Bogley

[Scott P]

Please write a Letter to Your Representatives and Senators

Your Congress members and Senators will cosponsor America’s Redrock Wilderness Act if they hear that you care. This bill would protect over 9 million acres of pristine wild lands in Utah—federal public lands belonging to all Americans—by bringing them into the National Wilderness Preservation System. Your letter today can help save the wildlife and ecosystems of the spectacular Colorado Plateau and Basin and Range country for future generations to enjoy.

Your letter really counts—in Washington they say one letter represents a thousand constituents, because most folks don’t take the time to write. That gives you a lot of clout for just sitting down for ten minutes to put pen to paper!

Please write a short letter right away to your Congress member and to both your Senators, at:

Honorable Rep. [representative’s full name]
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Honorable Sen. [senator’s full name]
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

-- Insert state-specific material --

A few sentences are all that’s needed:

Ask them to cosponsor America’s Redrock Wilderness Act today.
Tell them why preserving wild Utah’s superlative scenery and wildlife habitat is important to you (if you have visited Utah, mention your personal experience).
Ask representatives to contact Rep. Maurice Hinchey to sign onto the bill; ask senators to contact Sen. Richard Durbin.
It adds oomph if you follow up a letter with a phone call to ask them again—the Capitol switchboard is at 202-225-3121. If you get back a form letter thanking you for your views and promising to vote right if the bill comes up, fire back a quick reply to point out that that’s not helpful. With anti-environmentalists in control of this Congress, the bill is unlikely to come to a vote. Cosponsorship (publicly listing their support) is the only effective way to help!

Remember, these wonderful public lands belong to all Americans. By writing today, you will help keep them forever wild. THANK YOU for helping to protect America’s Redrock Wilderness!

Top of Page



Write a Letter to the Editor
Writing a letter to the editor is one of the most effective ways to educate other citizens and raise the awareness of the general public about Utah wilderness issues. Hundreds of thousands of citizens read their local newspapers every day, and the editorial page is the most frequently read section of any paper. Published letters not only reach the citizens but garner the attention of elected officials as well, ultimately helping to shape public policy.

Remember to keep your letters short and concise. Editors often ask that submissions should be double-spaced and limited to 300 words. In order to be published you must include your name, address, daytime phone number as well as your signature. If you do not see your letter in the paper, please call the editorial section of the paper and politely ask why they are not printing your letter. It seems to take about one and a half to two weeks for letters to be published.

Be sure to send out two copies of your letters, one to the newspaper and one to us. We like to track our progress. Also, let us know if your letter is published. Thanks for taking the time to write on Utah wilderness. Again, letters to the editor are very important and play a key role in raising the issue in the public’s mind.

Following are some suggested topics for your letters:

I support America’s Redrock Wilderness Act and would like to see wilderness quality lands in southern and western Utah become protected as federal wilderness.
I would like to urge Rep./Sen. (your Rep./Sen.) to become a co-sponsor of America’s Redrock Wilderness Act.
Please cite specific issues you feel strongly about and why you feel strongly about wilderness designation in Utah.

[BrainDamage]

At the founding of our nation the framers of the Constitution specifically limited the ability of the federal government to “own” land. Except for very small military sites, the federal government held lands for entry, homesteading and disposal (disposal means the outright sale or otherwise transferring ownership) to individuals and to individual States.

Congress was given the authority, under the Constitution, to administer lands as a territory until statehood. In Utah, when statehood was granted, Congress continued to administer the lands for entry, homesteading and disposal.

Congress did allow the Reservation of lands for public purposes. A National Forest is a Reservation. Likewise are National Parks and some Wildlife Refuges. The management policy for Reservations is specified in the Organic Act that created it.

Congress delegated the management authority of the nation’s National Forests to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. Congress gave direction in the management of these lands in the National Forest Management Act (NFMA). The Forest Service eventually put this direction into policy with the Forest Service Handbook.

Congress delegated the management authority of the nations national parks to the National Park Service with the passing of the National Park Service Organic Act. The Park Service manages each park using the guidelines outlined in the legislation that created the individual Park. The NPS implements that direction with management plans and the NPS Management Policy.

