A bill that would have promoted tourism and allowed
off-road vehicles to wheel across specified areas in Utah’s
San Rafael Swell is on “life support” in the
House after green-friendly amendments passed. Conservationists, who
pushed for even more wilderness protection, describe this as a
victory (HCN, 5/22/00: Stirrings in the San Rafael Swell). “We
called everyone we know and told them (the original bill) was not
just a threat to the San Rafael Swell, but also to the whole
wilderness system,” Keith Hammond of the Southern Utah Wilderness
Alliance told The Salt Lake Tribune. Rep. Chris
Cannon, who sponsored the bill, is urging Democrats to rethink
their position before the bill goes to the Senate. He says without
the bill, the swell will have absolutely no
protection.
If Al Gore becomes
president, he says there will be no new road building and
no timber sales on 43 million acres of undeveloped national forests
(HCN, 11/8/99: A new road for the public lands). This promise, made
on the campaign trail, extends protections proposed by the Clinton
administration. “If I am entrusted with the presidency, it will be
a national priority to preserve these roadless areas as they are,
no ifs, ands or buts about it,” said
Gore.
Picnics in California state parks just got
cheaper (HCN, 2/14/00: Land of the fee). This year California’s
budget surplus is estimated to be upwards of $12 billion, and Gov.
Gray Davis wants to use some of that to cut state park
fees in half. “I’m determined to make sure that all these
parks are accessible and affordable to all Californians,” announced
Davis.
Last June, a ruptured gas pipeline in
northern Washington killed three young people, but the industry
continues to make potentially deadly mistakes (HCN, 8/2/99: A
disaster puts spotlight on pipeline safety). A recent inspection by
state and federal regulators found that pipeline companies
still aren’t following guidelines for preventing rust,
detecting leaks, public education and timely maintenance
inspections. The nation’s top pipeline regulator says such lapses
could present future problems if left unchecked. “That’s how ocean
liners run into icebergs, too – it’s not one big thing, it’s a lot
of little things,” Steve Coleman, a citizen lobbying for improved
oversight, told the Seattle
Times.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline The Wayward West.
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