In Thomas Pyle’s Feb. 27 commentary, “Utah poised to capitalize on the BLM swamp drain,” Pyle states that Utahns are frustrated with the Bureau of Land Management because of the “notion policy decisions that impact them so squarely is mandated to them from unelected, career bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.”
He goes on to refer to BLM employees as "swamp creatures" and open by saying, "Ask a Utahn ... you'll get an earful."
This is pretty rich, coming from someone who’s never lived in Utah and who’s spent the last 27 years living and working in Washington, D.C., as a congressional aide, Koch industries “director of federal affairs” and energy industry lobbyist.
“Drain the swamp”? If Washington is a “swamp,” then Pyle is the Creature from the Black Lagoon.
He never asked this Utahn his frustrations with the BLM but, as he seems so interested, I’ll tell him. I’m frustrated that the bureau hasn’t done more to protect public lands for the benefit and enjoyment of all Americans, but rather allowed millions of acres of open space to be trashed and scarred to serve extraction industry special interest welfare princes like Pyle and the clients he serves.
Alexander F. Obbard, Salt Lake City
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