WASHINGTON — Oil and gas exploration in Utah's backcountry has put oil companies within five miles of almost every national park, monument and wilderness area in the state, according to research by the national public health and enviroment watchdog Environmental Working Group.

Mining, oil and gas interests have developed — or the federal government has offered for development — lands within five miles of 82 percent of Utah's 296 "national treasures."

"These natural treasures are an irreplaceable part of our nation's heritage," said EWG analyst Dusty Horwitt. "But drilling and mining interests already have greater access to public lands than we do, and they still want more."

The group's analysis is based on a two-year review of government data, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, on drilling and mining in and around western parks, wilderness areas and forests.

"Nationally, the data show that at current loss rates, within 20 years these extractive industries will actively drill, mine or control public lands within five miles or less of every western treasure, including national parks and wilderness areas," the report states.

The three "treasures" most threatened in Utah, the report found, are Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Desolation Canyon and Muddy Creek/Crack Canyon.

Most of the recent interest in Utah has focused on the eastern part of the state, where oil and natural gas reserves have been located. In fact, the Bureau of Land Management office in Vernal is reportedly the second busiest BLM office in the country.

But the study found companies are actively mining or drilling, or have filed pending proposals to do so, inside Utah parks and national forests across the state.

The study also found that the push closer and closer to treasured lands has not produced anything close to a windfall of energy. From 1989 to 2003, the industry produced enough oil to satisfy the nation's needs for 53 days and enough natural gas to meet national needs for 221 days.

The study, available on the Internet at www.ewg.org, is the first attempt to map industry control of lands in and around "our most spectacular western places." The maps also allow citizens to identify the companies and individuals who hold the leases to those federal lands.

"EWG's findings demonstrate the need for a more balanced public lands policy that protects treasured places and emphasizes sustainable development over the downward spiral of boom and bust so common to mining and drilling," the organization said in a prepared statement.

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