Categories

April 2018 Redrock Report

Apr 13th, 2018 Written by suwa

Comments Due this Week on Planning Process for Reduced Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (Jack Dykinga)As you know, last December President Trump took the unprecedented action of repealing Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, slashing it by nearly half and splitting the region into three separate management units. Despite legal challenges filed by SUWA and partner organizations over this unlawful abuse of presidential authority, the Bureau of Land Management has initiated a new planning process and is accepting public “scoping” comments through this Friday.

>> Click here to submit comments on Grand Staircase-Escalante by April 13th.

Your actions play a critical role in protecting Grand Staircase-Escalante as our legal team works to restore the monument to its original state. Thank you!

Photo © Jack Dykinga


Join Monument Watch: Help Us Keep Eyes and Ears on the Ground

White Canyon Narrows (James Kay)SUWA has filed two lawsuits challenging President Trump’s drastic reductions o f Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments. Untilthe courts rule on these lawsuits, we will work to defend all landswithin the original monuments from any harm. You can help by participating in Monument Watch.

When you visit lands within the original,  legalboundaries of Be ars Ea  r s and Grand Staircase-Escalante NationalMonuments, watch for any action that may disturb, or is disturbing, thenatural setting or archaeological sites. If you live in southern Utah,listen and watch for any evidence that such an action is being plannedor initiated. We need your eyes and ears!

>> Click here to learn more and get involved

Photo © James Kay


Next on BLM’s Lease Sale List: the San Rafael Desert

Flat TopsIn a sign that the Trump administration’s ill-conceived push for “energy dominance” has fully arrived, the Bureau of Land Management’s Utah state office is proposing to offer approximately 159,000 acres of public land in Utah’s sublime San Rafael Desert for oil and gas leasing and development at its September 2018 lease sale. The BLM is also planning to revive more than 45,000 acres of suspended leases that were mothballed as a result of successful litigation brought by SUWA in 2006.

These terrible proposals threaten lands with wilderness characteristics, including the San Rafael River, Sweetwater Reef, and Flat Tops proposed wilderness areas. They would also open up public land for leasing and development less than one mile from the Horseshoe Canyon unit of Canyonlands National Park and less than three miles from Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (see map). The proposals even threaten the San Rafael River and the Labyrinth Canyon section of the Green River; leases would be offered less than a quarter-mile from each.

SUWA will engage at every level of BLM’s leasing process and will continue to defend and protect Utah’s irreplaceable redrock wilderness from Secretary Zinke’s plans to sell off of our public lands heritage. Please stay tuned for opportunities to get involved and ways to have your voice heard by the BLM.

Photo © Ray Bloxham/SUWA


Wilderness Activists Take Washington by Storm

Wilderness Week Activists 2018Every year, activists from across the U.S. come to Washington to educate Congress on Utah public lands issues during the Utah Wilderness Coalition’s Wilderness Week, co-hosted by SUWA, Sierra Club, and NRDC. This year, a dozen teams went to Capitol Hill and visited over 200 offices in just three days in March. From a home base at the SUWA office, activists collectively walked over 300 miles around the Hill and through long congressional halls.

Love for the redrock moved activists to share their personal stories and connections to the canyon country during congressional meetings. Those stories struck a chord in many offices and we’ve already gained some new cosponsors of America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act.

For those unable to attend Wilderness Week, there is still an important part to play: No matter where you live, please call your member of Congress and ask her/him to cosponsor America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act today.

Text “ARRWA” to 52886 to take action now.

Photo © Travis Hammill/SUWA


New Ways to Support the Redrock!

Did you know that you can give to SUWA without writing a check or taking out your credit card? With the rapid growth of online giving channels, it’s never been easier to support the redrock. Here are just a few examples:

•    Are you active on social media? Start a Facebook birthday fundraiser on SUWA’s page and invite your friends to donate. Just click the “create” button on the top of the fundraiser portion of SUWA’s Facebook page. You may even get a birthday present from SUWA as a thank you! >>Click here to view past/current birthday fundraisers and start your own

•    Buying something on Amazon? Designate SUWA as your charity pick with AmazonSmile and 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products will go to our cause. >>Click here to learn more

Of course, you can also donate directly through our website at suwa.org/donate. However you choose to give, we appreciate your support!


Take Action from Your Smartphone to #ProtectWildUtah

Smartphone GraphicWould you like to receive text alert so you can quickly take action to #StandWithBearsEars and #ProtectWildUtah? Simply text the keyword SUWA to 52886 and we will alert you when public lands are threatened so you can send emails to your elected officials, tweet at representatives, and share your support for the red rock on Facebook! We’ll also let you know about events you can attend and actions you can take to ensure that public lands stay in public hands. Sign up today!