by Gail Johnson
Lake Powell, UT 84533
435-459-1268/1269
sandyljohnson@wildblue.net
January 6, 2017
Governor Gary Herbert
350 State Capitol, Ste. 200
Salt Lake City, UT 84114
Re: State Lands in Bears Ears Monument
Dear Governor Herbert:
My
family's ranch is swallowed up in this new monument, our private land, water
rights, grazing allotments (federal and state), and our home. Since this monument has been forced upon this
state in spite of opposition from every level of government and the majority of
local residents, I would like to see the state take the position of not being
amenable to trading out the school sections.
Tell the federal government to go fly a kite. The state shouldn't have to trade just
because an oppressive and out-of-touch federal government says to. Trading under these circumstances is under
duress, when the state should stand up to the federal government.
If
the state decides to trade, make the federal government give more than equal
value because the federal government is forcing this monument and trade upon
Utah. And for sure, all land traded for
should be in this county.
I
have always been against trading out scattered state sections, unless done on a
section by section basis, for several reasons.
First, no one knows what the future will be and what lies below the
surface of these lands. Prior to World
War II, prospectors roamed this county searching for gold and silver, walking
right past and ignoring land that proved to be invaluable a few years
later. Lands rich in uranium and
vanadium. Scattered state sections
increase the state's odds of capturing subsurface resources that may not be
known today, but will be important in the future. There may be other valuable options for these
lands in the future, as well.
Second,
scattered state sections give the state leverage in dealing with the federal
government, now and in the future. It
also gives access to land that otherwise might not be accessible. SITLA is much
easier to deal with when developing water, maintaining roads, and doing range
improvements than is the federal government.
Without these state sections, it will be much easier for federal land
restrictions to tighten and tighten until historic multiple uses are choked
out.
I
realize this issue is "wait and see" with the in-coming Trump
administration, potential lawsuits, and a new congress. That is what gives my family and this county
a glimmer of hope. I also see that today
(Jan. 6), the SITLA board is meeting regarding land exchange.
Thank
you for speaking out against this new monument and for anything you can do to
reverse it and amend or get rid of the Antiquities Act. Also, please consider keeping scattered state
sections.
Sincerely,
Gail
Johnson
cc:
Dave Ure, SITLA Director
Rep. Mike Noel
Sen. David Hinkins
Utah Congressional Delegation
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