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Protecting Utah's Redrock Country

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Mussentuchit Badlands

Mussentuchit Badlands WIA_RayBloxham — Aerial view of Mussentuchit Badlands. Copyright Ray Bloxham/SUWA.

Mussentuchit Badlands (Ray Bloxham) — Colorful geological strata of the Mussentuchit Badlands. Copyright Ray Bloxham/SUWA.

2014-08-30 Mussentuchits_SteveBloch_2 — The Mussentuchit Badlands are home to numerous cultural sites and rock art panels.

Mussentuchit1, Ray Bloxham — Mussentuchit Badlands. Copyright Ray Bloxham/SUWA.

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Yesterday we held an educational event with @sierr

Yesterday we held an educational event with @sierraclubutah and @womenofbearsears surrounding the draft Bears Ears National Monument Management Plan. The BLM is currently accepting public comments on this plan until June 11th.

We heard a brief history of the monument and its designation, an overview of the different alternatives BLM is considering, three essential components that SUWA supports, and how to write a great public comment (hint—personalize it!).

Meredith Benally from Women of Bear Ears shared her perspective on the current draft management plan and emphasized how Alternative E is both the BLM’s preferred alternative, as well as the Tribal Alternative. It was developed by the agency in consultation with the five Tribes of the Bears Ears Commission (Navajo, Pueblo of Zuni, Hopi, Ute, and Ute Mountain Ute).

Last night's event concluded with food from The Bluebird Stand—Navajo tacos, three sisters stew, and blue corn cookies. Thank you to everyone who participated, both online and in person!

Interested in learning more on how to protect Bears Ears? There is still time! Show up to the BLM-hosted public meeting in Salt Lake City this Thursday, April 18th (we'll be meeting at 5 p.m. at the Corner Bakery Cafe on Foothill Drive and walking to the 6 p.m. meeting together) to learn more and ask questions. Can’t make it? Tell your friends! SUWA will have an advocacy action coming soon too— so be on the lookout.

❗Urgent news❗ The House Natural Resources Subc

❗Urgent news❗ The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands is holding a Field Hearing in Hurricane, UT on Monday, April 22 at 12:00 pm. This is a chance to make clear the overwhelming local opposition to the proposed Northern Corridor Highway and support for protecting the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area (NCA) and other public lands in Washington County.

The meeting will take place next Monday, April 22 at 12:00 pm at The Rock Bowl at Sand Hollow Resort (5662 West Clubhouse Drive, Hurricane, UT)
*Important: Do NOT follow Google Maps instructions to the Rock Bowl (listed as 5665 West Clubhouse Drive). Navigate to and park at the Grille at Sand Hollow Resort. Then follow the signs to the Rock Bowl (about a quarter-mile walk on a paved path).

Seating will likely be limited and we recommend arriving at 11:00 am. Please wear green—and be on the lookout for staff and volunteers from SUWA and Conserve Southwest Utah. The Rock Bowl is an open-air grass amphitheater, so bring your own chair/blanket, water, food, and sunscreen! It’s supposed to be 90 degrees and there is no shade.

During this hearing, Republican members of the Subcommittee will likely focus on the proposed Northern Corridor Highway. Members of the public will not be allowed to comment during the hearing, but we want to show up as a visual reminder of the fierce opposition to paving over the Red Cliffs with a major highway. This partisan hearing is out of touch with local and national support for protecting public lands, and it is key that community members show up who value conservation and protected public lands.

As you may remember, the Northern Corridor Highway is a proposed four-lane highway through Red Cliffs NCA. For years, residents and concerned individuals across the country have voiced their opposition to a highway that would contradict the act of Congress that established the NCA, bulldoze critical habitat for the Mojave desert tortoise, and damage a landscape renowned for its scenic views, recreation, and wildlife.

Please join us next Monday, April 22 to help protect Red Cliffs NCA!

