Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears national monuments make list of 15 wild areas at high risk of development for oil, gas and other resources
New report shines spotlight on important wild lands that must be protected
Contacts:
Jennifer Dickson, The Wilderness Society, (303) 650-9379, jennifer_dickson@tws.org
Josh Ewing, Friends of Cedar Mesa, (801) 410-0773, josh@cedarmesafriends.org
Susan Hand, Willow Canyon Outdoor, (435) 531-9694, oasis@kanab.net
Denver, CO - (September 19, 2017) -- A new report released today by The Wilderness Society raises the alarm about Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments and other wild lands across the U.S. threatened by extractive industries eager to exploit the resources on or underneath them, including oil, gas, coal and potash.
‘Too Wild To Drill’ identifies 15 unique places found on public lands that are at high risk of drilling, mining and other development—and the damage and destruction that inevitably follow. The Trump administration’s efforts to remove protections from national monuments, including Utah’s Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante, could open them up to mining and drilling, destroying many of the sensitive resources there.
“Just when Americans thought our treasured lands, including culturally and scientifically important places, were protected from the impacts of energy development, the new administration comes in and puts the future of these places at even greater risk than before,” said Phil Hanceford, Conservation Director at The Wilderness Society’s BLM Action Center. “We will use every tool at our disposal to ensure these monuments are adequately and permanently protected, as intended.”
The fossil fuel industry has long eyed the coal resources found in the Grand Staircase-Escalante region, despite the recent rapid decline in demand for domestic coal. They have found a sympathetic ear in the Trump administration, which is proudly developing a fossil-fuels-above-all energy plan. Removing protections for Bears Ears National Monument would pave the way for oil and gas drilling and potash and uranium mining, inevitably destroying some of the area’s world-class cultural and natural resources, including those important to local Native American Tribes involved in the designation and management of the monument.
"The internationally significant cultural landscape protected by Bears Ears is just too important to American history – and sacred to Native peoples – to mar with extractive activities,” said Josh Ewing, Executive Director of Friends of Cedar Mesa. “As a resident of the town bordering Bears Ears National Monument, I also value the protection the monument provides to our irreplaceable water supply.”
The Interior Department received more than 2.8 million total public comments with 99.2 percent in support of leaving our national monuments alone. This included comments from business owners near national monuments whose livelihood and economic stability are also at stake.
For example, Grand Staircase-Escalante has become a destination for tourists from around the globe for unique hiking, camping and backpacking experience. Tourists spend money at nearby restaurants, hotels and shops as well as outfitter businesses in southern Utah. The monument has demonstrated its ability to support the local economy and local economic growth has been steady since the monument designation in 1996. This is why the Escalante-Boulder Chamber of Commerce has unanimously supported leaving the monument and its full protections intact.
"I invested in my local economy before Grand Staircase-Escalante became a national monument,” said Susan Hand, a Kanab, UT business owner. “Those early years were so lean, I wondered if our business could survive. But since the designation I've seen steady growth. Moreover, our town has developed a robust and vibrant economy as more and more people discover this region and the unique history and recreation opportunities the land holds. Without Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, the future of businesses in the surrounding communities—and our quality of life—would be at risk. We shouldn't surrender the protections of this incredible landscape for drilling rigs or mines."
The release of ‘To Wild Too Drill’ falls during numerous reviews of public lands policies, ordered by President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, that are taking place behind closed doors with little or no public oversight or accountability. In fact, earlier this week news broke of the Trump administration’s secret efforts to roll back protections for several wild places featured in ‘Too Wild To Drill,’ including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante national monuments, presumably to make them available for energy development.
The Wilderness Society issues a new version of ‘Too Wild To Drill’ every few years to call attention to vulnerable places on public lands. In this edition, other places highlighted include the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, one of the most remote and wild places left in the world, as well as:
· Greater Grand Canyon Watershed, Arizona
· Mojave Trails National Monument, California
· North Fork of the Gunnison, Colorado
· Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota
· Badger-Two Medicine, Montana
· Paradise Valley, Montana
· Owyhee Desert Sagebrush, Nevada
· Chihuahuan Desert Rivers, New Mexico
· Wayne National Forest, Ohio
· Appalachian Trail, Virginia
· Green River Valley, Washington
· Northern Red Desert, Wyoming
“Once these lands are gone, they’re gone, and we can never get them back,” said Hanceford. “The Trump administration is feeling the pressure of the fossil fuel and mining industries but America has spoken loud and clear—keep your hands off our national monuments. Our national monuments are certainly too wild to drill and mine!”
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The Wilderness Society is the leading conservation organization working to protect wilderness and inspire Americans to care for our wild places. Founded in 1935, and now with more than one million members and supporters, The Wilderness Society has led the effort to permanently protect 109 million acres of wilderness and to ensure sound management of our shared national lands. www.wilderness.org
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USDA Agrees to Work with Bobwhite Quail Group to Improve Habitat, Nesting, Sporting Opportunities
WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2017 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Acting Administrator Chris Beyerhelm announced today that USDA has signed an agreement with the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI) to improve habitat for bobwhite quail and other grassland bird populations.
“NBCI is a major supporter of USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program, providing technical services that benefit northern bobwhite, pollinators and other wildlife,” said Beyerhelm. “This agreement will help create a flourishing environment, conserve soil, protect valuable water resources and enhance wildlife habitats.”
Recreational hunting, fishing and bird watching are important contributors to rural communities. According to a 2016 study funded by the National Shooting Sports Foundation for the North American Gamebird Association, the game bird industry contributes “almost $1.7 billion annually to the U.S. economy” and generates an estimated 12,000 jobs.
