Deseret News | Salazar halts sale of Utah oil, gas leases

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Salazar halts sale of Utah oil, gas leases

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Ken Salazar... | 12:01 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

was adamantly opposed to Oil Shale and energy development in Colorado as a US Senator from that State. Now that he is the Interior Secretary, we in Utah, and the rest of the country have him to deal with (read: FEAR).

Why do democrats hate our country so much? Are we, as a country, not allowed to be self-sufficient when it come to energy production? Should we pass a law that states "Democrats are not allowed to use any energy, for any reason"?

Please leave us normal people alone, so we can live our lives in a productive manner.

Scott | 1:01 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

The movie stars like Redford live a life of excess luxury, over their lifetimes have left a HUGE carbon footprint..... Now that they are comfortably rich, they know what is best for everyone.... I wish Redford would just leave Utah.... we don't need him here.

Goodwill | 1:14 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

What kind of goodwill is this president creating? Says no to developing our own natural resources and puts our nation's trade status in negative view in just the first couple weeks.

How is this going to help our nation create any goodwill among people that actually go to work? He is stopping any chance we have at an economic recovery.

Comments continue below

Sylvia | 1:28 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

The 2 previous commentators have shown they do not understand the energy crisis America, and the world, is going through. I urge everyone to read Thomas L. Friedman's "Hot,Flat and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution and How It Can Renew America." By the time you finish, you will no longer be hostile to Ken Salazar, Robert Redford or other conservationists.

Geezer | 1:37 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

Thanks to Ken Salazar for a reasonable decision. BLM never should have put the controversial parcels up for lease. It had to be a pure Bush administration deal. Look to Salazar to do a better job of setting priorities, so we can have leases without invading wild lands.

Billy | 2:09 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

Is Salazar going to reimburse the state of Utah for the millions of dollars they will now have to refund to the bidders whose leases were pulled?

John | 2:22 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

Sakazaar was incompetent as a Senator from Colorado and is showing his increased incompetence in this decision. The two previous comments are by people who I am sure do not drive automobiles or use electricity.(Sure) Maybe one of these days they will freeze to death in the dark.

John | 2:23 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

Salazaar was incompetent as a Senator from Colorado and is showing his increased incompetence in this decision. The two previous comments are by people who I am sure do not drive automobiles or use electricity.(Sure) Maybe one of these days they will freeze to death in the dark.

Moderate Republican | 2:26 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

This is only the beginning of the democrat environmentalist wackos attack on the family and the familiy's ability to provide a decent life. when it comes to a child or a rock...Democrats will always choose the rock.

basinboy | 2:40 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

As you rush to thank Salazar, are you aware that this decision will cost the State of Utah millions of dollars? This creates an obvious negative impact on the state budget and on Utah citizens who receive benefits and services from energy development revenues.

So, now deChristopher | 2:51 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

. . . goes to jail for nothing. At least there is a delicious irony to that.

Wayne | 2:55 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

Obviously the Obama administration is opposed to producing jobs in the private sector. I know and love these lands. There is plenty of room to maintain the beauty and also develop rural areas that so much need an economic boost. It can be looked at on a case by case basis, not painted off limits by a broad brush of a few activists (and in one case a true anarchist).

The First Two Comments | 2:57 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

What benefit would rural southern Utah get from the leases? Please enlighten me. Jobs? Hardly.

Randall | 2:59 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

A Great Day For Utah & America!
Now Clean Up that Filthy Utah Air Pollution.

yes | 3:35 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

Yes, morality has come back to the white house. Thank you President Obama.

Anonymous | 3:49 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

Good riddance to another HORRIBLE Bush attempt to stick it to America with his contempt for everyone... including Utahans, Bush's biggest fans.

Matthew | 3:52 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

To Moderate Republican (not):
The good Lord gave us this planet to nurture children on. It is the "wackos" that are trying to stop "idiots" like the Bush Admin. from destroying what the good Lord gave us and thus destroying the children as well. There is a reason there are no children on the moon. No clean air, no clean water, and no clean soil equals no children.

