Coalition hails poll results on Dixie lands bill

ST. GEORGE — Results of a recent statewide poll show 89 percent of those surveyed think more public input is needed on proposed federal legislation affecting public lands in Washington County.

The telephone poll, conducted June 2-6 by Dan Jones & Associates for the Utah Wilderness Coalition, questioned 620 registered voters about the Washington County Growth and Conservation Act of 2006. The coalition is made up of the Sierra Club, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, the Wasatch Mountain Club, and The Wilderness Society.

The draft legislation, sponsored by Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, and Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, would designate new wilderness areas, allow the sale of 25,000 acres of federal land to private bidders, assign utility corridors and fund various conservation and education programs throughout the county.

"This poll clearly shows nearly 90 percent of Utahns believe this legislation deserves more public discussion," said Scott Groene, executive director of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, in Salt Lake City. "At this stage, it is federal legislation and it's appropriate to get the public involved in it. We are certainly hoping there will be more public opportunities."

Washington County commissioners Alan Gardner and Jim Eardley said Wednesday that the proposed legislation is the result of several dozen meetings held over a two-year period with all stakeholders.

"We feel we've done a thorough job," said Eardley. "We've held extensive meetings, had field trips and open houses. We've asked for public input over several months now and provided e-mail access for comments."

Eardley said the call now for more public hearings was "a typical tactic by special-interest groups to attack the process and say it was flawed." Gardner said he also didn't see the need to hold additional public hearings.

"This bill is for Washington County and meant for the residents here," he said. "I don't think it really affects the rest of the state that much. This is a county issue, not a state issue. I don't think any time a county does something you have to go ask the rest of the state about it."

Bennett and Matheson first introduced the draft bill to the public in a March news conference in St. George. Since then, numerous conservation advocates and environmentalists have urged Utah's congressional delegation to hold public hearings around the state to address concerns over the proposed legislation.

Jim Baca, former director of the Bureau of Land Management, also called for public hearings to be held.