Redrock Report
October 2009

Here's what is happening this month with the redrock:
1.  Ask your Representative to help protect Utah's wild lands!
2.  Faith communities call for the protection of Utah wilderness.
3.  Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) is among the new redrock bill cosponsors!
4.  SUWA's slideshow comes to Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina, and New York this November.

Ask Your Representative to Urge the BLM to Protect Utah's Wild Lands!

While we continue to move forward with the Red Rock bill and other legislative opportunities, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has a responsibility to adequately protect special places until Congress designates them as wilderness.  Utah wilderness champion Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) is now leading a House sign-on letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar that asks him to use his considerable authority to administratively protect lands the BLM has deemed to possess wilderness character.

Please take a moment to contact your Representative and ask him/her to sign Representative Hinchey’s letter to Secretary Salazar today!  If your Representative is a cosponsor of America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act, click here to send your message.  If your Representative is not a cosponsor, please also ask him/her to sign onto the bill as well as the letter.  

Faith Communities across Utah host “Wilderness Stewardship Days”

Imagine posters filled with beautiful pictures of Utah’s wild lands and personal testimonials about the spiritual importance of wilderness, with each poster representing people from a different faith community in Utah.  Now imagine these posters presented to Utah’s elected leaders and placed on display to the community.

That is one of the goals of Wilderness Stewardship Days, the latest action by people of faith in Utah to join their voices together in a powerful call for wilderness stewardship.  United by a shared belief in the spiritual importance of wilderness, members of diverse Utah faith communities are hosting events this fall at congregations around the state.  Participants are reflecting on the spiritual value of Utah’s wild places and calling on Utah’s elected leaders to protect the state’s wilderness heritage.

“Many of us feel a spiritual responsibility to care for creation,” said Reverend Erin Gilmore of Holladay United Church of Christ.  “Wilderness is a place of profound spiritual inspiration, renewal and connection to people from all faith traditions.  We hope our elected leaders will hear our call for stewardship.” 

*New Cosponsor Spotlight* 

Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) recently became the second ever Intermountain West cosponsor of the Red Rock bill

In the past month, the list of cosponsors of America's Red Rock Wilderness Act has continued to grow.  Those recently signing onto to the bill are Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Representatives John Hall (D-NY), Melvin Watt (D-NC), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), David Scott (D-GA), Tim Walz (D-MN), John Adler (D-NJ) and Chaka Fattah (D-PA).  If you live in Colorado or any of the above districts, please thank your senator or representative!

For a full list of cosponsors, click here.  If your members of Congress are not on the list of cosponsors, please ask them to sign onto the bill by clicking here! 

See a Redrock Slideshow this November!

SUWA's multi-media slideshow presentation, Wild Utah: America's Redrock Wilderness, hits the road again this fall...

Clayton Daughenbaugh, SUWA's Midwest Field Organizer, will be presenting in Illinois and Indiana this November.  For more information or to schedule a slideshow in the Midwest, email Clayton at clayton@suwa.org. 

Jackie Feinberg, SUWA's National Grassroots Organizer, will be showing the slideshow in North Carolina and New York in November.  For more information or to schedule a slideshow along the East Coast, email Jackie at jackie@suwa.org.   

Click here for a complete schedule.