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Dedicated to conservation and multiple use of public lands for recreation opportunities. Edited by: John Stewart |
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A Victory for the Utah Shared Access Alliance and American Families!
The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a lower court's decision which closed the Salt Creek Road in Canyonlands National Park to vehicle use.
In its April 15 decision, the appeals court lifted an injunction closing the road which had been imposed by Judge Dale A. Kimball of the United States District Court for Utah.
Brian Hawthorne, Executive Director of the Utah Shared Access Alliance (USA-ALL) applauded the ruling. "This decision will allow Utah families, as well as people from across this country access to Angel Arch," he said. "The fact is that the vast majority of people just don't have the ability to hike 20 miles to see this extraordinary natural formation. This decision is a victory for all who visit Canyonlands National Park".
In 1992 the National Park Service (NPS) began developing a Backcountry Management Plan (BMP) for Canyonlands National Park in Utah. After considering alternative management schemes for addressing possible negative impact of vehicles on the road, the NPS in 1995 decided to close a one-half mile segment of the road while leaving the remainder open to vehicles on a limited permit system.
That wasn't good enough for the Anti-Access crowd in Utah. Led by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) they sued the NPS asking that all backcountry vehicle access be CLOSED! That's when the Utah Shared Access Alliance (USA-ALL) got involved. The Utah district court granted USA-ALL's motion to intervene in the action. Thereafter the district court ruled against SUWA on all challenges except the court ordered the ten-mile segment from Peekaboo Spring to Angel Arch closed.
USA-ALL successfully appealed the road closure. The three judge panel remanded the case to Judge Kimball for further consideration, ruling he had applied the wrong standard in reviewing the Park Service's findings regarding the road.
Hawthorne emphasized that he doesn't expect the Anti-Access groups to back down. "Certainly, this is great news for those who choose or are required to use vehicles for access and recreation," he said. "But we don't intend to let down our guard."
| Contacts: | Related Links: |
| Brian Hawthorne TEL: 801-484-3940 FAX: 801-484-0482 |
Utah Shared Access Alliance (USA-ALL) 4x4Wire's Environmental Policy Links from the 4x4Wire Link Index Blue Ribbon Coalition Tread Lightly! |
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