Public lands coalition plans to 'Take Back Utah'
The dust may have settled from the Obama-inspired tea party last week, but get ready for the next storm of rallying cries to sweep Utah's capital city.
Call it Sagebrush Rebellion Two.
Representatives from a variety of groups met Monday to plan the "Take Back Utah" Rally, a protest over federal rules, regulations, policies, laws and practices that critics say unfairly strip Utahns of their rights of access to public lands.
While dormant for several years, the Utah Public Lands Multiple Use Coalition has been reinvigorated by necessity driven by dismay over several key decisions made by newly-named Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.
Salazar earlier this year rescinded 77 parcels of BLM land that had been bid on for possible oil and gas development and also yanked from consideration multiple parcels up for oil shale research and development.
The decisions dismayed some Utah conservatives, bewildered Utah public land managers and were criticized by potential developers as the spectre of even more restrictive land-use practices to come.
"I really believe the federal government has lost its way," said Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, who had a seat at Monday's planning meeting. "It's critical we have our voices heard with so much of our land locked up in a management system full of roadblocks, additional bureaucracy and impediments to prudent development policies."
Coalition member groups include the Utah Farm Bureau Federation, the Utah Wool Growers Association, the Utah Shared Access Alliance and the Utah Rural Electric Association.
Randy Parker, the farm bureau's chief executive officer, said the ultimate goal of the coalition is to ensure greater self determination for Utah.
"Utah is at a disadvantage because so much of our land is controlled by the federal government. We are subject to the political whims of the (presidential) administration and Congress."
Organizers say they expect 10,000-plus attendees at the Aug. 8 event, planned to begin at 500 South and end at the Capitol. They're hopeful even more people will show up.
"I am 100 percent convinced that groups like the SUWA (the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance) the Sierra Club and Wilderness Society are a very small, heavily funded minority interest in the state of Utah," Noel said, adding he believes the majority of Utahns desire responsible access.
The group, so far, has the ear of Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert, who attended the planning session and said there are "common sense" middle-ground solutions that balance environmental interests with responsible development.
"These are not mutually exclusive," he said.
Recent comments
I love the land so why can't we use it? I'm tired of these big...
tdubb | Nov. 15, 2009 at 2:01 p.m.
This sounds like it is being run by the drillers and the atv crowd...
stevo | June 13, 2009 at 8:06 a.m.
As a former Utah Resident I grow more and more disheartened by what...
Pat | June 13, 2009 at 7:44 a.m.
- Salt Lake City woman shot, 2 arrested 12:53 p.m.
- Woman suffers critical injury 12:50 p.m.
- China vows to slow emissions 12:18 p.m.
- Baseball player on mission in Wash. 12:10 p.m.
- Foundation for LDS young women 12:10 p.m.
- Robotic hamsters are the new craze 11:47 a.m.
- Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies 11:27 a.m.
- Prevent problems by spaying dogs 11:01 a.m.
- Turkeys lurking in your home 11:00 a.m.
- Dentistry, a high-tech version 10:45 a.m.
- Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
- Cave rescuers committed to free man
- Holiday television program listings
- Howard made the rivalry a rivalry
- Twitterati to BCS: 'We hate you.'
- Rivalry has had some 'turkeys'
- Donny and Kym dance to victory
- BYU has slim shot at BCS
- Temple Square to use LEDs
- Highland players make special friend
- BYU would like friendlier rivalry
261 - Glenn Beck to enter politics?
227 - Protests against Phoenix LDS temple
210 - RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
202 - Bronco, Kyle rubber match
139 - BYU records with win
133 - Letters: Rushing to judge Palin
130 - Thunder rolls by Jazz
125 - Boys basketball rankings
114 - Editorial: Poor welcome for Palin
112
You do not need a really expensive player at PG or PF for that matter. You do...
Some think this series allows double standard. But it's not about sex, It's...
You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. If your life doesn't include...
"Utah 2 losses to schools that will be playing in BCS bowls." nope!...
I think there is much more going on here. Wonder why it was not mentioned in...
have been impatiently waiting years for the oil/industrial...
BYU and Utah are playing for: 10+ win seasons Top 25 finishes 2nd place...
Our sincere sympathy and condolences to Mr. Jones' wife and children, as well...
Palin is just as much a rookie to national politics as Obama, if not more so....
The arguments in this letter only work against Obama fans. I'm not a fan of...


