The following letter to the editor ran last week in the Times of Trenton.  We join Terry in thanking Rep. Rush Holt for his tireless advocacy for protecting Utah wilderness.

Rep. Rush Holt (D-Hopewell) has been a long-time champion for the people and conservation. On April 18, he once again stepped up to the plate as the new lead sponsor of America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, which would protect more than nine million acres of spectacular public lands in Utah from threats including oil and gas development, mining and inappropriate off-road vehicle use.

I thank Rep. Holt for his bold, visionary leadership in seeking to protect these lands that are owned by every American citizen, including all of us in New Jersey. I have hiked in southern Utah and know firsthand the value of preserving the natural, recreational and cultural resources of the region for future generations. The act would leave large undisturbed landscapes intact, helping to reduce the effects of global warming on this dry, desert area.

All of us in New Jersey should applaud Rep. Holt for his commitment to protecting our country’s wild places and, specifically, America’s Red Rock Wilderness in Utah.

— Terry Stimpfel,
Robbinsville
The writer is New Jersey Sierra Club Central Group chairwoman.