Utah Wilderness Violators Turned Over to U.S. Attorney

by steve casimiro on May 12, 2009 · 6 comments

6 responses

It turns out that Bureau of Land Management officials were doing slightly more than just standing by last Saturday as 300 ATVs sped up the Kane County, Utah, Paria River wilderness study area in violation of federal law–they were snapping photos of license plates, which they passed along to U.S. Attorney Brett Tolman on Monday.

The off-road vehicle drivers were protesting a recent court ruling that reinforced the fact that riding ATVs in wilderness or wilderness study areas is, in fact, illegal. The Paria River area was made off-limits in 2000, but the BLM didn’t uphold the law. Indeed, in 2007, it released a report effectively allowing the rule-breaking by requesting voluntary avoidance. That was about as effective as asking Bristol Palin to just say no.

Off-road supporters argue that the Paria River bed has been used as a road for generations and they frame the conflict as a federal land grab. Protest organizer Shawna Cox likened the BLM’s action on Saturday as one of Big Brother. She told the Salt Lake Tribune, “We felt like that was pretty low. We thought we were living in a communist country. We weren’t [doing] anything dangerous. People should stand up for their rights.”

Well, okay, yes. But driving your ATV in a wilderness study area is clearly illegal and you might expect some consequences. What part of “illegal” do you not understand? BLM auction protestor Tim DeChristopher was blasted from the right for breaking a federal law–winning oil and gas leases with no intention of paying for them–but he has repeatedly said he’s willing to go to jail for his civil disobedience. Perhaps the ATV users would find a little more sympathy if they reframed their argument and offered to pay the consequences. Or perhaps not. As many ATV users have pointed out in response to this story’s coverage on the Salt Lake Tribune website, the vehicle is a great way to get to the trailhead–then get off your ass and walk.

A spokesman for Tolman would not comment on the attorney’s plans, but it will be interesting to see what happens: Tolman is the prosecutor who sought and received indictments against DeChristopher.

Additional Adventure Life coverage here and here.

Photo by Salt Lake Tribune.

Tagged as: public lands, wilderness

{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }

Smelly B May 12, 2009 at 08:52: You had me with you until the Bristol Palin cheapshot.

Unnecessary, smarmy and a silly non-sequitur in an otherwise meaningful article.
SMoore May 12, 2009 at 09:50: I’m sure there are a lot of respectful, responsible ATV users out there, so why do they insist on picking the most idiotic people to represent their concerns?

living in a communist country –> breaking laws we feel shouldn’t apply to us?

Pretty sure that’s not how it would work if we actually *were* living in a communist country.
Derek May 12, 2009 at 10:39: While I love the idea of setting aside wilderness. There will always be a problem when that area is your backyard where you recreate. They have evey right to blame big brother. Why does Washington DC have the right to tell Utah Colorado or Wyoming etc. what is wilderness and what isn’t. There needs to be a better approach a compromise and less land grabbing by both sides. These people have grown up recreating this way and had it taken away, this place is far from road less or pristine wilderness. The west isn’t the east’s playground, but the western states don’t realize what they have until it’s gone. I don’t have all the answers but I can assure you this is not it. They are treating these areas like they do the national park system. The difference is these are places people have grown to love to recreate at and just because this may not be your particular passion of recreation doesn’t mean yours wont be compromised in the same way in the future. Just like 99 % of political issues the left is way off and the right is even further until they meet in the middle expect more of the same. There may be 4 to eight years of protection coming but the right will change it back when they get power. The middle people the middle meet in the middle.
David May 15, 2009 at 07:50: Derek – The Federal government has the right, because it’s Federal land. BLM is a Federal agency. If you don’t like the law, better contact your congressperson.
Brook June 2, 2009 at 04:57: Thanks for the follow up. I was also a little taken aback by the bristol palin comment. It made me chuckle, but since she’s so young and was accidentally thrust into the public limelight via her mother, I think you should have used Octo-mom or Paris Hilton instead.
scasimiro June 8, 2009 at 10:25: Perhaps accidental thrusting is what caused trouble in the first place.