Mineral lease threat...
Aug 16, 2012 | 511 views | 0 0 comments | 10 10 recommendations | email to a friend | print
There are two parcels that sit on top of a huge watershed next to Moab, home of Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park, state parks and tons of public lands.

A gem in the eyes of the world, Moab is one of the most scenic places on the planet, visited by millions of people every year. Yet here we are in the fight of our lives as the BLM is slated to put numerous parcels on the auction block for oil and gas development.  

As you will see from the picture and maps on the BLM website and at No Fracking in Moab on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FrackingInMoab?ref=hl), this 3,000-plus-acre parcel 039 and 042 join together and sit directly on top of the precious watersheds connected to Moab. There was hardly any notice and there is a feeling that it is being fast-tracked for approval.

These parcels are in direct view of the Moab Valley, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park and beyond. If this development is approved, Moab could lose its water supply because of contamination, lose its clean air from the off gassing from drilling and its beautiful viewshed will be marked with oil platforms.

Moab is in great jeopardy. Tim DeChristopher went to jail to protect this area because of this same threat and here Moab is once again under threat from oil and gas exploitation. I understand the need for oil and gas development, but I think we need to do this responsibly and not lease in areas that could adversely impact an entire town’s water supply. A lot of water supplies have been contaminated across the U.S. due to fracking and natural gas exploration. Let’s not create a situation that can’t be undone.

Moab needs not only its citizens to help save it, but all out there in the world who love it.

—Kiley Miller

Moab
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