Richard Warnick
Member since Jan 27, 2017
Recent Comments
Re: “Now What?”
Thanks for a thoughtful article about the Bears Ears National Monument, which should not be controversial at all -- but that's not the world we live in.
The best time to establish a national monument for the area could have been in 1936, when it was originally proposed. I got involved when I first arrived in Utah in 1980, on a backpacking trip that included Dark Canyon. Representing the Utah Wilderness Association, I went to Washington to testify in favor of designating the Dark Canyon Wilderness on the Manti-La Sal National Forest as part of the Utah Wilderness Act of 1984.
Then we advocated strongly but unsuccessfully for wilderness designations on BLM wilderness study areas in San Juan County. It just defied logic that so little was being done to protect the world-class wilderness and cultural resources in the rest of Dark Canyon, Grand Gulch, Cedar Mesa, Mancos Mesa, Comb Ridge, and Butler Wash. Well, that was 30 years ago. I treasure the memories of solo hikes through Grand Gulch, Fish Creek and Owl Creek.
in the current go-round, Friends of Cedar Mesa did an outstanding job of finding consensus on wilderness, only to see the PLI bill turned into a wish list for the oil & gas industry. That brought the issue full circle to a national monument proclamation. But before the BLM even put up a sign welcoming everyone to our newest national monument, consensus was torn apart by politicians looking for a wedge issue.
Re: “Trump in Utah: ‘A Very Historic Action’”
Trump's proclamations are of course illegal, as everybody ought to know by now. National monuments can be modified only by an act of Congress.
Re: “Love, American Style”
I'll take Chelsea Handler's weekly Netflix show over anything Sarah Silverman is capable of doing.
Re: “Monumental Fumble”
It has been pointed out many times that Trump has two options if he wants to modify or revoke any of our national monuments. He can try to do it unilaterally (legally impossible due to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976) or by asking for an act of Congress (politically impossible).
I find it ironic that Secretary Zinke complains about political motivations when that describes his own report. There simply isn't a non-political reason to drastically cut the size of ten national monuments, and the report doesn't even pretend otherwise.
Re: “Chompocalypse Now!”
Trump almost got to be the president in "Sharknado 3," after Sarah Palin turned down the role. There are two different versions of the story.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/mornin…
http://www.thedailybeast.com/report-trump-…
Re: “Monumental Disaster”
Why is the Antiquities Act not the "best mechanism for protecting the antiquities"? The Wilderness Act would do the job too, if our politicians were not opposed to wilderness designations. The national monument designation could result in better management of the Bears Ears area and its irreplaceable prehistoric sites.
Re: “Guv Unveils $22.5M Tourism Plan”
When I first visited Zion National Park in 1980, they were already getting more than 1 million visitors a year. Now it's well over 4 million. That's insane. The main argument against Bears Ears National Monument came from people who want all the tourists to go away. That's not a realistic hope, but let's at least provide adequate funding to our national parks, national forests, and public land management.