Geezer | 4:25 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

It doesn't mean that less land will be leased. It means BLM will be leasing in areas without the beauty and wilderness values of these particular tracts.

How | 4:28 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

can we put a dollar value to our national treasures?
Thank you to our new president and Mr. Salazar we can look forward to a new era.
My dear Moderate Republican, we are trying to save the rocks for your children and mine.
One easy gallon of gas doesn't justify the destruction of our planet.....and your life.

stupefied!!!!!!!! | 4:43 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

I am horrofied at all actions taking by the Obama's presidency so far, but Salazar's is perhaps the most ignorant and repulsive of all! I am afraid our deepest fears are coming to pass. Obama is a man with no resume, a press-created criature that has surrounded himself with corrupted and inept individuals. Salazar is perhaps one of the worse of the bunch. Utahns sould flood his office indicating outrage at this decision and also begin a campign to get rid of Redford, who lives in Utah only a few weeks a year but screws the State supporting fanatic and unfounded environmental agendas.

States Rights! | 4:52 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

States rights are being ripped away & the citizens rights will soon follow.

For those that wail & whine so loud about people trying to teach a religion to them, this is no different when those that wail & whine about the environment force us to follow their way!

Ignorance & arogance, two of the characteristics that help to eliminate freedoms!

Aaron | 4:55 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

Wait until they start taxing caron dioxide.

guess who | 5:07 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

I went to high school with this jughead. Boy are we in trouble! He'd sell his mother for 10 cents!

Me Again | 5:08 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

By the way the only thing his head is good for is to hang a hat on it. That's why you always see him with that hat!!

Anonymous | 5:10 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

Funny there was an article yesterday that drilling has slowed on existing leasing in Utah because the price of nature gas has plummeted. Conserva5tive economics made these lease unnecessary. You don't use natural gas in empty manufacturing facilities. This is just the leading edge of the economic tidal wave that will hit.

Thanks Ken | 5:11 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

for your support of terrorist regimes in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Middle East and Venezuela by making sure that the USA pays them for exporting terror to these shores and killing Americans in Iraq and Afganistan.

The mooonbats must be overjoyed, but I am disgusted.

Anonymous | 5:32 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

I thought democrats wanted freedom from our "dependence on foreign oil".

KM | 5:33 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

Democrats and there radical agendas, putting America second every time. We will now, going forward, have to continue to rely on countries (that despise us) for our energy needs.
Thanks a big bunch to the radical environmentalists.
Self sufficiancy should be foremost on our minds, but, insted we are moving toward national weakness.

Anonymous | 6:29 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

The word "radical" has lost all meaning. Not everything you disagree with is "radical".

David Montgomery | 6:38 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

It is sad to see that we are back to the Environmental movement in full swing again, under this Presidency. It is easy to see who rules the purse strings of the country. Isn't this where we really started losing jobs by no more logging, no more oil exploration, no more elk because of wolf introduction, etc.

Bring back the old jobs, open up the forests that need to be managed, drill for and sell American oil, and that can put food on the table and gas in our cars for our kids of the future, rather than hitting the taxpayers to create new jobs, and causing our country going deeper into debt.

dave | 6:45 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

We seem to be faced with dictators making changes that were voted and approved by elected officials. Pres. Obama and his cabinet seem to believe they can rule by executive order and decree. Whatever changes are made should be made constitutionally, not by a dictator. There seems to be a dangerous trend going on in D.C. and I do not hear any complaints, which is even more frightening.

Andrew J. Marksen | 6:45 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

Salazar is not a true westerner. He has been instrumental in crippling Coloradoï¿½s economy and now he has fired a direct shot at Utah. The days of environmental extremism are here and it is only just beginning. These are the same environmentalists who are suing over nuclear plants, wind farms, solar fields, oil shale, natural gas, and the list goes on and on. These are the same environmentalists suing over polar bears, global warming, and the inclusion of carbon dioxide (yes that stuff we breathe out that plants need to survive) a poisonous gas.

