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Show f Wilderness Area Proposed by Rep. Owens & by Chris Madding Forum staff writer i great communicator was unable to persuade Congress to repeal a single important law he disliked. He is the only president this century who served his term without proposing any major initiative to further the cause of conservation. Recently, a report was distributed by the Energy and. Commerce Committees Health andEnvironmental It was titled State of the States, and ranked the fifty states by their order of protection and attitude toward the environment. Utah was ranked 48th. HR1500 has been introduced but has a long road in front of it at least five years, according to Melissa Bend and Mike Elggren of the Wasatch Green Alliance (WGA). WGA formed to support HR1500. On April 21, arally will meetat 11 a.m. at the Federal Building ( 100 S. State Street) and march to the capitol where noted speakers will discuss the issues proposed HR1500. If you would like more information on the rally or other WGA 1 activities, contact John Birkinshaw at or Portia Fieldstad at Much of the information in this article was taken from, Is Preservation Of Utahs Remaining Wilderness In Utahs Best Interest? A response and essay by Representative Wayne Owens, published The Utah Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Act of 1989 was the HR1500 Bill introduced by Wayne Owens. The launching of this bill has created one of the most important land management debates of the decade, said Owens. The HR1500 Bill is designed to set aside 5.1 million acres of Utah's land as natural wilderness area. This land lies mostly in the southern portion of the state and includes areas in the San Rafael Swell, Canyonlands, the Escalante Canyons, the Zion and Mojave deserts, Cedar Mesa, Grand Staircase, Kaiparo wits and the Dirty Devil wilderness. Other areas are in Central Utah and include the Great Basin, Red Cliffs and Uintah Basin Wilderness areas. The debated issues of this bill concern its effects on prearranged grazing rights, if it would lock up the state for future oil, gas L and mineral development and what type of Southern Utah is part of the designated wilderness area proposed by Owens. restraints it would put on outdoor recreation in these areas. Another concern is the One ofthestrongestpointsofthe debate Udall, a founding father to much of our question of what economic benefits would environmental the state gain by setting aside this land as is what economic benefits HR1500 would nations policies, to state. the wilderness area. summarizestheimpactoftheReaganyears bring In a study, performed in 1987, by the in his recent edition of The Quiet Crisis. In In response to the cattle ranchers it he said, It is clear that on environmental concerns over grazing rights, Owens refers UniversityofIdahocalled,Howimportant back to the 1964 Wilderness Act. This act is wilderness? Attitudes of Migrants and issues, Ronald Reagan rowed against the states that grazing in wilderness areas, if Residents in Wilderness Counties, they American mainstream for eight years. The January established prior to designation, shall be found that: ...counties which contain or are permitted to continue subject to such reasonable regulations as deemed necessary adjacent to a federally designated by the Secretary. It continues, the wilderness are among the fastest growing maintenance of supporting facilities is in the United States. . .these largely rural and remote areas grew at a rate of 30 permissible in wilderness. Where practical alternatives do not exist, maintenance or percent or doubled the 15 percent rate of areas as a other activities may be accomplished growth for also found whole. was of motorized occasional that younger, It use through the By this act, prearranged highly educated migrants are the most equipment. important components of the inflow into grazing rights will be protected. It should not be forgotten that the these counties, Governor Norm Bangerter put together opportunity to graze livestock on public land is a privilege. Is it too much to ask that a task force which began an analysis of this livestock operators coordinate their economic question by formulating a baseline management needs with wilderness projection for employment in Southern Utah; wilderness issues and impacts aside. management agencies? said Owens. Secondly, Owens moves on to the The report concluded: Employment HR1500 the wouldlock if is state. question provided by agriculture rapidly declining. up Owens said, Utahs land area is They now comprise only 1 1 percent and are approximately 54,346,440 acres. Of that, projected to compromise only 5 percent of 1,737,057 have been set aside as national all jobs in the year 2010. The oil and gas location parks, monuments or recreation areas, industry is not projected to increase its of total coal share 2,751,000acresfordefenseorotherfederal jobs. By 2010, mining HIGHLAND withdrawals and 900,000 acres of Forest jobs will have increasedby only 24.2 percent 2201 South Service lands have been designated as over 1982 levels. Uranium and metal mining Highland Drive ' SUGARHOUSE official wilderness. There would still be will remain fairly constant throughout the more than 43,958,383 acres (81 percent) 1990s and then experience a slow to to moderate open development. growth through 2010. In response to the question, Does Tourism, on the other hand, is expected to HR1500 discriminate againsthandicapped, increase to 40.5 percent of the total jobs in vehicle (O.R.V.) users Southern Utah. elderly and in favor of backpackers? Owens said that This shows an obvious economic benefit the wilderness proposed by HR1500 is for the state in the passing of HR1500, said already divided into more than sixty units, Owens. separated, and in many cases, surrounded During the eight years of the Reagan roads He or access corridors. said by public administration, the Department of the there are no places where you can get more Interior sold more domain and leased more LARGE PETER than seven air miles from a point of public federal land for energy development than PIPER SPECIAL access. In fact, with the exception of the the preceding Carter, Fox'd, Nixon and canyon bottoms, almost all areas within Johnson administrations combined, said Our six topping favorite HR1500 can be seen from a vista to which Owens. made with fresh green a car or (ORV) can be driven. Former Interior Secretary Stewart L. peppers, onions, black Sub-Committ- 521-912- 486-524- 8. 26, 1989. an 3 The off-roa- nearest you is: d The Forum is desperate for: Vacations Money - olives, salami, beef and pepperoni. Please present coupon when ordering Original crust only Not valid in combination with any other ode Expires 4 '30 '90. LARGE PETER PIPER SPECIAL Our six topping favorite made with fresh green peppers, onions, black olives, salami, beef and pepperoni. Please present coupon when ordering Original crust only Not valid in with any other odei combination Expires 4 '30 90. Rolling Paper Bullets i Contact the Forum Office in Converse Hall, Room 201 Page 4 Forum April 10, 1990 Issue 22 |