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Show MOUNTAIN Continued from page 8 the verbiage to his political colleagues and pledged action: vowing to strip the newly-created national monument of funds to properly manage the land. Hansen also threatened to convene Congressional hearings on his accusation that 14 mature trees were cut down on the South Rim to provide a visual beautiful, backdrop for the President's announcement. Grand Canyon National Park officials described “absolutely Hansen’s false” and remarks as explained that the pinyon trees in question, located at a popular overlook, were temporarily tied back with yellow rope. Ken Rait, of the Salt Lake Citybased Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) put Clinton’s designation more poetically: “The stars were aligned. The backdrop was created by the arrogance of the Utah delegation, which snubbed much of its constituency. It pushed a wilderness bill that tried to bring down the spirit and intent of the wilderness act, [and that] put Utah public lands on the national map.” WY hie It it bees Svelve e years ago when environmentalists started locating and mapping the wilderness lands in Utah. Thousands of volunteer hours were spent out in the field, walking the land, checking boundaries and insuring that the statutorily-defined characteristics of wilderness were met. These volunteers came up with 5.7 million acres of pub- i rs TIMES lic lands which qualified as wilderness under the federal statute. They have spent more than a decade seeking permanent protection for these lands under the National Wilderness Preservation System. Instead of sponsoring a bill to protect these lands, Utah politicians initiated their own process, conceived by the governor and implemented by local county commissioners, who admit they favor opening these lands to development. Local county officials offered up a plan to protect 1.8 million acres as wilderness and open the remaining 20 million acres of public lands to oil exploration, coal and uranium mining and timber clearing. Grassroots mobilized: activists they attended hearings throughout the state, circulated petitions, wrote the governor, distributed flyers and brochures, and published newsletters. Wilderness supporters at the hearings outnumbered the opposition 2-to 1, and in some cases 3 to 1. Polls showed that most Utahns favor wilderness protection. And 71% of the comments received by the governor's office favored setting aside 5.7 million acres of wilderness. Despite this public display of opposition, the Utah Congressional delegation introduced a bill seeking exactly what the local county commissioners had said they wanted all along: legislation which would open 20 million acres of the public land to whatever development schemes the local Continued on page 10 1 Orr iae ‘omfort. i Ima Cetirt tL ver fetes s ere res MOUNTZ £36 West y MNASERUSssen | __comtor 801-647-3880 By ft 580 Main ¢ Galleria ark Mall ark City’s Florist Favorite on City Historic Main e Guaranteed Fresh Flowers e European Gardens 649-2600 World Wide Delivery ey nO © More cargo space than the Honda Passport and lauzu Rodeo ° Better braking than a Ford Explorer © More stability in a turn thana Chevy Blazer ® Ground clearance like a Ford vanes : “pf y n Features Available on the Outback®: ale Wheel Drive ) v oH STREET ® 2.5-Liter Engine — Standard ® Rear Cargo OT Ca hay ERG iiiitawa lary © Dual Aur Bage bs Su Veo TT Utre ‘Sanat oT PAGE 9 BjEaS STATE bd se |
