This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Ansel Adams lamented, "It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment."

On Dec. 13, EnergyNet, a Texas company contracted by the Bureau of Land Management, began to conduct Utah's first online auction of leases to drill on 24 parcels consisting of 10,510 acres in the Green River District. (Nine Mile Canyon drilling leases have been "deferred" but not parcels in Argyle or Desolation canyons.)

EnergyNet requires that participants in the sale of oil and gas properties on the website "be primarily engaged in the business of exploring for or producing oil or gas," and prove an annual income of $200,000 in each of the two most recent years, or prove a net worth of $1 million.

It is unfortunate that the auction of public properties is no longer conducted in the light of day. Especially when one considers the remarks of Steve Bannon, who serves as President-elect Donald Trump's chief strategist: "Darkness is good. Dick Cheney. Darth Vader. Satan. That's power."

Carolyn Erickson

Salt Lake City