SOUTHERN UTAH WILDERNESS ALLIANCE the Clinton Administration

Givingthe Land a Voice VOL.XI, NO. 3— FALL/WINTER 1994 SOUTHERN UTAH tr.41 WILDERNESS ALLIANCE The Clinton Administration: Disappointing on Public Lands Hollywood: Gone, but not Forgotten Page 7 Logging to Save a Forest? Page 16 Lawsuits for Rivers Protection Page 15,20 Advantages The Clinton Administration's failure to address critical environmental issues could of being spell trouble for America's old growth forests. But the danger isn't limited to the Pacific Northwest. In this issue Executive Director Mike Matz and Washington Bovine Representative Cindy Shogan take us inside the White House for a glimpse at issues that affect our environment. (Photograph by Ray Wheeler) Page 19 Special Insert: A Report Card on the Leavitt Administration Page 2 Ittal Vol. XI, No. 3 Fall/Winter 1994 Southern Utah Wilderness Affiance The mission of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance This SUWA newsletter was written by Zach Frankel, Scott (SUWA) is the preservation of the outstanding wild lands at the Groene, Mike Matz, Amy O'Connor, Ken Rail, Brian Robinson, heart of the Colorado Plateau, and the management of these lands Chris Seldin, and Cindy Shogan and was compiled by the in their natural state for the benefit of all Americans. Communication Connection. SUWA promotes local and nation al recognition of the region' s Artwork/Photographs Needed for Newsletter unique character through research and public education; supports Contributions of photographs (especially of areas within the both administrative and legislative initiatives to permanently Utah Wilderness Coalition's proposal for 5.7 million acres of protect Colorado Plateau wildlands within the National Park and wilderness) and original art (such as pen-and-ink sketches) are National Wilderness Preservation system or by other protective appreciated. Please send (with SASE) to: Editor, SUWA, 1471 designations where appropriate; builds support for such initiatives on both the local and national level; and, provides leadership South 1100 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84105-2423. within the environmental movement through uncompromising advocacy for wilderness preservation. SUWA is qualified as a non-profit organization under section SUWA Board of Directors 501(c)(3) of the federal tax code. Therefore, all contributions to Bert Fingerhut, Chair Darrell Knuffke SUWA are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Aspen, Colorado Denver, Colorado SUWA Staff and Offices Wayne Owens Vice Chair Jim Martin Salt Lake City, Utah Boulder, Colorado Mike Matz, Executive Director Ken Rait, Issues Director Mark Ristow, Treasurer Lori Potter Heidi McIntosh, Staff Attorney Indianapolis, Indiana Denver, Colorado Cindy Shogan, Washington Representative Ray Wheeler, Secretary Clay Puckett Scott Groene, Staff Attorney (Moab) Salt Lake City, Utah Bountiful, Utah Amy O'Connor, Development Associate LaRue Christie Janet Ross Shelley Sullivan, Executive Assistant Moab, Utah Monticello, Utah Erin Moore, Programs Aide Dottie Fox Del Smith Brant Calkin, Outreach Coordinator Snowmass, Colorado Lander, Wyoming Dave Pacheco, Canvass Director Rich Genser Terry Tempest Williams Tucson, Arizona Salt Lake City, Utah Metro Office: 1471 South 1100 East Ginger Harmon Hansjorg Wyss Salt Lake City, UT 84105-2423 Tucson, Arizona Paoli, Pennsylvania (801) 486-3161; fax (801) 486-4233 SUWA Advisory Committee Moab Office: P.O. Box 758 Bruce Berger Bill Lockhart Moab, UT 84532-0758 Aspen, Colorado Salt Lake City, Utah (801) 259-5440 (phone & fax) David Brower Roderick Nash Washington. D.C. Office: Berkeley, California Santa Barbara, Calif. 418 C Street, N.E. Lance Christie Edward Norton, Jr. Washington, D.C. 20002 Moab, Utah Washington, D.C. (202) 546-2215; fax (202) 544-5197 The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance newsletter is Ruth Frear Guy Saperstein published four times a year. Articles from our newsletter Novato, California Berkeley, California may be reprinted, provided credit is given both to the Kay Harris Ken Sleight author(s) and to SUWA. Cedar City, Utah Moab, Utah Save SUWA Dollars. Please Send Your Dale Johnson Gibbs Smith Layton, Utah Change of Address to: Boulder, Colorado Frandee Johnson James R. Udall SUWA, 1471 South 1100 East, Boulder, Colorado Carbondale, Colorado Salt Lake City, UT 84105-2423 Martin Litton SUWA is a member of Community Shares/Utah, a cooperative fund Portola Valley, Calif. raising body providing support to member non-profit groups. Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance Page 3 Eighteen Months of the Clinton Administration Make the "no net loss" wetlands pledge a reality. By Cindy Shogan and Mike Matz Rededicate the agencies that manage our national Following their nomination, Bill Clinton and Al Gore took to parks and wilderness lands to a true conservation ethic. the road, stopping in towns large and small on an ambitious bus tour. Their message was about change. Designate the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as a wilderness area and halt the crusade for new offshore They knew people wanted more than empty slogans and drilling. trivial sound bites. America wanted substance. In response, they Nearly two years into the Clinton Administration's first term, told the American people their administration would be different. environmentalists are assessing the accomplishments and rightly They were committed to change. questioning why the goals remain unattained and the promises go The two put their substantive promises in writing for the unkept. There have been a few bright spots—in the international country to read. In Putting People First: How We Can All Change arena, for instance—but there are far more disappointments. America, Clinton and Gore outlined an inspiring plan to "fight for The disappointments started in the early days of the Clinton what American's deserve: good jobs, world-class education, Administration. Environmentalists were asked, during prepara- quality health care, and safe streets and neighborhoods." tion of Clinton's first budget, to suggest ways to raise revenue and Internally, the campaign stressed the economy—the oft- cut spending. Revenues, we suggested, could be increased by quoted Carville mantra "It's the economy, stupid."—as the issue charging a 12 percent royalty on the value of minerals extracted central to its success or failure at the voting booth. The campaign from public lands; by increasing pitifully low fees for grazing on began to take hold, and the American people appeared willing to public lands; and by imposing a tax on energy use measured in embrace the change the Clinton/Gore ticket represented. British Thermal Units (a BTU tax). We suggested that spending could be cut by eliminating timber sales on public land that cost Environmentalists nationally only became enthusiastic about more than they brought in receipts to the federal treasury. The Bill Clinton after the selection of Al Gore as his running mate. Clinton Administration included these suggestions in the budget as it went to Congress. Clinton's record in Arkansas, and his moderate stances within the Democratic party through the Democratic Leadership Coun- cil, made environmentalists leery. Other candidates' commit- Thanks to special interests and political ment to the environment were clearer. But with Gore on the backscratching, the American people ticket, optimism did run high that they could deliver on their exciting environmental platfonn. It was a welcome contrast to the aren't getting the reforms they expected. dark and dismal days of the Reagan and Bush presidencies. In Putting People First, the candidates offered pursuit of four Western senators and governors complained bitterly to the environmental goals: President about the mining royalty, the grazing fee increase—an issue the new Interior Secretary was championing—and the reduce solid and toxic wastes and air pollution; elimination of below-cost timber sales. In a meeting with several preserve places of natural beauty and ecological senators, Clinton said he would drop them all from his budget. importance; Within the first few months, Clinton undercut his Interior Secre- tary on the most important environmental issue facing the West. create a market-based environmental protection strategy; and Oil state senators objected to the BTU tax, an item the Vice President was earnestly advocating. According to the book The advance our nation's interest in a healthier global Agenda by Bob Woodward, President Clinton traded the tax for environment. Senator Boren's vote. Vice President Gore, after losing his first President Clinton's promises to preserve our public lands environmental battle internally, has abandoned the environment were quite specific in 1992: to promote the non-controversial information superhighway and ideas for reinventing government. • Preserve out ancient forests for their scientific and ecological importance. "Clinton" continued next page Page 4 Itg Gar Trudeau _ I MEAN, HEY, I REALLY MEAN HI, FOLKS! REMEMEER AFTER XATCHING HIM IN LIKE A CHEESE - THIS ONE, THAT FROM THE HEART CXIR POLITICAL ICONS, ACTION SINCE VMS OF//CS, EKIP6ER, OR A IMO IN 71W 5011W HI/IOU 77405E UTIZE 5175 OF REAPERS HAVE /U1/f77EN SOCK, OR A CHICKEN AT GEA5T THE RAY LOOK AT IV CAR7OON IN ALL 50R7,5 Of 1,64 OR A PAPPLe, 5056ESTION5- OR A KALEIDOSCOPE-. ail, ITS TIME 779 GOOK ONE UP FOR THE CURRENT alHITE HOUSE OCCUPANT OURTIVO FAVOR/7E5,771006H, COME THA75 RISHT! AND IN FROM OffilNE READERS PROPEL-- THESPIRIT OF THIS AIMINI- LERHEA175, WHO KNOW FROM ICONS , 57R4770N, CalL17 60 5/7NER IVAY ! C( 1. FLIPPING COIN 8-14 DOONESBURY copyright 1994 G.B. Triuleau.

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