From: Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance Subject: Keeping up-to-date Date: 20 May 1996 15:57:30 MST7MDT ********************************************************************** This is a SUWA / UWC Information Alert Help Save Utah's Redrock Wild Lands ********************************************************************** Folks-- [1] Utah wilderness on C-span? [2] Taking the protection pledge--has your candidate? [3] The Kaiparowits [4] Something different in the mail (how your vacation can help save canyon country) [5] Here, there and everywhere [6] Finding more wilderness [7] Skin so soft-- does it work? [1] Utah wilderness on C-span? Thanks to all of you who called in a panic Wednesday, wondering why you were seeing the Utah Wilderness Bill apparently being debated on the House floor on C-Span. We were surprised too, but there is no need for concern. In a nutshell (write Liz or Tom for more details) what happened was the Democrats were looking for a way to talk about the minimum wage. They found a way by bringing up the Utah Wilderness Bill. This gave them an hour of floor time to talk about whatever they wanted, which turned out to be not Utah but the minimum wage. Our bill wasn't ever really in play, rather a handy vehicle for some on-air politicking. Still, it certainly was intense here for a few minutes while we figured out what was going on. [2] Taking the protection pledge--has your candidate pledged yet? Even though we have spent this last year trying to defeat bad wilderness bills, our ultimate goal is to pass HR 1500, the bill to protect 5.7 million acres of BLM public land in Utah as wilderness. While we have some reprieve from S 884/HR 1745, we must be looking ahead to the next congress, and passage of HR 1500, America's Red Rock Wilderness Act.. So, we are asking you to encourage candidates running for office near you--anything from Congress to dog catcher--to pledge support for America's Red Rock Wilderness Act once they are elected. Now is the time to "make the ask." It seems you can't throw a rock and not hit someone running for office. Please take the opportunity to ask candidates where they stand on Utah Wilderness whenever you get a chance. Then ask them to publicly announce their support for 5.7 Wild. If they say yes, let us know--we'll keep a running list. Help make saving the national wilderness preservations system and Utah wilderness a big issue in this year's elections. Kudos to Jack Davis of Olympia Washington , who got the first pledge from Brian Baird. He is running against Linda Smith (who by the way is a cosponsor of HR 1745, the bad wilderness bill) in Washington state's third district. **For your information: The Utah Wilderness Coalition can not and therefore does not endorse candidates for office. We can, however, let you know how they stand on the issues.*** [3] Kaiparowits Many of you are aware that multi-national energy development corporations are pressing forward with plans to transform the precious Kaiparpwits wilderness into an industrial wasteland. The greatest single development threat to the integrity of Utah's wildlands is a proposal by Dutch-owned Andalex Resources to develop a coal mine twice the size of Manhattan Island in the middle of Utah's wilderness! This mine would necessitate the construction of highways and powerlines across the wild Kaiparowits Plateau. A proposal by Andalex resources to develop a massive 25,000 acre mine would require construction of paved haul roads, powerlines, and communications facilities throughout this remote region. Andalex plans to truck the coal more than 200 miles to truck load-outs, rail it to Los Angeles, and ship it overseas to Taiwan, Korea, and/or Japan. Do we want to sacrifice the Kaiparowits, irreversibly, for coal development? We plan to keep you informed on this issue and will send a bunch more information in the near future. For now, here's what you can do: 1. Write to Vice President Al Gore to voice your support for preservation of public wilderness areas such as the Kaiparowits Plateau and your opposition to it's sacrifice to coal mining interests. Vice President Al Gore 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC 20500 Please send copies of your letter to: Mr. Bruce Babbitt Secretary of the Interior 1849 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20240 2. To request a copy of the Environmental Impact Statement for the Andalex coal mine please write: Mike Noel Kanab Resource area Bureau of Land Management 320 North First East Kanab, UT 84720 [4] Something different in the mail, or how your vacation can help save canyon country: Every day when you get home, you probably have a little mail in the mailbox. You flip through it, look at some, pitch the rest. Occasionally, though, you get a personal letter from someone, or a package. That catches your eye, and you sit down and give it a good look. Congressional staffers are the same way. Every day, each office gets huge piles of mail. Much of it is junk--glance and pitch stuff. They are just like us-- when something unusual catches there eye they'll pay attention. This is where you come in. We've heard over and over and over from congressional staff people who say, "What makes the Utah issue get my attention over all the other issues I'm working on are the pictures." So, when you write a letter to your Representative or Senator, slip a copy of one of your favorite photos into your letter--preferably one with you in it! It's very simple, and very effective. We've seen many a congressional cubicle with the pictures we've dropped off posted on the walls. Imagine the impact yours could have! Suddenly every office would have dozens of little visual reminders of why Utah wilderness is worth saving, each with a happy smiling voter in the middle of it. They can be from a recent trip, one you're about to take, or one many years back. Write on the back or in your letter why that particular spot is so special to you. For example: Tom just came back from a hike through Fish and Owl canyon. He is sending a photo of a beautiful beaver dam pool with a huge canyon wall behind it to a few folks on the hill, along with a note explaining that this area would be opened to development if HR 1745 passes. 