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Author: Travis Hammill

CategoriesAction Alerts

Take Action: Ask Your Representative to Recognize the 60th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act!

Sep 5th, 2024 Written by Travis Hammill

This week marks the 60th anniversary of the Wilderness Act and the establishment of the National Wilderness Preservation System! Since it was signed into law in 1964, this groundbreaking federal […]

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CategoriesBlog

Rep. John Curtis Claims Conservation-Cred, Tax Breaks While Practicing Party Line Anti-Environment Politics

May 25th, 2023 Written by Travis Hammill

The recent Washington Post article highlighting Utah Rep. John Curtis’s opportunistic use of clean-energy tax credits he voted against is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes […]

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CategoriesAction Alerts

Help Build Support for America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act in the 118th Congress!

Mar 1st, 2023 Written by Travis Hammill

Good news! Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) will soon reintroduce America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act in the 118th Congress. Next week, activists from across the U.S. […]

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CategoriesBlog

What to Expect in the 118th Congress

Feb 21st, 2023 Written by Travis Hammill

We’re about a month and a half into the new Congress and priorities of both the Senate and the House of Representatives are beginning to coalesce as committees are seated, […]

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CategoriesAction Alerts

Western Residents: Ask Your Senators to Sign a Letter to Sec. Haaland Urging Bold Action on Conservation

Nov 1st, 2022 Written by Travis Hammill

Action opportunity for residents of Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Montana The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) oversees 245 million acres of land largely spread across […]

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SUWA is hiring a legal fellow! This is a 2-year li SUWA is hiring a legal fellow! This is a 2-year litigation position that will focus on defense of Utah’s wildest federal public lands. SUWA’s work includes cases involving national monuments, off-road vehicles, R.S. 2477, energy development, and vegetation removal. 

The legal fellow works closely with other program staff in SUWA’s Salt Lake and Moab offices and is supervised by the legal director. We are looking for 1-3 years of relevant experience, including familiarity with federal public land, environmental, and administrative law statutes and regulations. Full job description can be found at suwa.org/careers.

📸 Jack Dykinga
Silence is permission. Learn more from this inform Silence is permission. Learn more from this informative and interactive piece from @morethanjustparks. Share with friends & fam then call your Reps! 

Comment 🧡 and we'll DM you the link!
Bad news, the BLM is considering expanding off-roa Bad news, the BLM is considering expanding off-road vehicle use across the San Rafael Swell and Desert, by amending the current (already not great) management plans. 

Good news is, there is something you can do about it! Join our webinar next Wednesday, May 27 at 6pm MT to learn about the latest attacks on the San Rafael and how to submit a substantial comment. Register at the link in @protectwildutah's bio. #protectwildutah
We are thrilled to welcome Mimi as SUWA's new Utah We are thrilled to welcome Mimi as SUWA's new Utah Organizer! Mimi comes to this work through a deep personal love of place; raised in New Mexico with a Mexican heritage that taught her early on that land, culture, and community are inseparable. Her path has taken her from Capitol Hill to international climate networks, and after a visit to Bears Ears she made her way to Utah. She believes that policy and litigation matter, but that the people who live, work, and find meaning in these landscapes are what move the needle long-term. She's here to continue growing Utah's broad and passionate coalition of public lands advocates. Please join us in welcoming Mimi to the team! She comes with the experience, the heart, and the herencia to do this work justice.
Sad news today, as Garfield County has begun chip Sad news today, as Garfield County has begun chip sealing (effectively paving) the first 10 miles of Hole-in-the-Rock Road within Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Though this may seem like a positive step to some, let us explain why we fight to preserve the wild character of rugged backroads such as this.

Hole-in-the-Rock Road is an unpaved, primarily dirt road that is core to the remote experience that defines the monument. From just east of the town of Escalante all the way to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area—it provides access to popular destinations like Spooky and Peek-A-Boo slot canyons, Devil's Garden, and Coyote Gulch. Surrounded by wilderness-quality lands, 57 of the road’s 62 miles are within the monument.

While Garfield County has title to a right-of-way for the road, it does not own the road or the land beneath it (this remains federal public land) and it cannot lawfully take action to improve the road. The county is required to consult with the BLM before making any improvements, such as widening or or chip sealing the surface.

Additionally, the BLM is required by law to protect the things that make the monument so special, and to make sure that activities like these do not cause unnecessary damage to public lands. Sadly, the agency entirely failed in those duties, standing by while the county conducted weeks of unauthorized work.

When SUWA learned that the BLM had authorized the county to proceed with the chip sealing, we sought a temporary restraining order from the court; late last Friday a federal judge denied our request. 

This week we’ve filed another motion seeking an emergency injunction to pause the county’s chip seal road work. Meanwhile, the county is rushing to complete the paving before the court has a chance to rule on that motion.

Regardless, our pending case will proceed in federal court, and we expect to prevail. But by then the changes to the road and damage to the monument will be done. Paving will lead to more, faster, and louder traffic, changing the remote, serene backcountry experience in the monument forever.
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Main Office

425 East 100 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
(801) 486-3161

Washington, DC

122 C Street, NW Suite 650
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 546-2215

Moab

P.O. Box 968
Moab, UT 84532

Yard Signs

Our popular “Protect Wild Utah” yard signs (in both English and Spanish) are available for pickup at SUWA’s Salt Lake City office and at many of our local events. To arrange an office pickup time (between 9-5, M-F), please call (801) 486-3161 or email us at info@suwa.org.

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