DOI SEC SALAZAR STOPS DRILLING

Salazar scraps sale of oil-and-gas leases in Utah
Paul Foy, February 5, 2009 (AP)

"In a high-profile reversal of the Bush administration, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Wednesday the government is scrapping the leases of 77 parcels of federal land for oil and gas drilling in Utah's redrock country…He said he had ordered the Bureau of Land Management, which is part of the Interior Department, to not cash checks from winning bidders for parcels at issue in a lawsuit filed by environmental groups.

"The sales were worth $6 million to the government in addition to royalties on any oil or gas production…A federal judge put the sale of the 77 parcels, totaling about 100,000 acres, on hold last month until the lawsuit was resolved. Now, Salazar is refusing to sell any of them — at least until the new administration reviews them."

Nine Mile Canyon - it would be a sin to drill here. (click to enlarge)

"Conservation groups promised to press ahead with the lawsuit…The BLM approved the plans, governing 7 millions acres of public land in Utah, last year…Among critics of December's lease auction was Robert Redford…

"Salazar said some of the lease parcels are too close to Arches and Canyonlands national parks and Dinosaur National Monument. Other leases taken off the table were on the high cliffs of whitewater sections of the Green River through Desolation Canyon…Salazar also acted to protect plateaus populated by big game atop Nine Mile Canyon, sometimes called the world's longest art gallery because of its ancient rock-art panels…"

Dinosaur National Monument - it would be a sin to drill here. (click to enlarge)

"Earthjustice, the group that filed the auction lawsuit, estimated the lands in question would produce only an hour and a half of oil for the whole country at current consumption rates…

"Salazar said he was allowing the lease of 39 other parcels auctioned off in December that were not challenged in the lawsuit…"