This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
One marvels at the length that the governor and the Republican-dominated Legislature will go in asserting control of the public lands. The decision of Outdoor Retailers to pull their convention out of Utah in protest will cost the state some $40 million annually. Over a 10-year period, the lost revenues to the Utah economy will easily exceed half-a-billion dollars. And what will we receive for this? The possibility that the commissioners of San Juan County can ride their ATVs unimpeded by federal authorities.
John Watkins
Salt Lake City