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Show Public Scoping Open House Set For Grazing EIS On GSENM ESCALANTE Public scoping sco-ping open house sessions for the Bureau of Land Management Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Monu-ment Livestock Grazing Management Manage-ment Environmental Impact Statement State-ment are set for Wednesday, Oct. 4 in' Escalante. The sessions will take place at the Escalante Community Center, 85 North 100 West in Escalante from 7 until 9 p.m. The BLM changed the format of their meetings to break the public into small groups or sessions, with a BLM employee meeting with each group. Despite requests by People For the USA representatives and others who have repeatedly asked for traditional public hearings at which everyone can hear all questions asked and all responses to questions, the BLM has continued with its new format. In justifying the new meeting format, GSENM Manager Kate Cannon said Tuesday, "When we break into groups, at least half the people get to talk and express their opinions. With a public hearing format, fewer than 10 percent do and we're there to listen and hear their opinions." But Escalante resident Steve Gessig says it doesn't work that way. "Their intent is to divide and conquer," he said. "By separating us into little groups, we're unable to hear what everyone else has to say. "The traditional public hearing format has been abandoned in favor of a system that works for the BLM's benefit instead of the public's. "When people attend what they (See SCOPING on page 5-A) SCOPING From Front Page expect to be a public hearing, they expect to hear what everyone is saying. "I don't understand why such meetings are even necessary," Gessig said. "I remember the. promise that was made to us when the monument was created that nothing would change." Gessig serves as vice-president of People For the USA on the state level. The public is encouraged to attend the Oct. 4 meeting. |