Uproar over federal drilling leases next to parks

[UpInArms]

Source: Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY – The view of Delicate Arch natural bridge — an unspoiled landmark so iconic it's on Utah's license plates — could one day include a drilling platform under a proposal that environmentalists call a Bush administration "fire sale" for the oil and gas industry.

Late on Election Day, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced a Dec. 19 auction of more than 50,000 acres of oil and gas parcels alongside or within view of Arches National Park and two other redrock national parks in Utah: Dinosaur and Canyonlands.

The National Park Service's top official in the state calls it "shocking and disturbing" and says his agency wasn't properly notified. Environmentalists call it a "fire sale" for the oil and gas industry by a departing administration.

Officials of the BLM, which oversees millions of acres of public land in the West, say the sale is nothing unusual, and one is "puzzled" that the Park Service is upset.

"We find it shocking and disturbing," said Cordell Roy, the chief Park Service administrator in Utah. "They added 51,000 acres of tracts near Arches, Dinosaur and Canyonlands without telling us about it. That's 40 tracts within four miles of these parks."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081116/bs_nm/us_genworth_tarp

[NC_Nurse]

1. Jesus f*cking Christ he's an asshole! Let's just ruin everything for the sake of

my buds in the oil business. :mad:

[Ilsa]

2. Oh, how I wish Palin and the Administration had to put up with drilling

rigs near their homes. My in-laws' neighbor allowed a lease on their property which inconvenienced everyone in the subdivision while they took a month-long vacation. Activity tears up roads, there is constant noise, and water tables are not always safe from pollution. These republicans want to tear everything up for a few bucks.

[BeanCounting]

3. Yup, he's going to screw every last orifice before he goes

Last Thursday or Friday, was Oregon's turn. Our Senator, Ron Wyden, is trying to put ahold on the drilling proposed for Oregon State and Federal lands, only for that nasty POS Tom Coburn, R-OK, put a stall on it with a statement, Oregon gets too much pork. I find this so maddening! If Wyden's office wasn't so sure that they will get this through with the new senate in January, I'd be tree hugging or sitting or whatever.

[bluestateguy]

4. Bush finally figured out how to deliver lower gas prices

crash the economy. And we didn't even have to drill baby drill.

[fascisthunter]

5. take take take... kill kill kill... then lie lie and lie some more

THAT is the Republican mantra!

[DFW]

6. Utah voted overwhelmingly for McCain

Now they're suddenly upset at his policies?

[alarimer]

7. At Padre Island National Seashore they are drilling IN the park.

Primarily because the park does not own the mineral rights and in Texas, whoever controls the mineral rights gets to drill if they want. They can drill on your land if they own the mineral rights to it. They have to compensate you and I presume they are compensating the park but they can drill.

I think it's wrong. There should be no consumptive use of any parkland or even close to it but most management plans, even for national "parks" allow for consumptive uses.

[desktop]

8. They were puzzled about the uproat, that's why they did it on election day

This administration is beyond sick, this will be something that can't be undone by Obama if the land is already sold.

[Beartracks]

9. The link points to the wrong article. n/t

[quidam56]

10. If they realized they could be as greedy

as they are over old outdated fossil fuels and could still fill their till I'd say get all the green you want.

END MOUNTAIN TOP REMOVAL !

http://www.wisecountyissues.com

[aggiesal]

11. Utah = Republican! ...

Drill, baby Drill !!!

What did they expect?

[liberalla]

12. Congressional Review Act of 1996

I hope Obama will halt and negate the sale of these drilling leases on or near National Parks through the CRA. Or, by any other means possible to prevent this from going forward.