Interior Secretary Salazar announces policy that would protect federal wild lands
“'We were very pleased that the secretary recognized the importance of wilderness to all Americans,' said Heidi McIntosh, staff attorney for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. 'He set a very high standard that BLM will now have to implement.'
SUWA had asked the administration to reject the Norton-Leavitt deal, and was happy with Salazar’s move but is waiting to see how the BLM applies it. In the past, McIntosh said, the agency has been too eager to rule out protection of wild lands." Read more – The Salt Lake Tribune
More headlines:
Department of Interior Press Release
The Associated Press/The Washington Post
Wilderness creates outdoor recreation jobs
"It’s hard to promote environmental ethics in a slack economy; inevitably, someone will use the phrase 'job-killer' to describe today’s announcement. The list of speakers at the conference seemed to suggest that Interior’s public relations department had prepared for that: On hand was not just Salazar and BLM Director Bob Abbey, but Peter Metcalf, the outspoken CEO of Black Diamond Outdoor Equipment, there to remind the audience that outdoor recreation creates jobs, too –more, in the long run, than oil and gas combined." Read more – High Country News
Five questions for SUWA's new Media Director
"The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance recently launched a massive media campaign and a new Website (UtahWilderness.org) to spread the message of wilderness protection. SUWA’s new media director, Mathew Gross, talked to City Weekly about the SUWA’s efforts and Utah’s wilderness." Read more – Salt Lake City Weekly
