Utah

When the issue is framed in the right way, Utahns have shown a strong regard for the need to protect their fragile environment. Take the debate over Snake Valley water near Nevada. Las Vegas wants to pump water beneath the Utah desert, and county officials in the affected areas oppose the move because of the damage that may occur to the soil, vegetation and wildlife.

But when it comes to setting aside parts of the rest of the state with federal wilderness designations, the issue gets framed in an entirely different way. To many Utahns, it becomes a case of environmentalists and outsiders trying to tie up valuable land, rather than one of preservation.

Amy Joi O'Donoghue

A poll released Monday and commissioned by an environmental activist group shows that half of Utahns favor new wilderness designations for at least 9 million acres of federal land in the state, despite overwhelming opposition to a land bill by all five members of Utah's congressional delegation.

The so-called "Red Rock" wilderness bill, backed by a coalition of environmental groups, is up for discussion in a U.S. House committee hearing Thursday that is expected to garner a slew of criticism from Utah's congressmen and other elected leaders.

There will be two projects. First a property boundary fence will be built on the recently acquired Murray property southwest of Wellsville to protect wildlife habitat from unauthorized OHV use. Volunteers will meet at 9:00 a.m. in Wellsville at the West end of 800 South.

Lee Davidson

For the first time in 20 years of battles, a bill that would put one-sixth of all Utah land into formal wilderness areas will receive a congressional hearing.

The "America's Red Rock Wilderness" bill pushed heavily by national environmental groups will have a hearing on Oct. 1 before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, the subcommittee announced Thursday.

Patty Henetz

The federal government says San Juan County and the state of Utah cannot prove a rugged route leading to Angel Arch in Canyonlands National Park ought to be an open-access road under county control.

But the southeastern Utah county says it maintained and improved Salt Creek road for decades before the park was established. The state also claims the road was used from the 1920s to 1965 to run cattle and haul supplies to established cowboy camps and was a Jeep road for visitors and uranium prospectors since at least 1954.

Tom Wharton

In a split decision, a federal appeals court panel in Denver ruled Tuesday that Kane County had no authority to remove signs restricting off-highway vehicle use, and put up new signs inviting such use, in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and other areas overseen by the Bureau of Land Management.

It's uncertain whether Kane County will appeal the latest decision in this long-simmering case.

Liz Mccoy

"Life's not fair, so start from there." --- Hetsy McCoy

Hetsy McCoy was my mother. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 18. She died of colon cancer at age 67, in July of 2009.