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Show Controversial Wilderness Areas Get Agency Review HANKSVILLE - A field review of some controversial areas proposed to be dropped by the BLM from further wilderness review was conducted by BLM State Director Gary Wicks in Hanksville. Wicks personally inspected in-spected several areas which received substantial sub-stantial public comment after the proposed decision to drop areas or portions of areas was announced in April. These areas are Fid- Resource Area. Wicks, along with representatives represen-tatives from the Wayne and Garfield county commissioners, the governor's staff, conservation con-servation groups, and BLM field personnel conducted a helicopter tour and an on-the-ground inspection at several strategic locations. Wicks is also viewing other areas throughout the state which have received substantial public comment during the end of the Intensive Inventory dler Butte, Ragged Mountain, Swap Mesa, The Blue Hills and South Cainville Mesa, all located within BLM's Henry Mountain phase of BLM Wilderness Review. According to Herb Hunt, Richfield District's Wilderness Specialist, a final decision on these, and all other BLM areas, will be announced in mid-November. mid-November. Those areas designated as "Wilderness "Wilder-ness Study Areas" will be further studied for other resource values. Only the United States Congress can designate wilderness. Areas eliminated from the review in mid-November will be released from the interim management guidelines currently in effect. Also reviewing the areas with Wicks were Harold Ekker, Wayne County Commissioner; Del LeFever, Garfield County Commissioner; Chauncy Powis, governors gover-nors wilderness committee; com-mittee; Kent Biddulph, BLM State wilderness coordinator; Terry Sopher, BLM Washington wilderness coordinator; Don Pendleton, BLM Richfield. .District manager; Larry Sip, BLM Hanksville area manager; Debbie Sease, Wilderness Society, Washington, D.C.; Herb Hunt, BLM Richfield Wilderness coordinator; Ed Bovy, BLM Richfield outdoor recreation planner; Mike Cowley, Salt Lake City; Brent Calkin, Sierra Club, regional representative. |