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Show BLM Publishes Rule Requiring Permits For Demonstrations At Grand Staircase-Escalante NM On Sept. 1, the Bureau of Land Management published an interim final rule that requires groups or individuals to obtain a permit for public demonstrations on Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Monu-ment in Utah. The BLM's interim final rule, which has taken effect, gives the, BLM permit-issuance authority to manage public demonstrations demon-strations and protests within the Monument. The rule is not directed in any way at the subject matter of any such demonstrations or protests; it does affect when and where such activities may be held. The BLM will accept public comments on today's rule for the next 30 days and will publish a final rule after reviewing re-viewing those comments. "This interim final rule is intended in-tended to make sure that visitors to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument have safe access to our visitor centers and to other Monument Monu-ment facilities," said BLM Utah State Director Sally Wisely. "The rule also seeks to prevent confrontations confronta-tions between opposing groups and to protect special places within the Monument." The interim final rule, she said, "generally gives the BLM a management man-agement tool to ensure visitor access ac-cess and resource protection without infringing on the free-speech and assembly rights of protesters." In Escalante, activists Tori Woodard and Pat Diehl have challenged chal-lenged the new rule and BLM's "'emergency' procedure" that implemented im-plemented it, saying it is only proposed pro-posed at this point and invalid without expiration of the 30-day comment period which is not up until Oct. 2. Patrick Diehl From Kanab on Tuesday, monument manager Kate Cannon said she felt the action may have been motivated by a confrontation that took place in July of 1999 between members of People For the USA' and local environmentalist activist members of the Escalante Wilderness Project. Patrick Diehl, however, said an earlier draft he has of the rule implies that their 3-day Memorial Day tabling action at the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center Cen-ter "blocked" access, something he calls a "falsehood." Diehl suggests his plans to table over Labor Day at the same location may have led to the BLM to rush them out "on the spurious basis that there might be trouble on the Labor Day weekend without them." He said that Cannon Can-non had called them "about Aug. 23" to tell them they would have to change their tabling location. Diehl said that on Sept. 1, they were told they could table in the previously agreed-upon location. "I table all weekend, nothing happens." hap-pens." he said. "No confrontations with members of the PFUSA, no permit requirement for tabling, and no interventions by BLM law enforcement. en-forcement. "So what was it all about? I think that the BLMGSENM, at one point, had' reason to think (or at least believed they did) that a serious confronta tion was going to occur during the Labor Day weekend. Then, as the weekend approached, they decided nothing was going to happen" but were already committed to publishing publish-ing their rule by Sept. 1. Diehl said he believed the "maneuvering around" had to do with the cows which were supposed to be off the Lake allotment by (See BLM PERMITS on Page 7-A) r rrrrrrr BUM PERMITS (From Front Page) Sept. 1. "Confusing?? Yes!" said Diehl. "And we're confused, too." The BLM's Monument Office in Kanab will be responsible for issuing the demonstration permits. The interim rule requires applicants to submit dates, location, duration, and format of the demonstration. Also, the BLM will ask applicants to provide an estimate of the number num-ber of participants, types of props, sound equipment, vehicles, and related information in order to assess as-sess impact on resources within the Monument. Section 4 of the supplementary rules says that regulated activities may, in general, take place anywhere any-where within the monument and at associated facilities, but paragraph b. of the section says the "BLM will designate certain specific areas or locations, both within the Monument and at Monument facilities, facili-ties, where we will not allow public pub-lic demonstrations under any circumstances, cir-cumstances, regardless of their size or nature." The list includes BLM administrative adminis-trative offices; areas with sensitive habitat; scientific and historical sites, including paleontological and archeological sites; inherently dangerous dan-gerous sites; and areas with fragile or scarce features and resources such as sandstone arches or endangered species. It may change as assessments assess-ments change. Obstructing public access to visitor centers appeared to be a significant sig-nificant focus of the restrictions, and parking lots will not be available avail-able because of their need for search and rescue access and staging for wildfire operations. Wisely encouraged the public to submit comments about the interim final rule during the 30-day comment com-ment period "so that we can make any necessary revisions before finalizing final-izing the rule." Comments must be submitted in writing by October 2, 2000, to Director (630), Bureau of Land Management, Administrative Administra-tive Record, Room 401 LS, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20240. Comments may also be sent electronically via the Internet to WOCommentblm.gov. Electronic Elec-tronic comments should include the subject heading "Attn: AD40." Copies of the interim final rule may be obtained from the BLM's Utah State Office (324 South State Street, 4th Floor, Salt Lake City, 84111). The rule is also accessible from the Internet at www.blm.gov and from the Federal Register Web site at http:www.access.gpo.govnaraind ex. html . |