As we celebrate 250 years, it is important to celebrate the public lands that make Utah unique. The lands protect our watersheds, provide numerous recreational opportunities, allow various species to thrive, sequester carbon and quietly offer us a better life.
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We take them for granted. But, we must be aware the Trump administration has and continues to threaten some of our favorite places with attempts to shrink monuments, open pristine areas to drilling and mining, push for roads through wild and primitive areas, undo successful protections that mitigate damage, and undo protections for culturally sensitive lands.
While we think of the beauty of the outdoors we have inherited, we must also be aware that it can be gone within the next two years. As we celebrate our long U.S. history, we must also vote for its longevity.
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Vote for those who make our environment a priority, protect public lands and embrace credible science. Current Utah delegates don’t, and often the arguments they use are based more on wishes than fact or science. It is up to us to vote for the future of our public lands.
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Patricia Becnel,
Ogden