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Show Escalante Chamber Of Commerce Joins National Organization To Protest And Fight "Land Grab" By Nethella Woolsey The Escalante Chamber of Commerce voted last Thursday to Join the Multlple-Use-Or ganization of Coeur D'Alene. Idaho, whose motto is "Don't Be Locked Out Of Our Public Lands' Similar organizations and many Individuals in all parts of I'tah and In several other Western states have sent messages through the Chamber to the people of Escalante. Boulder, and Wayne County who are to be deprived of range lands and potentials In oil and minerals through the addition of 215.000 acres to the Capitol Reef National Monument by edict of President Johnson In the last hours of his administration. After a two-year study the state Geological and Minerals Survey whose director is Dr. William Hewitt reports oil reserves In Circle Cliffs of from 500 million to one billion barrels, some of which can be obtained by conventional drilling, the rest by a comparatively simple process of heating the oil-impregnated sandstone. About half of this oil is lost to the enlarged monument, slated to become a national park. Much valuable uranium ore will also be lost. The loss that has the most emotional impact on the area Is that of the cattle grazing ranges. Forty ranchers in Wayne County, one in Piute County, and five in Boulder will lose their allotments. Four of the Boulder men will lose only a part of their allot men; one will lose all of his range. Cattle raising In this area cannot be successful without use of the public ranges Every effort by local organizations is being msde to have . the boundaries of the new park moved back Representative Laurence Burton has Introduced a bill in congress that would have this effect Senator Wallace F Bennett has introduced one to rescind the Presidential edict. At this time little hope Is expressed for its passage. Senator Frank E Moss was reported by the Salt Lake Tribune to have said at a press conference In the Federal building office. "Expansion of the monuments appears to be a perfectly reasonable proposal" and "I rather think it la likely the new boundaries will stay." |