The Great Land Giveaway
As I left class this morning I passed the TSC patio were there was a big banner for protecting Utah wildlife along with this website www.suwa.org. I found an interesting article about RS 2477 stating:
"the right of way for the construction of highways over public lands, not reserved for public uses, is hereby granted."
A heated issue arises from this as to what is considered a highway. Is a highway tire tracks in the sand, old dry river beds, or even four wheeler trails? The concern that SUWA states is that roads are going to cross some areas that need to be preserved without any environemental studies.
Personally, I believe that there is a balance between the groups. There can still be progress and a preservation of the environment. What is your take?
posted by Kent @ 9:10 AM
1 Comments:
After reading SUWA's position on the issue, I had to laugh. "After more than two years of secret, closed-door negotiations between the Department of the Interior and State of Utah -- which SUWA has continually asked to be a part of -- Interior Secretary Gale Norton and Utah Governor Mike Leavitt signed and released a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), establishing a process by which RS 2477 claims can be granted across public lands. The MOU will allow states, counties, mining and oil and gas companies, and other private interests to use this arcane loophole to punch "constructed highways" throughout America's redrock wilderness with no regard for public comment, environmental review, or current environmental law."
Hmmm, "secret, closed-door negotiations" is redundant - and obviously intended to paint the elected government officials as the villains. Calling it an "arcane loophole" is like saying that it's an arcane loophole that includes trees in the kingdom Plantae; at the time the Redrock Wilderness Act was created, foot paths, cow tracks, and the like were the only highways that existed. I don't like the outcome of RS 2477, but they can be more honest in the way they present their issues instead of telling the voters that they made a stupid choice in electing officials.
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