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Show V 'Si1? ''iiK-.V,.k 'Vi- few 7rW 7l ?:-fii'"Z, iw , i'-v? .. Control of off-road vehicles in a way that might have a tremendous effect on the lifestyle of Southeastern Utahns, is said to be the subject of a speech planned for possibly later in the week by President Jimmy Carter. Although most would agree that the type of Ban of Off -Rood Vehicles May Be in Carter's Plans By Curt Stewart The possibility of another government restriction on the use of Public Lands has once a?ain caused a furor in Moab. This time is in the form of a Presidential Policy Statement, State-ment, or a "Public Environmental Environ-mental Message." The fracas started as a result of a government "leak" I to the press. An anonymous V,'is!iiiigton official told Recce Stein of KUTV television in Salt Lake City that President Carter would soon address , the nation on new environ-, environ-, i mental policies. Included in f the text, it is reported, is the i announcement that all public lands will be closed to off -road ' vehicles. "Off-road" vehicles ' are interpreted to include l f A.T.V.'s, snowmobiles, and , I four-wheel drive vehicles, as s well as motor bikes. ' The speech, which may be delivered as soon as this S coming Friday, will have the v , force of an Executive Order, meaning it would go into effect as soon as it is announced. announc-ed. This order will cover all federally controlled "government" "govern-ment" land such as BLM land, National Forest land, and National Park land. Under this new directive, . the only way one may trav-f trav-f erse these "roads," is to apply for a permit from the ELM, or whatever government agency ; has control. Once the applica-; applica-; tion has been filed, an environmental envir-onmental impact statement must follow. The understanding understand-ing of the Executive Order is that it will apply to everyone: miners, ranchers and the everyday ev-eryday user of public lands for recreational purposes. This would include the hunter and fisherman seeking out his or her favorite remote spot. Also in jeopardy under this new law, is the annual Jeep Safari scheduled this weekend in Moab. However, Gene Day, of the Moab office of the BLM, told the Moab Chamber of Commerce that he thought that the Jeep Safari would not be violating the spirit of the Executive Order, and if necessary, nec-essary, he would call an 11th hour meeting with Chamber officials to try to keep the Chamber's plans from going askew. Since the announcement damage shown in this photo (near Chimney Rock west of Water Canyon and East of the Maze in Canyonlands, taken in 1972 by David Hiser), new regulations, according to some reports, might eliminate a good deal of open country, and jeep road travel in the west. was made, various groups in Moab, including the Western Land Users Association and the Chamber of Commerce have begun a letter writing campaign to the President urging him to reconsider.lt was also reported that the staffs of Senator Jake Gam and Senator Orin Hatch of Utah were working around the clock to dissuade the Presidential action. Though applauded by some environmentalist groups, this proposition, coming so soon after the cancellation of the Central Utah Project is a hard pill to swallow for many residents of Utah, and indeed most of the western United States. Approximately .66 of the land in Utah will be affected by this newest executive pro posal, assuming the order comes to pass. Most of the state will be inaccessible to the majority of the people wno do not nave tne patience, planning or time to go thru the necessary channels to gain admittance to "public lands." |