5) Here, there and everywhere This year offers many opportunities to make sure that 5.7 wild material is seen everywhere! Be visible at every event you attend from your church fair to a music rock concert! Make sure you and all your friends have at least one bumper sticker on your car, a button on every shirt, a hat on your head and signs in your car. You never know WHEN you might need them! We also would very much appreciate the distribution of alerts and educational materials. The showing of the "Imagine Wilderness" video to your friends, church group, co-workers, etc., is another great way to educate people about the threats to canyon country.! To obtain any of these fun and exciting items please call Tom or Liz! [6] Finding more wilderness: We challenge you, your friends and your family to find more wilderness in Southern Utah. You never know- it's so big we may have missed something. If you can find an area of land that is over 5,000 acres and is roadless, then call us! If you find it, you might be able to name it! Good Luck! [7] Skinsosoft- does it work? Since a lot of you are going to Utah this season, you can help answer a burning question that has driven sharp lines through the ranks of desert rats everywhere. The question is this : Avon Skin So Soft is supposed to keep flies, no-see-ums, and mosquitoes away, while parching your sunblasted skin. Drop us a line and share your experiences, good and bad. We'll let you know the results. By the way--lack of rain and generally dry conditions have devastated prime bug habitat in San Juan County, so the sample biting critter pool may be small in those areas. Try near Escalante for good insect repellent testing conditions. Thanks again for everything folks. If your travels bring you through Salt lake City or Washington DC this summer, please drop in for a visit and some conversation. ********************************************************************* This wilderness alert is produced by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) and the Utah Wilderness Coalition (UWC). We are dedicated to the preservation of Utah's redrock wilderness. You can learn more about SUWA from our web site at: http://www.xmission.com/~suwa/ Visit the Utah Wilderness web site at: http://acs1.byu.edu/~wildweb/welcome.html If you want to join our list, send e-mail to: utah_wilderness-request@xmission.com with the word "subscribe" (and only that word) in the body of your e-mail message. If you have any questions or problems regarding the mailing list, please send a message to suwa@xmission.com. ********************************************************************* For immediate information on Utah wilderness issues, phone: Tom Price (202) 546-2215; e-mail cloud@CapAccess.org or Liz McCoy (801) 486-2872; e-mail liz.mccoy@sierraclub.org You can also phone the Salt Lake City SUWA office at (801) 486-3161; e-mail suwa@xmission.com. ********************************************************************* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance Subject: Minnesota Wilderness Date: 21 May 1996 13:12:22 MST7MDT Folks-- We generally stick to Utah redrock wilderness issues. But in this case, our fellow wilderness advocates from Minnesota have been so helpful on the Utah redrock issue, we feel like we should plug their wilderness issue. Take a look at this alert and send a letter or make a call on behalf of Minnesota wilderness. We understand you are likely to be cynical about phoning Jim Hansen given his record on green issues. But in this case, folks in the know say it may be possible for Hansen be helpful. So... ****************************************************************** CONGRESSIONAL SHOWDOWN ON BOUNDARY WATERS WILDERNESS AND VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK The attacks on wilderness and park protection in Minnesota have taken a new and alarming turn in early May, as Senator Rod Grams (R-MN) announced legislation to roll back restrictions on motor use, and reintroduce motors to some areas within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) and Voyageurs National Park (VNP). Grams's legislation goes even further than a terrible bill authored by Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN), introduced in April, which would also reduce protections for these areas. Both bills would establish panels of local officials who would have the power to overrule National Park and Forest officials on questions of resource management and protection! These are public lands belonging to all of us, not just local interests who wish to exploit them for private benefit. Luckily, other members of Congress have taken steps to help protect the BWCAW and VNP. Rep. Bruce Vento (D-MN) has introduced legislation that counters Oberstar's and Grams's attacks by eliminating some conflicting motor