The agreement between FSA and NBCI promotes native grassland and northern bobwhite habitat restoration and management, and establishes a framework for NBCI staff to work with USDA in a consultancy role to share technical information.
For more information about FSA conservation programs, visit the FSA office or the local USDA service center or go to www.fsa.usda.gov.
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Scholarship program recognizes students who have a passion for community service and inspiring travel experiences
Now that I am in school, I continue to pursue leadership opportunities in my community. I am thankful for the scholarship from Reservation Counter.”
— Chaya Kosofsky, winner of the 2017 spring scholarship
LEHI, UTAH, UNITED STATES, September 19, 2017 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Reservation Counter, a leading online hotel accommodation provider, today announced that applications are now open for its $1,500 fall semester scholarship. Students enrolled in a two-year college, four-year college, or graduate program are encouraged to apply. The need-based scholarship program is designed to reward students who have a passion for travel and giving back to their communities, and is awarded each fall and spring semester.
The application process invites students to describe their extra-curricular activities, community service endeavors, lifetime goals, financial situation and a favorite travel destination that has inspired them. The deadline to apply for the fall semester is Nov. 1. This is the third consecutive year that Reservation Counter has awarded scholarships, with past winners attending schools in Arizona, Colorado and Massachusetts.
“Before attending college, I spent a year studying in Israel, and a year working with youth in Melbourne, Australia. My experiences there were incredible. In Australia, I co-organized a weekly volunteer program, with over 100 students. I also planned summer and winter camps, and a number of other programs throughout the year,” said Chaya Kosofsky, student at Bay Path University and winner of the 2017 spring scholarship. “Now that I am in school, I continue to pursue leadership opportunities in my community back at home. I am thankful for the scholarship from Reservation Counter.”
For more information about the Reservation Counter scholarship and how to apply, visit www.reservationcounter.com/scholarships.
About Reservation Counter
Reservation Counter specializes in providing travelers access to hotel choices and deals that to find the accommodations that fit their needs best. Based in Utah, Reservation Counter is part of TravelPass Group, a leading technology company in the travel industry with partnerships with independent and brand name hotels, wholesalers, and the largest travel agencies. It represents a combined inventory of more than a million properties worldwide and operates best-in-class customer service centers that help travelers 24/7.
Jason Burgess
Reservation Counter
801-341-1759
email us here
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CALENDAR INFORMATION
WHAT: Jim Brickman Rooftop Concert Event
WHEN: Monday, September 25th – 6:30pm
WHERE: Salt Lake City Public Library
Win Tickets: http://www.b987.com/2017/09/15/jim-brickman-rooftop-patio-concert/
INFO: Join Jim Brickman and B98.7 for a private rooftop performance at the Downtown Salt Lake Library for an exclusive holiday concert preview. Win tickets from B98.7 or join the live-stream on B98’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/B987SLC/). Viewers tuning in will have a chance to win tickets and meet & greet passes for Jim’s holiday concert A Joyful Christmas at Abravanel Hall on December 28th.
SALT LAKE CITY - Cumulus Media presents Grammy Nominated Songwriter, Jim Brickman, live for one night only, at The Salt Lake City Public Library on Monday, September 25th. With a distinctive style that revolutionized the sound of Adult Contemporary music, the hit-making songwriter created his own brand of storytelling music that has captivated fans for decades.
Brickman’s vocal collaborations cross genres featuring the likes of, Martina McBride, Carly Simon, Lady Antebellum, Johnny Mathis, Herb Albert, and Kenny Rogers. He is one of pop-music’s most talented performers and the best-selling solo pianist of our time, earning him 21 Number One albums and 32 Top 20 Radio Singles. Brickman received a Dove Award by the Gospel Music Association for his Christmas album The Gift.
On December 28th, be part of the holiday concert tradition of the season with Grammy nominated songwriter and piano sensation Jim Brickman as he celebrates A Joyful Christmas with special guests Anne Cochran and John Trones at Abravanel Hall.
Bring your family, friends or special someone and make Jim Brickman your new holiday tradition. Celebrate the faith, love and togetherness that we value most this time of year and share in the celebration of A Joyful Christmas.
CALENDAR INFORMATION
WHAT: Jim Brickman A Joyful Christmas
WHEN: Thursday, December 28th – 7:30pm
WHERE: Abranavel Hall
PRICE: $35-$100
TICKET INFORMATION – Tickets On Sale Now
Jim Brickman has transformed the genre of solo piano music with his original pop-style instrumentals and star-studded vocal collaborations.
Brickman’s extraordinary keyboard skills have earned him 21 Number One albums and 32 Top 20 Radio Singles in the industry bible, “Billboard” magazine. He’s garnered two Grammy nominations, gospel music’s Dove Award, two SESAC Songwriter of the Year Awards, and the Canadian Country Music Award. He also has a music scholarship named for him by his alma mater, the prestigious Cleveland Institute of Music.
Born and raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio, Brickman began his music training at the age of five. But young James wouldn’t conform to the rudimentary regulations of piano lessons. “He didn’t have the knack for it,’ his first teacher would say. That didn’t discourage the tenacious pianist from creating his own unique brand of musical storytelling. An innovative force in the music industry was born.
Brickman’s first album release was 1995’s “No Words,” and he’s gone on to sell eight million albums worldwide. He’s written three best-selling books, starred in four TV concert specials, and is in the 20th season of hosting radio’s popular “The Jim Brickman Show.”
“Hope,” “Faith” and “Peace” are truly at the heart of Jim Brickman’s passionate songwriting. “I write music to be shared — to soothe, to inspire, to celebrate, to love. To me, music is the pure and simple soundtrack to life’s most memorable moments.”
