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Show Canyonlands Confrontation of Iterests Sparked Heat, Fire, Little Agreement A confrontaton at Canyonlands Canyon-lands Kesort last Friday "and Saturday between national Sierra Club officials, regional power company representatives, representativ-es, local and state government govern-ment officials and a few other local representatives, created little in the way of constructive construc-tive comment on future developments de-velopments in southeastern Utah park areas, but may have set the stage for more meaningful sessions later. The session, held to pre mier the publication of tho newest Sierra Club book "Slickrock" by Edward Abbey and Philip Hyde, involved in-volved around seventy individuals, indiv-iduals, many of whom were representatives of the pressi from across the nation. Catered by Kent Frost Canyonlands Tours, the event began with a steak dinner on Friday evening, after which the Club president, Judge Raymond Shenvin, presented U .S. Senator Frank E. Moss with an issue of "Slickrock." Judge Sherwin commented on the continual effort by Mossi to preserve portions of thd scenic southwest as park and wilderness areas. Following the presentation, the group gathered around a campfire, where a discussion began concerning the theory of wilderness preservation; livestock grazing, powerplant operation, road building and other land uses. The following day, members mem-bers of the press were given tours through the Needles section of Canyonlands National Nat-ional Park, along with scenic flights, before being brought back to Moab for transportation transporta-tion to their home areas. At the campfire discussion Friday night, heated comments com-ments and catcalls did little to encourage meaningful debate de-bate between those participating. partici-pating. Moderated by John Mitchell, editor of Sierra CIud Books in New York City, the confrontation quickly got out of hand, with conservationists and those representing developmental devel-opmental interests shouting to be heard . Involving in the discussion were various members of the Sierra Club, from the national na-tional offices and from the acitve Uintah Chapter headquartered head-quartered in Salt Lake City. From the State of Utah thosu paricipating were Henry C. Helland, director of highways; Lee Jorgensen, director of the Utah Travel Council and others. Power companies wer'i represented by a group led by Claire Titus, Southern Arizona Ari-zona Power Co. Local persons pers-ons who participated in the debate were Calvin Black, San Juan county commissioner, commission-er, who was questioned at length by Sierra Club representatives repre-sentatives and members of the press; Jim Black, Monti-cello, Monti-cello, a member of the State Travel Council; rancher Robert Ro-bert Redd of Indian Creek, tourguide Ken Sleight, Green River; editor Sam Taylor, o Moab and others. The formal for-mal portion of the discussion ended around midnight ,and individual interviews and debates de-bates continued long into the night. The confrontation was not held in Canyonlands National Park, but at Canyonlands Resort, Re-sort, just outside the park boundaries. No representatives representa-tives of the National Park Service took part in the discussion dis-cussion Friday evening, although al-though Superintendent Bates E. Wilson of Canyonlands was present earlier in the evening. He left to bring Sen. Moss1 back to Moab. Most of the large group left the park area Saturday, although al-though a few stayed over for hikes on Sunday. Sunday morning, Moab Sierra Club representative, Russ Don-oghue, Don-oghue, guided President Sherwin, Sher-win, nationally-known explorer explor-er and author, Will Sirri, Uintah Uin-tah Chapter official David Raskin and others on tho hike to Druid Arch south of Chester Park. That group came back into Moab late Sunday evening. |