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Moab’s Wild Places Need Your Voice!

Nov 19th, 2015 Written by Steve Bloch

Tired of hearing about lease sales and drilling proposals in the heart of Utah’s canyon country? Now is your chance to influence the planning process and keep new roads, oil rigs, waste pits, and pipelines out of Utah’s most iconic redrock landscapes.

The BLM’s Canyon Country District Office is accepting public comments on the draft Moab Master Leasing Plan through Monday, Nov. 23rd. Once finalized, this plan will govern the scope, pace, and nature of oil, gas, and potash development on more than 750,000 acres of public lands in the stunning Moab area.

Tell the BLM to protect Moab’s redrock country from oil, gas, and potash development.

While the draft MLP is a good first step to protect places like Fisher Towers, Porcupine Rim, and Goldbar Canyon from being overrun by the sight and sound of pump jacks and drill rigs, more work remains to be done.

Labyrinth Canyon (Ray Bloxham)
Labyrinth Canyon, copyright Ray Bloxham/SUWA.

Under the BLM’s current “preferred alternative,” Labyrinth Canyon and its many stunning side canyons would be targeted for leasing and drilling. The agency would also give potash development and its staggering water use the green light – with over 42,000 acres of public lands prioritized as “potash processing facility areas,” including sites near Labyrinth Canyon and at the entrance to the Needles and Anticline Overlook roads.

If you want to see these magnificent landscapes protected, not exploited, let the BLM know!

The BLM needs to hear from you that you value the greater Moab area’s dark night skies, clean air, and wild open spaces.

Click here to send your comments to the BLM by the November 23rd deadline.

You can also send comments via your personal email account to blm_ut_mb_mlpcomments@blm.gov or write to Brent Northrup, MLP Project Manager, 82 East Dogwood, Moab, Utah 84532.