"...the Emery County Public Lands Bill is the result of decades of efforts..."
- Ray Petersen, Emery County Public Lands Administrator
- Ray Petersen, Emery County Public Lands Administrator
The San Rafael Swell Western Heritage and Historic Mining NCA is the result of a decade of efforts on the part of County Commissioners, the Emery County Public Lands Council and scores of stakeholders. Over fifty scoping meetings, public meetings, work meetings and field trips have been conducted to gather input from dozens of organizations and agencies, and over a hundred individual stakeholders. Many more conversations with political delegations in Salt Lake and in Washington D.C. have taken place as well.
Benefits that Emery County anticipates with the passage of this legislation:
- Roads, trails and routes which are currently open, remain open. Motorized routes which have been evaluated, and re-evaluated by BLM, yet are continually challenged by litigation will be clarified.
- Regulatory Certainty. What is not in the NCA is important. Industries dependent on natural resources will be ensured that leases and permitted operations will remain viable.
- Livestock operators will be held harmless and will benefit from defined management guidelines.
- The notoriety of National Monument status will be conveyed to Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry.
- On-the-ground management, education, and development of facilities in the Goblin Valley/Temple Mountain area by Utah State Parks will preserve the wilderness/slot canyon resources that are in peril.
- Exchange of BLM and SITLA properties will allow these agencies to manage lands more in step with their mandates.
numbers
Current Wilderness Study Area's: 436,643 Acres
Proposed Wilderness (Acres):
Candland: 12,338
Crack Canyon: 25,747
Desolation Canyon: 173,320
Devil's Canyon: 8,630
Horseshoe Canyon: 26,226
Mexican Mountain: 74,503
Muddy Creek: 65,652
Nelson Mountain: 7,447
San Rafael Reef: 59,880
Sid's Mountain: 75,403
Total: 529,146 (plus 48,840 acres after SITLA exchange)
NCA (not in wilderness): 336,467 Acres (plus 46,913 acres after SITLA exchange)
Jurassic National Monument: 2,500
Goblin Valley Expansion: 9,350
County R&PP (4): 2,852
Emery Recreation: 640
Huntington Airport: 1400
Sheriff SR-6: 640
Buckhorn Information Center: 65
Proposed Wilderness (Acres):
Candland: 12,338
Crack Canyon: 25,747
Desolation Canyon: 173,320
Devil's Canyon: 8,630
Horseshoe Canyon: 26,226
Mexican Mountain: 74,503
Muddy Creek: 65,652
Nelson Mountain: 7,447
San Rafael Reef: 59,880
Sid's Mountain: 75,403
Total: 529,146 (plus 48,840 acres after SITLA exchange)
NCA (not in wilderness): 336,467 Acres (plus 46,913 acres after SITLA exchange)
Jurassic National Monument: 2,500
Goblin Valley Expansion: 9,350
County R&PP (4): 2,852
Emery Recreation: 640
Huntington Airport: 1400
Sheriff SR-6: 640
Buckhorn Information Center: 65
bill overview |