Yesterday, the National Parks Conservation Associa

Yesterday, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) successfully settled and dismissed their lawsuits against the National Park Service (NPS) over off-road vehicle management at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA). In light of the settlement, the two cases in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia were dismissed, marking a significant victory for the protection of national park land from harmful impacts of off-highway vehicles (OHVs) and street-legal all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). The settlement does not affect recreation on Lake Powell.

Spanning southern Utah and northern Arizona, Glen Canyon NRA is cherished for its dramatic redrock landscapes, deep canyons and mesas, and the quiet solitude it offers as one of the nation’s most remote recreation areas. In 2021, an NPS rule expanded motorized vehicle use, ignoring the significant impacts widespread use would have on the NRA’s vegetation, wildlife, and stunningly quiet landscape. Of particular concern was the Park Service’s new authorization of OHV and street-legal ATV use in the remote and ecologically sensitive Orange Cliffs area that borders Canyonlands National Park.

After years of litigation, NPCA, SUWA, and NPS successfully reached an agreement that commits the Park Service to propose a revised rule that better protects the ecological integrity and visitor experience of Glen Canyon NRA, limiting OHVs and street-legal ATVs in the park’s most delicate areas.

Below is a quote from SUWA Staff Attorney, Hanna Larsen.

“We’re pleased to reach this settlement with the National Park Service and start the process to bring a more balanced approach to where motorized vehicles can operate in the NRA. “In particular, as lake levels at Lake Powell continue to fluctuate – and concerning activities such as the spread of invasive species and illegal cross country motorized vehicle use increase – NPS must clearly manage where motorized vehicles can and cannot drive on an ever-changing and exposed shoreline. The settlement commits the Park Service to do that work.” —Hanna Larsen

Read the full press release at www.suwa.org

On one of the first sunny Saturday's of spring, tw

On one of the first sunny Saturday's of spring, two SUWA staffers had the privilege of attending the Celebrate Bears Ears event in Bluff, UT. Framed by tall red rock cliffs and the San Juan River, they spent the day learning about the incredible landscape, its need for protection, and the draft management plan for Bears Ears (which agencies are accepting comments on through June 11).

Event attendees heard from speakers from across the Southwest who have been fighting for the protection of this monument, such as the "Intergenerational Connections to Bears Ears" presentation led by @ancestrallands Leaders. During Charissa Miljessepe-Wilson's keynote presentation, “The Land Leads Us: Indigenous Learnings in Conservation, Leadership & Movements” she shared her approach as Co-Director of @bearsearscoalition, which has been shaped by the influence of Indigenous Traditional Knowledge in her upbringing.

Our staff loved learning how Tribal youth are actively connecting to the land, working to restore and preserve it, and inspiring others to do the same while becoming leaders in their own communities. They left feeling a renewed commitment to continue to advocate for the protection of Bears Ears and Southern Utah. Thank you to @bearsearspartnership who put on this incredible event!

Join us as an intern for Summer 2024! Reporting t

Join us as an intern for Summer 2024!

Reporting to and working with our Utah Grassroots Organizer on a variety of grassroots campaigns, the intern will support the Grassroots Team as they conduct activities to demonstrate support for protecting America’s Redrock Wilderness—a critical step towards mitigating the climate crisis and protecting biodiversity.

This is a great opportunity to gain valuable experience in the day-to-day functions of a nonprofit organization leading one of the most recognized conservation campaigns in the country. Interns will gain insights into environmental campaign planning, education, organizing, and activism. This internship is based in Salt Lake City and runs roughly Mid-May to Mid-August 2024.

Interested? Send a one-page cover letter summarizing why you’re the best candidate, how this opportunity fits into your education, and what you hope to gain from the experience. Please also include a one-page resume outlining any work and educational background. Send both items to: Nicole Milavetz, SUWA Utah Grassroots Organizer at nicole@suwa.org.

Application deadline: Monday, April 29, 2024.

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