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Letter: Anti-parks legislators would let private companies exploit our public lands

Tourists on Wednesday explore the Toadstools, formations located in an area recently removed from the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The spot 45 miles east of Kanab is a popular destination for families. The Bureau of Land Management is developing plans for managing the 900,000 acres in Utah's Kane and Garfield counties that President Donald Trump stripped from the monument, as well as the 1 million acres that remain. Photo by Brian Maffly, shot March 28, 2018

America’s federal lands are under attack by members of Congress who belong to the Anti Parks Caucus. Two members of Utah’s congressional delegation are a part of this group: Rep. Rob Bishop and Rep. Chris Stewart.

In Utah, federal lands constitute 64.9 percent of the state. These lands help to generate the $12 billion that visitors spend on recreation in Utah each year and to support 122,000 Utah jobs.

The Anti Parks Caucus seeks to end public ownership of federal lands and sell or lease millions of acres to private interests including oil and gas companies, coal and metal mining companies, livestock producers, and timber companies.

Private companies intend to exploit the lands for private profit. You will lose your right to use these federal lands and you will never see a penny of the money these private companies get from exploiting your federal lands.

If Utahns want to save America’s federal lands from destruction by private companies, then they should support national organizations like Defend Our Parks and National Parks Conservation Association, and local groups like Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. These groups are working to defeat Bishop and Stewart in November.

Join us at https://www.defendourparks.org.

Jayne G Bishop, Salt Lake City

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