Southern Utah wilderness bill, including possible expansion of Hovenweep NMon, on hold for moment
While the proposed San Juan County Wilderness Bill is on hold because of the January 1, 2011 departure of Robert Bennett from the U.S. Senate, there remains a strong interest in maintaining the momentum to solve the longstanding wilderness debate.
Bennett initiated a process to develop a wilderness proposal for San Juan County, similar to the process that resulted in a Washington County Wilderness Bill in 2008. The Senator’s office called for input from whomever wanted to participate.
By all accounts, San Juan County government was a major voice at the table. The Wilderness Society was the main wilderness advocate to participate in developing the Washington County Bill.
While other major environmental organizations were mostly quiet in the Washington County process, they have been involved in the San Juan County process, including the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA), Grand Canyon Trust, and the Sierra Club.