August 10, 2011
Ken Salazar, Secretary
Department of Interior
1849 “C” Street, NW
Washington DC 20240
Dear Secretary Salazar,
I am writing to recommend that the Obama administration use its administrative
authorities to provide an enhanced level of protection to the federally owned wild lands
surrounding Canyonlands National Park. Living in Durango for the last 20 years, I have
had the privilege of visiting this area roughly 10 – 12 times and always was awestruck by
its beauty. The exceptional scenic, scientific and archeological values of the “Greater
Canyonlands” region make it an excellent candidate for proclamation as a national
monument.
Along with providing an enhanced level of protection, I believe that some form of
immediate action is needed to address the inadequate regulation of ever-increasing offroad vehicle use and the proliferation of harmful routes in the area. Towards that end, I
recommend that you initiate a public comment process on the petition filed by the
Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance in March 2011 asking the Bureau of Land
Management to re-assess the off-road vehicle management plans rushed through under
the Bush administration.
My knowledge and concern about the Greater Canyonlands emerges from first hand
experience. I am a native Coloradoan from Littleton, CO who has lived and worked in
Durango, only a few hours drive from Greater Canyonlands, since 1992. During this
time I served both as Mayor of the city of Durango, and for four years as a member of the
Durango City Council.
The Greater Canyonlands area is a national natural treasure truly deserving of the highest
level of protection. It is one of the largest wild regions in the West, and perhaps the most
stunningly beautiful. The area also has nationally significant cultural and scientific
values. It is my understanding that the Greater Canyonlands area has been inhabited by
humans for over 12,000 years and contains a treasure trove of artifacts. This includes
Paleoindian sites yielding tools from Ice Age hunters and thousands of cliffs dwellings,
granaries, and rock art sites from the Ancient Puebloan period. The region is also world
renown – and deeply valued locally – for its superlative hiking, rafting, climbing,
canyoneering and other recreational opportunities.
Unfortunately, the natural and cultural values of Greater Canyonlands are seriously
threatened by a number of existing and potential activities, including dramatically
increasing and poorly regulated off-road vehicle use and oil and gas drilling. Existing
off-road vehicle plans fail to adequately protect sensitive riparian areas, archeological
sites and other natural values, or to protect the astonishing levels of natural quiet and
solitude sought out by many visitors.
Protecting the Greater Canyonlands area would serve my community in a number of
ways. First of all, it would protect an area cherished by many residents as a place of
recreation and renewal with family and friends. Second, it could enhance our economy.
Research shows that protected landscapes not only draw tourists, which are important to
our city. They also make a region more desirable as a place to live, attracting new
residents who in our increasingly footloose economy may bring new work opportunities
with them. Finally, protecting the Greater Canyonlands region could be a first step
toward mitigating the problem of early snowmelt caused by the deposition of windborne
dust from the Colorado Plateau. Early snowmelt due to dust deposition not only harms
the local ski industry, and decreases the amount of water that would otherwise be
available in the Colorado River.
Thank you for considering my concerns. I hope you will act in a timely manner to ensure
that the irreplaceable values of the Greater Canyonlands region are protected in
perpetuity.
Sincerely,
Michael Rendon