Shame on SUWA | The Salt Lake Tribune

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Re "Bishop seeks grand bargain on public lands" (Tribune, April 16):

Even as environmental groups begin discussions with Rep. Rob Bishop about his so-called grand plan for Utah wild lands, Utah's poster boy for posturing (he has stiff competition from Sens. Mike Lee and Orrin Hatch) announces that he wants to strip the president of the power to declare national monuments ("GOP lawmakers want to strip president's monument power," Tribune, April 17).

A long-time supporter of environmental groups such as the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, I applaud its efforts to reach out to people who have differing ideas about how to use our public lands. But I do not support such efforts when they simply give cover to continuing crimes against the land.

And that is what the present discussions between SUWA and Bishop amount to.

Shame on SUWA.

Ed Firmage Jr.

Salt Lake City