAIC TRANSFER CO. development and other destructive forces. But as this debate drags on with no real end in sight, it may be best to listen to the advice of Mardy Murie who battled to keep lands in YN the West and in Alaska wild: é “One year after a particularly arduous meeting, we took the members of the governing council of the Wilderness Society to Jenny Lake Lodge. We danced. A balance of cheerful VEHICLE SHUTTLE SERVICE Let ATOMIC TRANSFER take care of your vehicle shuttle. Spend your time on the river or bike trails NOT on the highway. incidents is good for people. If we allow ourselves to become discouraged we lose our power and momentum. That is what I would say to you in the midst of these difficult times. If you are going to that place of intent to preserve the Arctic National Wildlife Moab's only bonded vehicle shuttle service: CARL ANDERSON’ CHRIS KAUHI Refuge or the wild lands in Utah, you have to know how to dance.” I think she may be onto something. (435) 259-7062 Check out our internet site at: www.moab-canyonlands.com/ atomic Alexandra L. Woodruff is a regular contributor to The Zephyr. She lives in Salt Lake City. e-mail: i I NELSON'S HEATING & REFRIGERATION Kyle G Carr ie Baile Y's "SERVING MOAB SINCE 1962" ! \ DID you EVER NOTICE HOW QUICKLY AUTUMN SNEAKS UP ON YOU? Ao) 2 Mey \\\ i hw 4 { f ny 1s ’ YES...THATS RIGHT. 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