uses and expanding the BWCAW by 14,000 acres, while designating the scenic and wild Kabetogama peninsula at VNP federally protected wilderness. Meanwhile, Senator Paul Wellstone has announced plans to proceed with a mediated approach to solving local disputes about management of national public lands in Minnesota. Sen. Wellstone fears that Oberstar and Grams' extreme legislation will open old wounds and needlessly divide the residents of the state. He is seeking to involve all sides in a discussion to find common ground over some management disputes while protecting the areas' special values. For his trouble he has been targeted by an out-of-state political action committee headed by Senator Alphonse D'Amato (R-NY) which is saturating the northern Minnesota airwaves with political ads attacking him for not supporting the extreme Oberstar-Grams legislation. D'Amato has been the target of numerous ethics inquiries and is known as a partisan pit bull who doesn't let the facts get in his way. D'Amato's ads falsely claim that Senator Wellstone is refusing to listen to his constituents, ignoring his strenuous efforts at dispute resolution. The ads also use images of other political figures or quote citizens without their personal approval or consent. You can help to protect these areas for our families and our future! Please call Rep. James V. Hansen at 202/225/0453 today. Tell him: Most Minnesotans (70% of those polled by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune) oppose all efforts to relax protections from motorized usage in the BWCAW and VNP. Support Rep. Vento's approach -- increasing protection for these areas instead of weakening it. We need to protect these areas for our families and our future. There are very few areas where non-motorized recreation can be enjoyed in Minnesota and the Midwest. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the Kabetogama peninsula of Voyageurs National Park are provide a much needed balance of opportunities. Threatening to open these areas to more motor use is a political device to hurt Senator Wellstone by cynically dividing the citizens of Minnesota. Our wilderness areas must not be used as a political football. Call Rep. James Hansen (R-Utah) and tell him not to move any bills reducing protection for the BWCAW or VNP. PLEASE CALL TODAY! ********************************************************************* This wilderness alert is produced by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) and the Utah Wilderness Coalition (UWC). We are dedicated to the preservation of Utah's redrock wilderness. You can learn more about SUWA from our web site at: http://www.xmission.com/~suwa/ Visit the Utah Wilderness web site at: http://acs1.byu.edu/~wildweb/welcome.html If you want to join our list, send e-mail to: utah_wilderness-request@xmission.com with the word "subscribe" (and only that word) in the body of your e-mail message. If you have any questions or problems regarding the mailing list, please send a message to suwa@xmission.com. ********************************************************************* For immediate information on Utah wilderness issues, phone: Tom Price (202) 546-2215; e-mail cloud@CapAccess.org or Liz McCoy (801) 486-2872; e-mail liz.mccoy@sierraclub.org You can also phone the Salt Lake City SUWA office at (801) 486-3161; e-mail suwa@xmission.com. ********************************************************************* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance Subject: Utah Wilderness Update Date: 31 May 1996 10:00:30 -0600 Utah Wilderness Update In this issue: 1) Wilderness area incursions 2) Snowbasin snow job ( * please make a phone call * ) 3) Toxic fire on the west desert 4) SSS comments pouring in 5) candidate 5.7 wild pledge 6) your suggestions Folks: 1) Wilderness area incursions We got some mail from someone the other day saying they had been out hiking and had seen some rocks that were supposed to be keeping a road closed shoved aside. After checking their maps and realizing the road went into a Wilderness Study Area, they put the rocks back. Good work, and it got us thinking. If you are in southern Utah and see incursions of any kind, especially road improving equipment, GET EVIDENCE. Take some photos, and send them to us with a brief description. We'll get them to the p roper authorities. If you see a road illegally opened, take the time to close it as best you can, and let us know where it is. Please forward questions to Tom and Liz at address below 2) Snowbasin snow job This is a prime example of one of those under-the-radar issues that never get a lot of attention. Once you've read this, we think you'll agree. Look for more stories in the press in the next week or so. The infamous Omnibus Parks Bill (minus Utah Wilderness of course) is now before the Conference Committee (House and Senate members who work out final language, just a step away from the President's desk). There remains one ominous title in this package -- The Snowbasin Land Exchange Act of 1995. This Act is yet another attempt by the Utah delegation to open up public land to development. In this attempt there is one benefactor -- multimillionaire Earl Holding. Snow Basin is beautiful Forest Service Land located in Northern Utah. Through the Utah delegation's legislation this public land would become the private property of Snowbasin ski resort, owned by Earl Holding, who also owns Sinclair Oil, Sun Valley Ski resort and Little America Hotels, among other things. His personal wealth is estimated