Utah wilderness group lists 10 threatened places

[landusepbb]

More blather from what I consider the most dangerous of all the eco-nazi organizations.

by The Associated Press
Article Last Updated; Saturday, July 10, 2010 12:00AM
SALT LAKE CITY - Ten "wilderness treasures" in the state are among those most threatened by energy development and off-road vehicles, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance says.

SUWA released a list of the chosen locations Thursday and called for new wilderness study areas to protect parts of southern and eastern Utah until Congress decides what to do with the lands included in the proposed Redrock Wilderness Act.

The locations include Labyrinth Canyon, Upper Desolation Canyon and Factory Butte.

U.S. Bureau of Land Management spokesman Craig Leff said the agency designates lands for new wilderness study areas only if there is public participation.

"It's an open process," said Leff, who noted he wasn't speaking about SUWA's list specifically because of pending litigation.

SUWA also said the BLM has approved 20,000 miles of all-terrain vehicle trails in eastern Utah without having inventoried archaeological sites.

"It really does impact your experience, but it also causes soil erosion," said SUWA Associate Director Heidi McIntosh. "It degrades the resource."

Wilderness study areas get nearly the same protections, generally including the prohibition of vehicles, as they would if Congress designated them for permanent protection.

Other sites on the list include Cedar Mesa-Comb Ridge, Vermilion Cliffs-Upper Kanab Creek, Moquith Mountain, Dirty Devil Country, Glen Canyon-San Juan River, the Canyonlands basin and rims east of Canyonlands National Park and Price River-Long Spring Wash.

Moquith Mountain near Kanab is currently a wilderness study area.

State Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, said he supports enforcement against off-roaders who leave designated trails.

"It's never been my desire to see off-road vehicle use willy-nilly off of public roads," Noel said.

But he said he worries that SUWA wants to shut down routes from which people might hike or hunt after parking.

"Their intention is to shut down any access outside of walking access," he said.

http://www.durangoherald.com/section...atened_places/