I am writing this letter from Colt Mesa, the site nestled deep between the Escalante canyons and Capitol Reef National Park, where a Canadian mining company has staked claim now that Utah’s congressional delegation and President Donald Trump are attempting to remove this land from the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.
Let me assure you, this is not the place. This is not the place for industrial noise, dust and other forms of pollution. This is not the place for a mining operation that will be lit 24 hours a day. This is not the place for any “improvements” to the rugged dirt road I drove down to get out here, nor for industrial traffic on the Burr Trail.
I am stunned that some people feel that this area is not deserving of the protection it’s been afforded for 20 years now as a part of the GSENM. We need elected officials who prioritize the long-term value of our public lands.
I am putting my strongest support behind Shireen Ghorbani for Utah’s 2nd Congressional District. She is passionate about our public lands and clearly understands what Rep. Chris Stewart does not: that a well-preserved and intact Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument will be the gift that keeps on giving for many generations to come.
Matt Adolphson, Salt Lake City
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