Survey Reveals that ORVs Comprise Less than 7% of All Moab Area Visitors
Thursday, November 29, 2007
A new visitor use survey for Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands in the Moab, UT region reveals that contrary to local opinion and claims made by off-road-vehicle (ORV) groups, the total number of visitors whose primary activity is off-road-vehicle sports represents less than seven percent of all visitors to the area.

Bush Administration's Newest Strategy for Public Lands Decimates BLM Roadless Areas
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
The Bush administration has released a series of documents which reveal a new strategy for attacking roadless areas on pristine, scenic public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management in Utah. These six management documents, totaling over 4,000 pages in length, detail an alarming vision for the future of some of the most spectacular lands in the nation, with little opportunity for the public and advocates to provide alternatives.

Congressional Members Seek Protection for Utah's Prehistoric Archaeological Sites and Roadless Areas
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Ninety-three members of the House of Representatives sent an urgent letter to Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne requesting that he protect Utah's irreplaceable archaeological artifacts and magnificent roadless areas from the damage caused by off-road vehicles.

Controversial Gas Development Project Again Threatens White River
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
The Bureau of Land Management's Vernal field office has received more that 50,000 public comments in opposition to a plan to lease public lands and drill 60 natural gas wells on federal and state lands just south of Utah's White River. Outfitters and conservationists are also asking BLM for a comprehensive analysis of the latest development proposal submitted by Denver-based Enduring Resources, LLC one of several submitted by Enduring over the past few years to develop the White River including analysis of the potential cumulative impacts to the natural quiet and beauty of this remote area.

New Looting in Recapture Wash Confirms Link Between ORVs and Damage to Archaeological Artifacts
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Visitors recently discovered freshly dug pothunter pits in a newly documented archeological site in Recapture Wash. The vandalism occurred in a significant site known as the Recapture Great House near Blanding, Utah, adjacent to an illegal off-road vehicle (ORV) trail constructed over the past couple of years.

BLM Backs Down from Issuing Multi-Year, Multi-Event ORV Permit for Arch Canyon
Friday, April 20, 2007
The Monticello office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) significantly scaled back its proposal to approve eight new off-road vehicle (ORV) events in southeastern Utah's Arch Canyon. The agency's slimmed-down decision approves two ORV events in Arch Canyon, with the agency's decision coming just one day before a controversial jeep event gets underway.

BLM Ignores Request to Protect Arch Canyon's Cultural Resources
Friday, March 16, 2007
After receiving a formal Petition to Preserve Arch Canyon's Natural and Cultural Resources from a broad coalition of conservationists, Navajo Tribal leaders, and local business owners, and supported by independent scientific fieldwork and research, the Bureau of Land Management is taking steps in the opposite direction.

BLM May Allow Disastrous "Tar Sands" Development on Expired Oil & Gas Leases in National Monument
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Under direction from the U.S. Interior Department, the Utah Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to reinstate expired oil and gas leases within the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and two Wilderness Study Areas for the purpose of allowing environmentally disastrous "tar sands" exploration and development.

BLM to Sell Sacred Lands for Oil and Gas in Utah
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Despite an overwhelming surplus of already-leased lands not in production and approved-but-not-acted-on drilling permits, on February 20th the Bureau of Land Management's Utah state office will auction for oil and gas development land outside of an area known as the "Parowan Gap," a literal treasure trove of Native American rock art and an area just now being understood for its astronomical importance in southwest Utah.

Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance Wins Appeal Challenging BLM Oil and Gas Development
Friday, February 2, 2007
On January 31, 2007, the Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA) ruled in favor of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance and overturned an October 2003 Bureau of Land Management decision to lease approximately 14,000 acres of public lands for oil and gas development in Utah's rugged and scenic backcountry.

Coalition of Business Owners, Native Americans and Conservationists File Petition to Protect Arch Canyon
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
A broad coalition of organizations, Navajo Tribal leaders, and local business owners has filed a special petition asking the Bureau of Land Management to protect immediately a remote canyon in southeastern Utah's Cedar Mesa region.

Controversial Gas Development Project Along White River Draws Opposition from Conservationists and River Outfitters
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
The Bureau of Land Management's Vernal field office has received more that 30,000 public comments in opposition to a plan to drill more than 50 natural gas wells on federal and state lands just south of Utah's White River.

Conservationists Applaud Decision to Protect Factory Butte from Off-Road Vehicle Damage
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
On September 20, 2006, the federal Bureau of Land Management will finalize its decision to limit destructive off-road vehicle use on lands surrounding a well-known Utah icon, Factory Butte.

