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Show THE ZEPHYR/JUNE-JULY 2005 couple of realtor friends of mine. Somehow the conversation drifted to opic that only vaguely resembled an environmental issue, but both of them, snarled lips classically in place, referred to me as, “you environmentalists,” as if there were no fouler epithet. “Now wait a minute,” I said. “You better go take a look in the mirror before you start calling me names. Both of you are in the real estate / development business, right?” They nodded. loud either. So what’s everybody arguing about? SUWA, Robbie Levin and Dave Cozzins were secretly a// on the same side in this little election brouhaha, even if they didn’t IN THIS ISSUE OF know it, and were at odds with each other, for no good reason at all. THE ZEPHYR VOLUME 17 NUMBER2 In 2005 the stereotypes are so strongly entrenched that nobody has noticed the sides have shifted. Dramatically. I offer these examples of conflict and confusion as a 5...POINTBLANK: prelude to the main story that begins on page 12. Let me “OK...you LIKE to see all the alfalfa fields turned into condo developments right?” More nods, “You believe that farming in a valley like this is not using the land to its highest and best use. Ultimately you believe that the New West has come to Moab, that its future rests with what some have called an ‘amenities economy,’ which calls for the influx of a more affluent, better educated urban population and that the Old West with its mining and _ ranching are a thing of the past....am I right Gentlemen?” “Sure,” they said. “So what’s your point?” “My point is, you share those sentiments about the New West with the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance GUWA), the Sierra Club, the Grand Canyon Trust and any urban enviro who wears Orvis and LL Bean and recycles aluminum. I strongly urge you to send in your dues today.” "You believe that farming in a valley like this is not using the land to its highest and best use...you believe that the New West has come to Moab, that its future rests with...a more affluent, better educated population." ever written for The a More than 10,000 words in length. I have wisely broken it down into sub-categories and Isuggest you read it one category ata time. Itis a history of the environmental movement in Utah since 1988 and is as comprehensive as three years of research can make it. So what's everybody arguing about? SUWA, Robbie Levin and Dave Cozzins were secretly a// on the same side in this little election brouhaha, even if they didn't know it... In 2005 the stereotypes are so strongly entrenched that nobody's noticed the sides have shifted. Dramatically. Finally, I mentioned at the beginning of this story that I was angry with environmentalists. I was. I’m not any more, which is why I have finally been able to finish this long piece and feel comfortable with it. I believe the environmental community is composed of good people trying to do something noble, but that their strategy is backfiring on them. Even worse, I’m not sure many of them realize just how adrift they’ve traveled from the path we were all following a few years ago. And specifically, | want to make it clear to my friends at “SUWA that while I’ve quoted them more than any other "...You share those sentiments with SUWA, the Sierra Club, the Grand Canyon Trust, and any urban enviro who wears LL Bean and recycles aluminum." A Letter to the Zephyr from 2075 warn you: IT IS A VERY LONG STORY. The longest I have By Evan Cantor 6... THE ZEPHYR SALES PITCH & 2005 BACKBONE REPERTORY Co. 8...LOSING SOLITUDE by MARTIN MURIE “Ivory Billed Truth" 12...THE GREENING of WILDERNE$$ * * * * IN UTAH----A History Introduction "Locking it up" & the Leaming Report The Dawn of Amenity Clients Extreme Recreation--from Eco-Challenge to 24 Hours of Moab * An Amenities Boom...and Backfire * Looking for a Room with a View * Wilderness Values: Intrinsic or Economic By Jim Stiles organization in this issue, it’s only because they are the largest and most vocal group in Utah and frankly have been more forthright and open about their wilderness strategy conversation with a Moab Realfor/Developer than any other Utah environmental group. As you begin to On the other hand, Cozzins believed that SUWA was funding Lewis’ campaign and was also responsible for spreading the Robbie Levin funding rumor and other. scurrilous rumors. All denied by SUWA. Cozzins even went . so far as to suggest that SUWA was vandalizing his equipment (Cozzins is an independent contractor). I personally informed Cozzins that since most of the SUWA staff are attorneys from urban areas, none of them would know ow to disable a bulldozer, even if they had the inclination. (You know me...always trying to find some levity in any dire situation.) So..the conclusion here might be, if you believed the rumors, that Cozzins has no use for SUWA or its environmental policies and political agenda, and thatSUWA opposes pro-development types like Dave Cozzins and Robbie Levin's ever-exp di g empire at Sorrel River Ranch. Here’s the Reality and where it gets so complicated. Dave is Old West, been in Moab for years, is a heavy equipment operator and independent contractor, opposes federal wilderness designation. SUWA is New West, supports wilderness and opposes the traditional extractive industry that was the economic backbone of the rural west for a century. Yet, Robbie Levin's high-end luxury lodge is precisely the kind of non-polluting, tourist-oriented business that the environmental community has been touting as the Future of the Rural West for 15 years. Groups like SUWA just don’t want to say it out loud. But Sorrel River Ranch IS their kind of industry. And while Cozzins maintains he’s Old West, he openly supports businesses like Sorrel River Ranch and 1 doubtifhe rarely sheds a tear for the good old days when Bill Boulden ran a few cows on that property. The fact is, Cozzins AGREES with SUWA, except Ae doesn’t want to say it out ite AT LONG LAST...TURIYA TO THE RESCUE After years of pleading and whining and begging for someone to come forward and become The Zephyr’s first advertising representative, | am oy to announce that the Impossible has occurred...there really IS someone crazy and demented enough to at least attemipt to deal with my eccentricities and generally grumpy demeanor. Turiya (with the accent on the FIRST syllable, goddamnit) is now The Zephyr’s Vice President in Charge of Ads and I want all of you to call her immediately and sign up for very large amounts of ad space so she doesn’t get discouraged and quit. 20... SELF-SCRUTINTY from THE 'OTHER SIDE' So owner of the luxury lodge Sorrel River Ranch was funding Cozzins’ campaign to the tune of $6000. A claim denied by Dave. And please, when...or if...you make it to the end of the article, let me know what you think. All comments will be posted on the Zephyr’s web site and as many as possible in the next print edition. Thanks. A Lifetime professional FOUR-WHEELER some tough love for his fellow jeepers By Bill Burke 25...DEPUY! More from the Master & an Excerpt from Abbey's "My Friend Debris” 26...THE DIMFORMATION AGE REPORTING from the CRAWL SPACE of HISTORY...notes from the desk of... .-NED MUDD Here’s the vital info: TURIYA, zephyrads@sisna.com 435.259.9358 28... HERB RINGER'S AMERICAN WEST camping in Death Valley. 1950 © Supporters of Lewis (though I never heard this from Jim himself) were convinced that local mogul Robbie Levin, read the story, you'll see that it’s not a 10,000 word diatribe, but a heavily documented story that draws much of its material from past issues of SUWA’s newsletter, “Red Rock Wilderness.” In many cases, it’s their words more than mine. 30... FEEDBACK: The Readers Respond So Sometimes the contradictions are almost hilarious. Last fall during the local election campaigns for County Council, one race in particular, between incumbent Jim Lewis and challenger Dave Cozzins, got a bit nasty. Here were the rumors as they came across my computer in a variety of " emails--- She’s already made an excellent start. Thanks Turiya... offers |