Burt Delambert, a cowboy whose cattle graze in the Book Cliffs area, noted that ranches were built based on grazing permits.

Members of the interim committee discussed setting up a group to work toward solutions.

"We do believe in multiple use," said Mathis. "Nobody wants to stop the gas and oil."

Sen. Tom Hatch, R-Panguitch, said most of the land is BLM property. "Our ability to influence what goes on on that land is somewhat limited," he said.

Rep. Bradley T. Johnson, R-Aurora, noted that when oil is developed, even when it's on federal land, "there's a lot of money there for the state." Maybe some of this could be used to help the ranchers, he indicated.

Problem environmentalists:

Lee Peacock of the Utah Petroleum Association and Don Colton, president of Pioneer Oil and Gas, South Jordan, complained about tactics by environmental groups. Both also expressed support for ranchers, and Colton said there was no mechanism for oil companies to compensate for conflicts on federal land.

When the BLM sells oil and gas leases, Peacock said, "most of these lands are protested." Environmentalists file protests that can hang up projects.

After those protests are resolved and the company gets the go-ahead, he said, the groups may protest again about drilling. Then they may protest over plans for seismic exploration.

Lease fees may be hung up in escrow "for years and years," he said.

Colton said that less than 1 percent of BLM land has surface disturbance by oil and gas development.

In a lease auction this week, the BLM offered 176 parcels, he said. Of these 156 were protested, mostly by two groups, he added. Bid fees amounted to $12 million, half of it earmarked for the state, but money will go into escrow because of the protests.

"It's basically a delaying tactic," he said.

Environmentalists can be part of the public involvement process when the BLM writes management plans, he added. That is when their views should be considered. But once the plans are in place and projects are gearing up, "they get protested again," he said.

"They get protested every stage." Each protest can take a year to resolve, he added. Colton said frivolous protests are a tactic aimed at preventing any development.

"We're looking at a lot of money that these environmental groups are holding up just for no reason," Johnson said. "We need to do something about it."

Colton said he would like to see Congress address the issue. New regulations should require the payment of damages if protests fail, he said.

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E-mail: bau@desnews.com