at $675 million. For over ten years, Mr. Holding has attempted to convert 1,320 acres of this public Forest Service land into private real estate. Having been unsuccessful, Mr. Holding, Senator Hatch and Representative Hansen, are now using the upcoming winter Olympics to consummate this land grab. This land exchange *is not needed* for the 2002 Winter Olympics. To built the event facilities for the games, about 50 acres are needed. If this deal passes, Holding will be able to build millions of dollars of condos and hotels. That'll be cash in *his* pocket from *your* land. Howard Peterson, a member of the US Olympic Committee's site inspection team that evaluated the Salt Lake City bid has stated that "It was made clear to us that no land swap or other similar venture was necessary to stage the races." So why do it? Simple: This legislation is naked corporate welfare. Just because a ski resort wants to annex public lands for development is no reason that Congress should do it. Why should Congress favor Earl Holding over other resort owners? Why pass a law to make one person even more wealthy? In addition, if this legislation becomes law, Holding's planned real estate development would bypass federal environmental regulations outlined in the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). Let's help our friends from Save our Canyons and Save our Snow Basin (friends who have given everything for Americas' Redrock Wilderness Act) let Congress know that the good will of the Olympics shouldn't be used to expedite a land grab and development scheme by a multimillionaire. No matter how you feel about the Olympics, we all can agree that 50 acres for a ski run is one thing, but 1,320 for a private development is waaay to much. Time is short, the Conference will adjourn in a couple of weeks. Please call the Conferees immediately and urge them to amend the "Olympic Snow Job" contained in the Omnibus Parks Bill. The message is simple-- the Snow Basin Land Exchange Act of 1995 needs to be amended in two respects: 1) The exchange should only include the acreage needed for the 2002 Winter Olympics (50-100 acres) not the 1,320 acres desired by multimillionaire Earl Holding to build condos, hotels and a golf course. 2) The legislation must comply with the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). Dial up the Capital Hill switchboard for free. Call 800-962-3524 and ask them to put you through to: * Representative George Miller (D-CA) * Senator Dale Bumpers (D-AR) * Representative Bill Richardson (D-NM) * Senator Bennett Johnston (D-LA) * Representative Bruce Vento (D-MN) Senator Frank Murkowski (R-AK) Representative Don Young (R-AK) * Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM) * Representative Jim Hansen (R-UT) * Senator Don Nickles (R-OK) Representative Barbara Cubin (R-WY) Representative J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) Representative Wayne Allard (R-CO) The ones with the * next to them are the primary targets, although folks in Colorado should be sure to give an earful to Rep. ( and US Senate Candidate) Wayne Allard. Since he's running for statewide office, anyone in the state should feel free to call. Please let us know what you here. Time is short-- one way or another we'll know in two weeks. 3) Toxic fire on the west desert Ruth Manville has heard from sources back east that Dugway has scheduled a burning of toxic waste on June 5th. A demonstration opposing this burn is being put together for Sat. June 1st at the Federal Building. If interested please call Ruth Manville at 533-8482 (home #). 4) SSS comments pouring in We've received dozens of comments to our Skin So Soft: Does it work repelling critters" question. Some of you are quite passionate about it. Results will be out in a few days. 5) Candidate 5.7 wild pledge Robert Morris sent word that Adam Smith, running against Rep. Randy Tate ( 9th Dist. Washington State) has pledged to support 5.7 wild if elected next year. What are they saying in your neck of the woods? Call up the folks running for Representative an d Senate in your area and ask, then let us know. We're keeping a running count.. 6)Suggestions We should be asking this more often: what can we be doing to be more effective in the fight to save Utah's public lands? Let Tom or Liz know the tools and info you need so we can get it out to you. That's it for now. Thanks again for all you're doing! ********************************************************************** This wilderness alert is produced by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) and the Utah Wilderness Coalition (UWC). We are dedicated to the preservation of Utah's redrock wilderness. You can learn more about SUWA from our web site at: http://www.xmission.com/~suwa/ Visit the Utah Wilderness web site at: http://acs1.byu.edu/~wildweb/welcome.html If you want to join our list, send e-mail to: utah_wilderness-request@xmission.com with the word "subscribe" (and only that word) in the body of your e-mail message. If you have any questions or problems regarding the mailing list, please send a message to suwa@xmission.com. ********************************************************************** For immediate information on Utah wilderness issues, phone: Tom Price (202) 546-2215; e-mail cloud@CapAccess.org or Liz McCoy (801) 486-2872; e-mail liz.mccoy@sfsierra.sierraclub.org You can also phone the Salt Lake City SUWA office at (801) 486-3161; e-mail suwa@xmission.com. **********************************************************************