Legislators see red over 'red rock' bill

They say N.Y. official's plans for Utah wilds will hurt local economy

Published: Friday, Jan. 11, 2008 12:21 a.m. MST
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Two Utah lawmakers are opposing a New York congressman's plan to "lock away" more than 9 million acres of wilderness land around the state.

In a letter sent to more than 160,000 Utahns this week, Utah Rep. Aaron Tilton, R-Springville, and Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, said the proposed legislation would "cost Utah hundreds of millions of dollars" and lead "America to become more dependent on energy from hostile foreign nations."

The bill, proposed by U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y., would designate wilderness land in the Uinta Basin, Mojave Desert, Grand Staircase-Escalante, Glen Canyon, Canyonlands and the San Rafael Swell, among other locations.

The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance has offered its support for the legislation.

The legislation, dubbed America's Red Rock Wilderness Act, would help preserve the natural state of Utah's wildlands, according to a statement on Hinchey's Web site.

But Tilton and Noel believe it will bring economic troubles to Utah.

"It will raise the cost of energy and drive monthly bills higher — hurting low-income families the most," they wrote.

The Utah representatives said Hinchey "doesn't trust Utahns to do the right thing on lands in our state" and called SUWA "an extremist political group" that is "fueled by millions of dollars from out-of-state extremists and Hollywood elites."

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Tilton and Noel urged residents to sign an online petition at www.stoputahlandgrab.org.

Recent comments

The News shows its bias by using the term "lock away" to describe...

Sphenodon | Jan. 11, 2008 at 8:10 p.m.

When it comes to environmental protection, outside help is exactly...

Fifth Generation Utahn | Jan. 11, 2008 at 12:17 p.m.

Sen. Hinchey from NY and Dick Durbin from Chicago need to stay out of...

Anonymous | Jan. 11, 2008 at 12:01 p.m.

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