Thank you Mr. Salazar for helping to destroy the real west that you claim to be part of (in name only of course) and wish to protect. You are a typical Democrat. DO what is politically expedient to your cook fringe base and ignore reality.

Change we can believe in!!!

Energy? | 7:09 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

What is this country going to do for energy and jobs? Oh yes, I almost forgot, the government is going to borrow $900 billion(and going up every day) from our children. How much better it would be for EVERYONE if the Obama administration would allow the creation of REAL jobs and REAL energy by getting out of the way and letting industry solve our energy problems and our employment problems! Instead what do we get from the Obamanites? No real jobs (just welfare pork) and no energy production. Results= more dependance on OPEC (forever), false welfare economy (stealing from our children) and no generation of jobs or wealth. "Change" we can't believe in! Only a fool would choose the Obama plan!

StarsandStripesForever | 7:10 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

B.O.s next Executive order...

all environmentalists are instructed to turn in your SUV's tomorrow at Noon at the nearest Federal building. Walk home and wait for your free hybrid to be delivered courtesy of your hope and change Messiah.

By the time you get home your electricity will be turned off but instructions on how to build a solar oven to warm your weenies will be pasted to the front door.

While you sit at home in the dark and cold, hard working true American patriots will drive to work in their fossil fuel burning autos and fix the mess the Democrats have made of the banking and housing industries.

Environmentalist Whackos catch a clue... when the lights come back on, you will know your Messiah was and is a false prophet and has been sent back to the corrupt Chicago neighborhood he came from

Ken go home ... | 7:38 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

I'm living in Colorado. We were so glad to get Ken out of the state. Sorry Utah. I guess we all suffer. Obamanomics = change for the worse.

I get a kick... | 8:22 p.m. Feb. 4, 2009

...out of all the people that run around carrying signs screaming to protect our wild heritage for our kids, yet never set foot in the great outdoors themselves, with or without their kids.

Anonymous | 12:18 a.m. Feb. 5, 2009

If the Bushistas thought it was such a great idea sell those leases why did they wait until the last month of King George's reign to act? If they want energy ideas contact tricky Dick Cheney and his Enron buddies.

go away libs | 1:11 a.m. Feb. 5, 2009

Due to these extremist liberals, Utah has now lost jobs, revenue, tax money and the country gets further in debt to nations that hate us and control us with their import of oil. Democrats don't want us to gain our own energy independence when this is desert land that will not affect anyone unless it is put to good use!

Great idea, lets stop producing all energy, triple the cost to all Americans and import 100% from other countries that hate us! Then lets socialize the country and let the government take over everything just like the Soviet Union did during the cold war, that was real successful and prosperous for their people! Socialized Europe is doing even better, give me a break!

Wow! | 1:24 a.m. Feb. 5, 2009

Thanks so much to the 54% of Americans who put the Jr. High kids in charge of the government again. One bad decision after another keeps coming from the White House. I don't think these people know what they are doing. What's next?

Eugene | 4:40 a.m. Feb. 5, 2009

Are we to be surprised that by voting in a democratic president that we wouldn't expect this type of poor decision? I talked to so many who were voting for Obama not for what he stood for, but that he was the anti-Bush. For the next 4 years, we will have to put up with the democratic agenda and we allowed it with our votes.

I actually believe environmentalists are not true environmentalists since they usually end up destroying what they seek to protect. Public lands, timber sales, wildlife, oil leases have to be managed, not avoided. There are too many examples of the hands-off approach ultimately causing the loss of the resource.

We have to be smart and realistic here. Of course, that won't happen under the current Department of Interior leadership.

