Beyond The Bears Ears

Monday, January 1, 2018

Fie on groups Using and Abusing federal $ to Suck the Life out of Rural Communities

Letter to: National Parks Service 12/ 20/ 2017

National Parks and Monuments have been the victims of poor management, and inadequate budget allocation for decades. Far too much of the DOI funding has been spent on EPA speculation, research, and over spending, on both the state and federal levels. Funds that should have been used to actually maintain existing park "environment" have instead been wasted on frivolous studies and lawsuits, involving sage grouse, turtles, birds, etc. It's time that the DOI takes back its role in managing actual land, water, its resources, and possibilities for multiple use. If wisely utilized the land, timber, and minerals could actually generate money.

Public lands and those who use them, should generate part of this financial backlog; however, a bigger question is, how much has been spent paying lawyers who make life miserable for Western states and counties? The curse of litigation provides little benefit to real people who live in the West, nor the land they live by. It only spends more and more government money, while maintenance of parks and facilities degenerate more each year. Fie on the so called green friendly groups and their grants and lawsuits, who use and abuse federal money to suck the life out of rural communities and surrounding public lands
Hopefully, you can rectify this mire of neglect, and the excess of litigation.
Janet Wilcox

Monday, December 25, 2017

Conflict and Compromise: Bears Ears Reflections

By Janet Wilcox

(Published in the San Juan Record Dec. 20, 2017

Ironically the theme for this year’s National History Fair is Conflict and Compromise. I’d say San Juan County knows a bit about such things! Conflict has become an abundant commodity in today’s news; unfortunately, Compromise is much less forthcoming. Southern Utah is no exception to the imbalance of these positions. Many alarmist voices appear bent on forcing capitulation rather than compromise, as they defend their position, even when it means using hyperbole, false narratives, and speculation.

I often wonder if such folks handle their personal lives in the same way? Within families do we rant and rave, and stomp our feet when we don’t get our way? Do we respond as spoiled children? Do we name call, and use derogatory slurs about those who disagree with us? Or do we rise to higher ground and talk about options, possibilities, and seek a consensus, or compromise?

Fifty years ago on a cold Idaho morning, Steve & I were married. Eventually the cold turned to a blizzard, but it was still a day to remember. At the time I assured my father that Steve and I had many things in common and that we were a great match. Both of us came from farming families where everyone was expected to work. Our religious beliefs were the same, as well as our love for the outdoors and for children. However, even with those and many other commonalities, we’ve still had our share of minor and major conflicts.

One such event happened about five years ago, when we had saved up enough money to finally build a 2^nd level deck with a fire escape for the upstairs bedrooms. I was keen on having it cover most of the patio area below, thus providing more shade for those hot summer cookouts. In addition, I envisioned an expansive area for grandkids and their summer sleepovers. However, my very frugal husband, thought such extravagance was wasteful, and unnecessary. Many conversations were held complete with tape measures, estimates, and pictures. Finally, our patient contractor built the deck, part of it with railings and a solid floor, and the other half, as a pergola with open slats.

At one of our first socials, someone asked why we build it that way; “Why didn’t you finish the deck out?” And I answered, “That’s what a compromise looks like.” Neither of us got exactly what we wanted, but we each got something we could live with.

Such is the dilemma facing San Juan County. Do we keep on fighting, or accept and work with the designated compromise? Neither side of the Bears Ears debate got exactly what they wanted, yet we all got something positive. However, many strident voices continue to defame the President, the Sec. of Interior, duly elected State and County officials and any county citizen they don’t agree with. Has compromise ever been part of their formula? To read some of their sensationalized stories, you’d think our public lands had been shipped off to Mars, or a bomb had dropped on them, eradicating any sign of access. Should the ability to outshout, disparage, and buy power and control, outweigh civility and discussion in these matters? It would seem that conservation combined with compromise, and communication are better tools to use when making decision which affect neighboring lands, lives, and livelihoods. We may not get exactly what we want, but surely, we can learn to live in harmony, and horzo and let rancor die a natural well-deserved death.

~~ Bear Essentials ~ Dec. 25, 2017 ~~

Did Santa Make it Past the Windmills?

Good News Bears

n Testimony on Dirty Dealings “In Federal Lands Committee Hearings last week, former Utah Governor, Mike Leavitt, recounted the ruthless and deceptive process by which President Bill Clinton created the 1.9 million-acre Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM) in 1996. (See video in next link – very incriminating)

n Video of Committee Hearing, Testimonies by Rob Bishop and Mike Leavitt

n Rob Bishop Confronts Patagonia and False Narratives

n Controversy and Confusion over Oil Exploration in BE area San Juan Record

n Interview with Eva Ewald on Bears Ears, after it was Trumped KSJD, Cortez

n Reducing Antiquities Act Land Grabs A great article with good facts “President Obama designated the 1,351,849-acre Bears Ears NM three weeks before leaving office, largely to make still more energy, mineral and other resources off limits to exploration and development. He too did so without prior consultation with Utah’s governor, congressional delegation or residents. Offshore marine national monuments now total 760 million acres – 7-1/2 times the size of California!”

n How Ticaboo got pulled into the Uranium Russian scandal

n First Hearing on Escalante National Monument

n Can Compromise Replace Conflicts in Bears Ears Resizing? Janet Wilcox

n DOI Reverses Job Killing Mining Restrictions in Minnesota

n Looking for a Financial Fix for National Parks and Monuments Judy Fahys