Activist raises $45,000 for BLM bids

An environmental activist who disrupted an auction for oil and gas development leases near some of Utah's most famous landmarks said he has raised enough money to buy the leases he bid on.

But even Tim DeChristopher is unclear about whether the federal government will take his money.

In a statement Friday, DeChristopher announced he had reached his goal of raising $45,000 for an initial payment on the 22,500 acres of land he "won" at the controversial auction by the Bureau of Land Management.

"Most of our donations came in $10 or $20 increments from thousands who gave whatever they could during this hard economic time," DeChristopher wrote. "I deeply appreciate the generosity of all those who have contributed to our goal."

DeChristopher, 27, bid on oil and gas leases during the Dec. 19 auction. He admitted to bidding to run up the value of some parcels, and he won 13 of them himself. When other bidders became suspicious, he was taken into custody by federal authorities.

DeChristopher has said he had no intention of paying for the leases, but raising money to pay for them was considered part of a strategy to keep him out of legal trouble.

"We are waiting for confirmation from the BLM and U.S. Attorney's Office that they will accept the payment," he wrote. "If in the event that my payment is refused and the parcels are going to be put up for auction again, the money given to my lease fund will be used to acquire these parcels in the new auction."

BLM officials declined to comment on the proffered payment, referring calls to federal prosecutors, who have been looking at the case with an eye toward a potential charge of making a false statement.

"It's still under investigation," said Melodie Rydalch, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney for Utah.

The original sale notice from the auction said the money, plus additional funds for administrative fees and rent, was due immediately after the sale, which closed Jan. 6.

DeChristopher has been hailed as a hero on Web sites and blogs and used the Internet to set up a legal defense fund at bidder70.org, named after the designation he was given at the auction.

A total of 116 parcels of land were sold in the auction that generated protests because many of the parcels are near national parks or wilderness areas. More than 100 parcels were dropped from the auction list under pressure from environmentalists, outdoor retail industry groups and even the National Park Service because of their close proximity to tourist hot-spots Arches and Canyonlands national parks.

A federal lawsuit over the auction remains pending.

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E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com