Plain to see ignorance | 5:01 a.m. Feb. 5, 2009

For too long this country has been developing with no long term goals, just short term profit. Jobs in the oil industry is minimal and most would go to illgal aliens, who pay no taxes and are welfare leachers. Any and all oil and gas is put on the world market before we even get to use any of it. If the american people want oil from america they have to buy it back from foreign interests at inflated costs to us, the americans who produced it. The oil industry is not interested in devlopement for americas interests, the oil company is looking at what they can sell it for and how much they can profit. Recent news articles have been released by the oil industry that america is using less oil and oil by-products and shutting down wells and drilling. Obama said that we are in for a different government and that in itself will mean changes up and down the ladder. We need a united govvernment where all the states work on a united effort for what is good for the country and the people, and not the welfare needs of each individual state.

California Andy | 6:08 a.m. Feb. 5, 2009

What most of the above writers are missing are the words "citizen control". The environment has nothing to do with what has been going on in this nation for decades. I used to wonder why the fascist party was so in favor of gun control until I realized nations that had gun control in the early part of the last century were fascist with the government controlling everything. Italy was the sparkling star to these idiots. In other words, citizens in control of their own destiny with the ability to travel and use personal weapons are frightening to these dolts because their very existence requires they control you and everything else.

As to drilling for oil and gas, particularly the latter, I defy anyone to show the environmental harm. I own land where drilling occurred, and unfortunately a dry hole resulted. I defy anyone to tell me which of my walnut trees is planted on the drill site. Modern drillers are carefully to an extreme to leave no trace of their activities. Therefore, for a few weeks of "visual pollution (?)" there is zero harm to the precious environment. Personally, I enjoy seeing drill rigs. To me, it means freedom.

re: Wow! | 7:13 a.m. Feb. 5, 2009

Come on, junior high kids have much more discernment and knowledge than the granola crunching enviro-worshiping devotees of high priest algore of the anthromorphic global warmism cult. It takes years of college, prefereably ivy league, to make such arogant self-righteous, and profoundly ignorant fools, LOL!

Anonymous | 7:28 a.m. Feb. 5, 2009

I really hate Democrats and environmentalists. They will be the death of our economy. No more blaming Bush, these guys know how to really sink an economy, just let the environmental goons have whatever they want.

Crazy Terms | 7:36 a.m. Feb. 5, 2009

TERMS TERMS TERMS
What kind of terms allow one party to unilaterly "cancel" leases 2 months after both parties executed the sale/lease? This would have been quite handy for me a couple months after buying a couple of used cars...sorry, I didn't review that car as well as I should have so here are your keys back and hand over my dough.

COLORADO | 8:06 a.m. Feb. 5, 2009

Ken Salazar only represented the political interest from Denver. Not rural Colorado. I doubt if he has ever been to the parts of Utah this involves.
For those of you that think there is only miminal jobs in the gas and oil field check around. Northwest New Mexico and southwest Colorado where a good majority of paying jobs for the working class are a result of gas and oil.

love affair continues | 8:38 a.m. Feb. 5, 2009

The Deseret News loves Timmy the tree hugger, i think they will probably name him man of the year. The church should cut their loses and let it merge with the Trib which i think has the same liberal mindset with its writers and just run the Mormon Times

Brian | 8:39 a.m. Feb. 5, 2009

They aren't stopping all development...just development that environmentalist's object to. Oh wait, that is all development.

DRCongo | 8:46 a.m. Feb. 5, 2009

I am still looking for the new bipartian tone President Obama promised from his administration. Why can't Salazar just say he has a different view of these leases than the Bush administration. Instead he goes out of his way to belittle those that had power before him. Why so mean spirited?

Thinkin' Man | 8:53 a.m. Feb. 5, 2009

I'll bet the same guy would put 300-foot wind turbines all over the West and really do some damage to "scenery."

Will they halt geothermal drilling, too? It has the same environmental and aesthetic impact as drilling for oil.

There is no scientific reason not to allow drilling. It's unobtrusive and clean. It has been done routinely in farms, orchards, vineyards, and wildlife refuges for forty years. That means it could be done in the desert.

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