Considering
all the weird stuff government often gets involved in and all the things
government does wrong, it is all the more refreshing and hope-inspiring when it
finds itself one of the rare missions it is uniquely positioned to excel at and
runs with it. This is exactly what US House of Representative Jim Matheson (Utah , 4th
district) does when he sponsors HR 2808 with the help, support and advocacy of Save Our Canyons.
This is not some trivial piece of legislation only meant to benefit its sponsor's career
either, here are a few crucially important things that HR 2808 does:
ü Designates an additional 24,420 acres of
wilderness and special management area protection.
ü
Establishment
of a new 6,202-acre wilderness area on the North side of Millcreek Canyon ,
to be called the Wayne Owens Grandeur Peak Wilderness Area
ü Resolution
of a long-standing conflict between backcountry skiers and Snowbird Ski Resort
over a proposed expansion into White Pine Canyon. White Pine is proposed to
rightfully become part of the Lone Peak Wilderness.
ü
Protection
of Flagstaff Mountain ,
Pink Pine & Mt. Superior against land exchange with Snowbird Resort for the
top of the American Fork Twin Peaks and lands in Mineral Basin .
ü
Protection
of community water resources and springs
ü
Protection
of the area proposed for the controversial SkiLink between Canyons Resort and
Solitude Mountain Resort.
For a more
detailed presentation go to Save Our Canyons.
Make sure
to sign the petition! Click here.
Here are both a summer and a winter view of what we should be fighting to protect and (pre)serve, click to enlarge:
Mount Superior all dressed up in his winter's best. |
red Pine lake |