Interior Dept Inspector General to Investigate Whether BLM Conspired to "Fix" Utah Land Use Plans
Wednesday, September 6, 2006
The U.S. Department of Interior's Inspector General has opened an investigation into allegations that Utah Bureau of Land Management (BLM) officials may have made commitments behind closed doors to "fix" new land-use plans to assure more oil and gas and other development on wilderness-quality lands in the state.

Congressman Demands Inquiry into Apparent Improprieties in Public Lands Management
Wednesday, August 9, 2006
Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today called for an internal Interior Department investigation into the implications of a newly obtained e-mail from a Utah lobbyist that suggests that agency officials may have made commitments behind closed doors to "fix" new land-use plans to assure more oil and gas development on wilderness-quality lands in the state.

Court Rules that BLM Illegally Ignored Wilderness Values in Rush to Sell Oil and Gas Leases in Utah
Thursday, August 3, 2006
In a decision with west-wide implications, a federal district court has ruled that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) violated federal environmental laws when it sold oil and gas leases on 16 parcels of wilderness-quality lands in southern Utah.

State Agency Rejects Proposal to Sell Oil and Gas Lease Underneath Green River
Friday, July 14, 2006
An oil and gas lease sale previously scheduled to be held this summer by the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and Sovereign Lands (Division) of a 17 acre parcel beneath the bed of the Green River and adjacent to Dinosaur National Monument in northeastern Utah has been cancelled. Following broad public opposition to the sale, the Division decided to withdraw the lands from leasing for an indefinite period.

Wayne County Residents, Businesses and Conservationists Seek Protection for Central Utah's Famous Factory Butte
Wednesday, June 7, 2006
A group of Wayne County residents and businesses and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance today asked federal officials to stop the damage off-road vehicles (ORVs) are doing to one of Utah's most singular and photogenic landmarks. The coalition is offering the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) a solution that protects Factory Butte by limiting off-road vehicles to a manageable ORV area and designated roads.

State Agency Proposes to Sell Oil and Gas Lease Underneath Green River
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
An oil and gas lease sale scheduled for July 2006 by the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and Sovereign Lands (Division) will open to oil and gas development a 17 acre parcel beneath the bed of the Green River and adjacent to Dinosaur National Monument in northeastern Utah.

Proposed Sale of Historic and Recreational Areas to Oil and Gas Draws Fire
Wednesday, May 3, 2006
An oil and gas lease sale scheduled for May 16 by the Utah Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will open to oil and gas development 18 parcels of land near Capitol Reef National Park and 5 parcels of land in a historic district near Nine Mile Canyon, an area that is world-renowned for its fragile Native American rock art.

Proposed Sale of Prime Utah Recreational Areas to Oil and Gas Draws Fire from Outfitters
Wednesday, February 8, 2006
The Utah BLM's February 21 oil and gas lease sale will include 3,700 acres just west of the Green River in Labyrinth Canyon, an area that is highly popular among families and river runners alike. The sale also includes more than 100,000 acres of land proposed for wilderness, mostly in the San Rafael River and San Rafael Desert regions, a remote area of narrow slot canyons, shifting sand dunes, sculpted rock, and miles of the roadless desert spaces.

Conservationists and Advocates for Low Income Utahns Call on Questar to "Come Clean" on High Natural Gas Prices
Friday, January 27, 2006
Press Conference to Address Recent Questar Mailer that Cites "Misguided Environmental Opposition" as Cause for High Natural Gas Prices

Endangered Species Act Protection Finally Proposed for Wildflower
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Responding to the Fish and Wildlife Service's proposal today to protect the Graham's beardtongue (Penstemon grahamii) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, a coalition of conservation groups applauded the proposal and urged the government to follow through as quickly as possible because threats from oil and gas drilling are mounting.

Park Service Overwhelmed by Opposition to Glen Canyon Drilling Proposal
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
The National Park Service has been overwhelmed by strong public opposition to a proposed oil-drilling project in a remote corner of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA).

BLM to Sell Leases within Eyeshot of Canyonlands National Park
Friday, August 5, 2005
On August 16, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to auction off wilderness-quality public lands close to Canyonlands National Park for oil and gas drilling.

BLM to Sell Sacred Lands for Oil and Gas in Utah
Tuesday, May 3, 2005
Despite more than 1,500 unused approved drilling permits in Utah issued between 2001 and April 2005 and millions of acres of already-leased lands not in production, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on May 17 will auction for oil and gas development land outside of an area known as the "Parowan Gap" -- a literal treasure trove of Native American rock art -- in southwest Utah, as well as lands proposed for wilderness protection in southeastern Utah in the heart of Utah's redrock country.

