Public lands imperiled

I write in response to the article published on Sept. 1 concerning the Bureau of Land Management's plan to open 2.5 million acres of land to oil and gas drilling. These are not the only public lands that will be threatened by the desires of private companies. In July, Ann Veneman announced that the Forest Service would be repealing the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. The Roadless Rule protects 58.5 million acres of national forests, including 4 million acres here in Utah.

All concerned citizens must call on the Bush administration to keep in place this important protection for our national forests. Our federal tax dollars are used to administer the national forests. We should not allow the Bush administration to hand over national public lands to state governors.

Mike Somers

Salt Lake City