SAN RAFAEL NATIONAL MONUMENT PROPOSED
There's never a dull moment when it comes to the public lands debate in Utah. By now you may have already heard that Utah Governor Mike Leavitt proposed a San Rafael National Monument in his State of the State address last night. We heard rumors of the announcement just the day before.
In this Issue:
WHAT WE NEED YOU TO DO
CHIEF REQUIREMENTS FOR A GOOD MONUMENT
SUWA'S INITIAL ANALYSIS



WHAT WE NEED YOU TO DO (back)

CALL THE WHITE HOUSE AT (202) 456-1414. Press 1 to leave a comment. You can only leave a comment between the hours of 9:00am and 5:00pm Eastern time, Monday-Friday. Tell them you've heard about the potential San Rafael National Monument in Utah and you've got some comments. Tell the operator that President Bush's 90-day study period for the monument needs to be a national process open to all Americans, and that the proposed monument needs to protect wilderness and stop ORV abuse.

CHIEF REQUIREMENTS FOR A GOOD MONUMENT (back)

FIRST, nothing in the Monument Proclamation or plan should undermine wilderness quality lands in America's Redrock Wilderness Act. In fact, given that the Antiquities Act is about enhancing protection, we ought to see enhancement of on-the-ground protection.
SECOND, the San Rafael Swell has long been hammered by ORV abuse. The President's Proclamation and plan need to make it clear that the San Rafael National Monument will not become an ORV playground. The Proclamation needs to RESTRICT ORVs TO DESIGNATED ROUTES.

THIRD, the Monument Proclamation and plan must establish sufficient federal water rights to protect the resources that justify the Monument's creation.

FOURTH, the Monument shouldn't be used as an excuse to assert bogus RS 2477 claims.

FIFTH, visitor facilities should be located within gateway communities outside of the Monument.

SIXTH, since this is supposed to be a National Monument on lands that belong to all Americans, the 90-day study period should provide access for all Americans to participate. For example, if public hearings are held, they should be national in scope. Don't hesitate to ask for a hearing in a city near you.


SUWA'S INITIAL ANALYSIS (back)

As you know, the magnificent San Rafael Swell region of southern Utah's redrock country has long been an area of interest for conservationists. Currently, more than a million acres of land within the Swell are proposed for wilderness designation in America's Redrock Wilderness Act.
Governor Leavitt's proposed Monument would only include a portion of the Swell, about 620,000 acres, including nearly half the Swell lands proposed for wilderness designation in America's Redrock Wilderness Act.

Leavitt has pitched the idea to President Bush and the President has given the go ahead to a 90-day study period that would precede the President issuing a National Monument Proclamation for the San Rafael Swell. We still don't have details on what the study period process will be.

SUWA is in the wilderness business, not the monument business. Nonetheless, we like monuments IF they are driven by strong management plans that are fully implemented and we see substantial improvement in on-the-ground protection. Of course, even if President Bush gives us a Monument with a strong management plan, a San Rafael National Monument will do nothing to resolve the wilderness debate for the San Rafael Swell.

We've got some concerns, especially given the bad San Rafael Swell National Conservation Area bills we've had to fight over the past several years. But we're willing to give Governor Leavitt and President Bush a chance. TO BE A REAL NATIONAL MONUMENT AND NOT JUST A COUNTY ORV PARK, the President will need to demonstrate some environmental courage. We hope he's up to it. If he isn't, then the San Rafael National Monument is likely to become a poster-child for all that is wrong with the Bush environmental agenda.

Regardless of what happens with respect to a San Rafael National Monument over the next few months, we still need to work for passage of America's Redrock Wilderness Act, a bill that would offer far stronger protection for all wilderness quality lands in the Swell and throughout Utah

Better get your 2 cents in before we lose one more great place to ride....

 

Doesn't make any difference to me. My bikes don't seem to know the difference between wilderness, wilderness study areas or national monuments. They can't enforce it anyways. The BLM couldnt catch AIDS.

"take everything and leave nothing"