Editorial: Land debate

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar was in Utah this week to listen. And he got an earful from people with widely differing ideas about how America’s publicly owned lands should be used, or not used.

After eight years of President George W. Bush’s one-sided views on developing federal lands, it’s refreshing to see Salazar’s interest in letting all sides have their say. But President Barack Obama’s Great Outdoors Initiative and Salazar’s “listening sessions” have only a limited chance of success as long as there are leaders on both sides who refuse to see any viewpoint but their own.

Salazar should consider all the suggestions he gets, but the Interior Department and its land-management agencies must do what makes sense for the long-term health of deserts, forests, wildlife, cultural artifacts and water. That said, Salazar has a duty to allow multiple uses of public lands, including drilling for gas and oil and motorized recreation, that don’t ruin our most fragile, scenic resources.

In some cases, such as the 77 drilling leases Salazar put on hold last year, protecting natural treasures, including the vistas and solitude in Utah’s national parks, must trump energy development. County officials who told Salazar they need the jobs that come with drilling for fossil fuels should realize that more long-term sustainable jobs that don’t harm the environment are created by outdoor recreation and could be available if local and state governments would do more to encourage the development of renewable energy sources.

The five land management plans approved at the end of the second Bush administration in 2008 identify thousands of miles of all-terrain-vehicle trails. Nevertheless, Jack Johnston of the Utah 4 Wheel Drive Association wants more. Johnston and others who lead groups of ATV users should do more to guarantee that their members will use the vehicles responsibly before they demand more extensive access.

While Gov. Gary Herbert and Salazar on Tuesday praised the agreement between the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance and energy development company Bill Barrett Corp. to limit natural gas drilling on sensitive land in eastern Utah, Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, in June called SUWA an enemy of Utah, its people and its children. Noel vowed never to negotiate with SUWA about public-land use. We hope the SUWA-Barrett pact convinces him that there are no enemies but only differing viewpoints. Noel’s bitter, nonsensical ranting does nothing but prolong the old and intractable debate.

Herbert should be the point man in negotiating solutions to Utah’s many public-lands issues. Too many governors before him have failed.

--

Source: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/opinion/50053081-82/salazar-utah-drilling-lands.html.csp

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites