Dear Friend,
Without immediate action, we could lose over 40% of the public land managed by the BLM in Utah! This is not a scare tactic; the threat is real and the possibility of losing this land in the next few months is imminent. A radical environmentalist group, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA), has made huge progress on advancing their ill intended 9.4 million acre Utah wilderness bill. Should this bill pass you can kiss goodbye recreational gems like the San Rafael Desert. USA-ALL has the experience and ability to beat this bill and minimize or eliminate it. We need you to take action to help protect the public’s access to these valuable places.
On Thursday October 1, 2009 a Congressional committee held a hearing on the bill. This is a major step in passing the bill. This bill has been around in some form for decades but SUWA has never had the ability to send it to a committee for further consideration. With the current political party in power they now have all the clout they need to move this bill and ultimately pass it. Despite SUWA’s progress by having this hearing there will still be months of battle ahead. We must do all we can now to work for a favorable outcome. IN the near future there will be additional hearings to consider this bill. With your help we can prevent its harmful passage.
To the unsuspecting American the term “wilderness” may seem like a good thing. But it is not. It is a legal term that means an area of land admitted into the U.S. Wilderness Preservation System. It also means that motorized and mechanized things are prohibited including all vehicles, power tools, wheel chairs, mountain bikes, hang gliders, and in some cases even horses. It means that 99%of the public will never have access to it. In Utah it means the potential loss of 4 out of every 10 acres of desert land. It also means the loss of valuable access, recreational opportunities, resource development, revenue for Utah public schools, and the ability to manage land, resource, and wildlife. This wilderness bill is reckless and devastating to virtually all Utahans. We must take action to stop it from passing.
USA-ALL was originally organized to stop SUWA and this bill. They have been engaged in the land use battle now since 1998, and have an understanding of process and procedure. USA-ALL knows how to organize and direct resources in such a way to beat this bill. But we can’t do it without your help.
Here is the brutal truth about what needs to be done:
We need to get the word out about this to everyone and anyone who may care. We need to send people to Washington D.C. to testify in future hearings. We need to be able to tell our side of the story to anyone in congress who will listen. We need to unite and direct the energies and voices of tens of thousands of Utahans and other Americans. We need to be able to communicate information related to the bill to all who care. We have serious commitment and expertise to stop this bill but we don’t have very much time or money to complete this enormous task. We also need thousands of individuals like you to get involved and to get others involved. Here’s how you can help:
1. Donate as much money as you can to help us battle this bill.
2. Pressure your friends and everyone you know to donate and join USA-ALL.
3. If you have any expertise or other ways to help, give us a call at 801-830-9112.
4. Be ready to act when we ask. Go to www.usaall.org and join our free email list. We will need you to call legislators, write letters, etc. Let us focus your efforts where they will be most effective.
I am sure many of you are sick of hearing us beg for money. Believe me, we are sick of begging. This is really a defining do-or-die moment. We can’t fight multiple multimillion dollar environmental organizations on guts and determination alone. We also can’t wait until the last second before this bill is voted on by congress. We must fight it now! We need a serious injunction of cash, which will be used judiciously and effectively. Your donations are also tax deductable. Is $50 too much to ask to donate, what about $100? Our annual membership is only $30. What is access to 9.4 million acres of Utah public land worth to you? What can you give? Get on board the “Stop SUWA Express!”
We appreciate every dollar donated.
Sincerely,
Michael Swenson
Executive Director, USA-ALL