San Rafael Swell Campground
Last Friday Juan Palma; the BLM state director, yanked most of the federal acreage within the San Rafael area that was slated to be on the auction block for oil and gas leases.
According to an article in the Salt Lake Tribune Utah’s two Republican U.S. Senators called it a “bait and switch”. That is laughable considering that those wilderness lands belong to the public and not to the oil and gas industry.
Lee Peacock, executive director of the Utah Petroleum industry, is quoted in the November 15th Salt Lake Tribune article:
“It’s disappointing. Leasing is the life blood of the oil and gas industry,” Peacock said. “Leasing is just the beginning of a long process. There are numerous opportunities for public input and regulatory analysis that goes into a particular parcel before it can ever be developed.”
The life blood of Utah depends on outdoor recreation and travel industry which generates 7 billion dollars in annual revenue for the state. That industry would suffer greatly with the development of oil and gas drilling in these wilderness areas.
I applaud Juan Palma’s decision to pull the wilderness acreage from this years auction within the San Rafael are in Emery County. Well done.
Mia
Articles:
My recent post: The San Rafael Swell – BLM Keep Oil and Gas drilling out and keep the wilderness intact
Salt Lake Tribune: San Rafael Swell land yanked from Utah oil and gas auction
NRDC Switchboard: The Interior Department’s Remarkable Decision to Not Allow the Drilling of Utah Wilderness
Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance: More great news! Wild lands in San Rafael Swell won’t be leased!
Deseret News: BLM pulls controversial San Rafael Swell parcels
Hi! We all need to fight for our Parks, willerness and National Forrest and all our free lands to stay free.
Yay, good news! What a gorgeous shot!
That’s great – for now! Does it all have to be gone through again next year?
How wonderful. I am so very glad.
The lifeblood of this planet hinges on our species willingness to tread lightly, a task that’s become increasingly challenging as our thirst for consumption never wants to diminish. “Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher.” ~ William Wordsworth
Nice job of presenting this good news. I like your quotes and round-up of related articles, and another wonderful image of these lands that need to be preserved as wilderness.
This is wonderful news for a really beautiful site!
What a GREAT piece of GOOD news for a change!!! To hell with the “Life blood” whining of the gas and oil industry…in fact to hell with them! Maybe I’ll chage my tine when iI see some REAL efforts at conservation vs the flagrant waste we see now….think SOLAR.!
Absolutely magnificent scene … I haven’t had the good fortune to visit this area, but I’m certain your image is representative. This is good news that it is safe!!!
It’s so beautiful there, and I’m really glad to hear that it was pulled out of the auction.