Of all southern Utah counties with large wilderness potential, Emery seemed the best prepared to undertake a process to work through public lands issues there.  They’ve been actively involved in preparing a number of bills for legislation over the past decade, including a National Conservation Area and a National Monument...

A year ago, Mark Meloy told me about his dream of starting an organization committed to the appreciation and preservation of Cedar Mesa.  It turns out that with Senator Bennett’s announcement of a process to resolve public lands issues—including Cedar Mesa—in San Juan County, Mark’s timing was perfect. When I...

When we showed up in Monticello this past Tuesday morning, ten days had passed since Senator Bennett’s loss at the Utah Republican convention.  The future of the process to determine the fate of the San Juan—Canyonlands Wilderness was definitely in doubt when Bennett’s aide, Brad Shafer, cleared the air.  Brad...

Although many predicted it, Senator Bennett’s defeat in last Saturday’s Republican Convention still came in a cloud of disbelief.  Even those of us who have lived here forever and have grown used to Utah’s political antics were shocked.  We’ve heard from friends from other places who are worried that the...

“To San Juan County, access is as important as Special Designations”. I’m sitting in the San Juan County Administration building, in Monticello, Utah.  This is the fourth of eight “informational” meetings scheduled by Utah Senator Robert Bennett as part of his “San Juan County Public Lands Process”.  After yesterday’s comments,...