Congress also delegated certain authority to reserve lands to the President. Congress, in 1906, dealt with the inability to act quickly to protect objects of historical and scientific significance that were being threatened by passing the Antiquities Act. Congress granted authority to designate monuments and make certain reservations of lands to the President. The President outlines the management direction and reservation status in the Presidential Proclamation designating the Monument.

Wilderness is a Reservation also. In 1964, the Wilderness Act created the Wilderness Preservation System. Congress delegated the authority to manage designated Wilderness to the agency administering the lands prior to the Reservation. Each agency has formulated Wilderness management regulations and policies.

Congress is limited only by the Constitution in their authority to Reserve lands from disposal. There are other kinds of Reservations that will not be discussed here.

In 1976 Congress passed the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA). In FLPMA, Congress outlined the management direction of lands not yet reserved. FLPMA withdrew public lands from homesteading and changed the policy of disposal of lands to the management of those lands for public purposes. Congress delegated management authority to the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management with a mandate that the lands be managed under the principles of multiple use and sustained yield. Congress provided a lengthy description of the Multiple Use/Sustained Yield policy in FLPMA. Multiple uses consist of “… recreation, range, timber, minerals, watershed, wildlife and fish, and natural scenic, scientific and historical values.” Sustained yield is the perpetual “…output of the various renewable resources of the public lands consistent with multiple use.”

Congress also dealt with the Wilderness issue in FLPMA. Section 603 instructs the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service to inventory lands and recommend which of those lands are suitable for entry into the Wilderness Preservation System. Those lands that the agency recommends would be designated as a Wilderness Study Areas. In the case of the Forest Service these lands were known as Inventoried Roadless Areas. The Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management formulated management guidelines for these areas.

Beginning in the early 1960’s Congress passed a number of laws designed to provide environmental protection. Many of the laws are listed below. All of these laws apply to public lands and National Forests. The previous page will link you to some of the more important laws and regulations

[BrainDamage]

The primary effect of Wilderness designation is the reduction of access and recreation. The phrase "Wilderness Protection" is used by Wilderness Activists in the attempt to portray our lands as threatened with uncontrolled development and degradation. This is not true. Development on public lands is extremely limited and subject to a myriad of laws and regulations designed to protect our natural resources.

Wilderness designation is the most restrictive of land use classifications. Once land is designated Wilderness it cannot be released except by an act of Congress. Wilderness designation precludes most management actions. It allows for very little discretionary decision making from local land managers.

Any lands proposed for Wilderness Designation must meet the suitability and manageability test. Much public land in the west has wilderness character. Just because it has a wild character does not mean that the lands are appropriate for this most restrictive management designation.

Wilderness designation comes at a tremendous cost to rural communities. Rural economies are already suffering because of a loss of resource industry jobs. Wilderness designation often adds burdensome costs to utility infrastructure, search and rescue and other services. The effect of massive Wilderness designations on our rural communities must be considered.

Wilderness designation can come at the expense of Utah's Schools. Utah was granted millions of acres of lands to be put in trust for the exclusive benefit of Utah's school children. These lands are not owned by the Federal Government and must be traded out in any Wilderness compromise. It is hard to imagine what kind of deal will have to be brokered to achieve over 9 million acres of Wilderness in Utah.

The Utah Shared Access Alliance believes that current Wilderness Bills proposed by Wilderness Advocacy Groups are excessive and abuse the original intent of Congress. Wilderness is valuable. But this most extreme of land designation should not be taken lightly. Wilderness has real, long-term consequences for Utah. Lets consider this issue carefully.

[Udink]

Hahahah...I'm enjoying this copy-and-paste conversation going on here. Hell, I might even join in (my CTRL+C and CTRL+V keyboard buttons still work)! :lol8: Keep it up! :popcorn:

[BrainDamage]

When I notice all ofthe SUWA talking point I thought I might join in. from some from USA-ALL. :2thumbs:

[Udink]

G.G. wrote: When I notice all ofthe SUWA talking point I thought I might join in. from some from USA-ALL. :2thumbs:
I agree, there's no better way to counter it. :smile: