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The White House is moving forward judiciously in pursuing President Biden’s goal of conserving 30% of the nation’s land, fresh water and ocean areas by 2030. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland delivered her report on the 30x30 initiative at the end of April. A statement of core principles followed, signed by the four Cabinet members charged with “fulfilling the conservation vision” of the president. While we don’t know specifics, Haaland’s report surely includes significant recommendations for Utah’s red rock country.
If America is truly committed to 30x30, we’ll need to protect vast portions of the Colorado Plateau, the canyon country spanning the Four Corners between the Rockies and the Southwest deserts. In southern Utah, park planners have recognized the worthiness and wildness of these one-of-a-kind canyonlands ever since they proposed a gigantic Escalante National Monument in the 1930s.
Was helium well in Utah wilderness a bust?
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SALT LAKE CITY A federal judge on Tuesday ruled that an exploratory project for helium can proceed in Utah s Emery County, rejecting claims by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance that federal land managers failed to appropriately weigh its potential impacts.
Specifically, Judge Rudolph Contreras said the benefits of the Bowknot Project next to the Labyrinth Canyon Wilderness outweigh any potential environmental impacts because of the supply shortage of helium, a critical gas widely used in medical technology such as magnetic resonance imaging as well as computer hard drives, airbags and cleaning rocket fuel tanks. The public undoubtedly has an interest in preservation of the environment. However, the court credits BLM s argument that helium is a critical resource in short supply globally, he said. Given the relatively limited scope of the approved work and the country s need for this resource, the balance of equities tips slightly toward denial of injunctive relief.
Judge Rejects Effort to Stop Helium Project in Emery County
A federal judge ruled on Jan. 12 that an exploratory project for helium can proceed in Emery County, rejecting claims by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance that federal land managers failed to appropriately weigh its potential impacts.
Judge Rudolph Contreras stated that because of the supply shortage of helium, the benefits of the Bowknot Project next to the Labyrinth Canyon Wilderness outweigh any potential environmental impacts.
Contreras also noted that the proposed water use by the project is minimal, amounting to 0.002% of total water use in Emery County. He also noted that all required water would come from existing municipal water rights.
Trump moves to loosen mining regulations, approve projects as he exits
Outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is moving to loosen mining regulations and green light new mineral projects before leaving office this month, with successor Joe Biden unable to reverse some of the changes.
Administration officials tell Reuters they plan to publish a raft of decisions on Jan. 15 that will expand miners’ access to federal lands, give final approval to Lithium Americas Corp’s Nevada lithium mine and approve a land swap for a Rio Tinto Ltd Arizona copper mining project, among other steps.
Biden will be able to reverse some of Trump’s changes, especially proposed rules under regulatory review. But some of Trump’s steps will either be irreversible or require Biden to restart the rule-making process, a years-long effort, which is a concern to environmentalists.
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