BLM Backs Off Oil and Gas Leasing Near Hovenweep National Monument
Wednesday, December 8, 2004
The Bureau of Land Management's Utah State Office yesterday decided against offering two highly controversial oil and gas leases just outside of Hovenweep National Monument, in far southeastern Utah.

SUWA and NRDC Win Appeal Challenging BLM Oil and Gas Development
Thursday, November 11, 2004
Yesterday, the Interior Board of Land Appeals ruled in favor of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance and the Natural Resources Defense Council (collectively "SUWA") and overturned a March 2002 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) decision to lease approximately 26,000 acres of public lands for oil and gas development in Utah's rugged and scenic backcountry.

Scenic Lands Proposed for Wilderness Protection to Be Offered to Oil Companies for Development
Friday, September 24, 2004
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will hold its largest oil and gas lease sale in recent history on September 8, when it auctions off over 350,000 acres of public lands in Utah to the oil and gas industry.

Utah BLM Auctions Off 360,000 Acres of Public Land to Oil and Gas Industry
Wednesday, September 8, 2004
Although the lead story on the Department of the Interior's website reads "DOI Commemorates 40th Anniversary of Wilderness Act," the Bureau of Land Management (an agency within the DOI) today auctioned off to the oil and gas industry nearly 40,000 acres of legislatively proposed wilderness in Utah.

New BLM Management Plan Abandons Utah's Wildlands to Oil and Gas Development
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
In a development with sweeping implications, the Bureau of Land Management released the very first of its draft revised Resource Management Plans for Utah last Friday, revealing that the Bush Administration's vision for the magnificent San Rafael Swell and Book Cliffs of central Utah, as well as the ten million acres of additional public lands in Utah now under review, is oil and gas development at the expense of all other uses.

BLM to Again Auction Off Wilderness Quality Lands in Utah
Thursday, June 24, 2004
e Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is continuing its sell-off of wilderness-quality land in Utah with its latest quarterly lease sale scheduled for June 25.

Utah's Redrock Wilderness Rich in Natural Beauty -- Not Natural Gas
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
Testifying before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA), presented evidence showing that the sacrifice of Utah's crown jewel America's redrock wilderness would only provide a nominal quantity of natural gas.

Utah, Colorado Oil and Gas Lease Sales Threaten Wild Lands, Dinosaur National Monument
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
In the future, visitors traveling to Colorado's Dinosaur National Monument may have to run a gauntlet of oil and gas development before ever getting inside and once on this unique part of the National Park System, they will still be assaulted by the sight, sound and smell of oil and gas rigs if the Bush Administration chooses to proceed with its controversial sale of leases on Thursday.

Rare Wildflower Faces Extinction: Oil and Gas Drilling Threatens Critical Plant Habitat
Tuesday, November 18, 2003
A dramatic increase in oil and gas drilling threatens a rare wildflower with extinction, botanists and conservation groups charged in a lawsuit filed today.

Oil Lease Sale on Utah's Wild Lands Challenged
Monday, November 10, 2003
Several conservation groups and a member of Congress formally challenged an upcoming oil and gas lease sale on wilderness-quality lands in Utah which were previously off-limits to development.

Utah Public Lands First Victim of Bush Administration Anti-Wilderness Policies
Thursday, October 30, 2003
In an unprecedented move, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced that it plans to sell oil and gas leases for approximately 16,000 acres in Utah that the BLM itself declared to be of wilderness character.

BLM Told by Sister Federal Agency that Nine Mile Canyon Seismic Project may Adversely Effect Irreplaceable Cultural Resources
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
In a detailed four-page letter dated Monday, October 20th, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), a sister agency to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), told the BLM that it had "prematurely" approved the so-called "Stone Cabin" seismic project and that it had mistakenly determined that the project would not harm irreplaceable cultural resources.

SUWA Fires Shot Across SITLA Bow: Agency Must Take Closer Look at Natural Treasures Before Leasing to Oil Companies
Friday, January 24, 2003
In an unprecedented move, Utah's School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration ("SITLA") has decided to offer over 21,000 acres of school trust lands located in wilderness quality lands for oil and gas leasing and development.

Federal Study of West's Energy Resources Favors Gas Industry
Thursday, January 16, 2003
A federal study of oil and gas reserves on western public lands could influence the management of millions of acres of sensitive lands in the West and reduce protections for wilderness and cultural resources according to conservation groups.