KZMU News

Local elected officials and recreation outfitters are coming together in a national press call Tuesday to urge the Trump administration to withdraw proposed oil and gas leases they say would threaten the outdoor recreation economy and local drinking water. A Bureau of Land Management oil and gas lease sale slated for June currently includes two parcels overlapping portions of the Slickrock bike trail and Moab’s sole source aquifer. KZMU News stopped by the Slickrock trailhead this weekend to speak with people enjoying the area by foot and bike to hear their impressions on this proposal.

Show Notes:

Grand County Resolution Re: Sand Flats Leasing –

https://www.kzmu.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Grand-County-Resolution-re-Sand-Flats-Parcels-1.pdf

Moab City Resolution Re: Sand Flats Leasing –

https://www.kzmu.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Moab-City-Resolution-re-Sand-Flats-Parcels-1.pdf

More photos and maps –

https://www.kzmu.org/kzmu-news-monday-february-17-2020/

Local elected officials and recreation outfitters are coming together in a national press call Tuesday to urge the Trump administration to withdraw proposed oil and gas leases they say would threaten the outdoor recreation economy and local drinking water. A Bureau of Land Management oil and gas lease sale slated for June currently includes two parcels overlapping portions of the Slickrock bike trail and Moab’s sole source aquifer. KZMU News stopped by the Slickrock trailhead this weekend to speak with people enjoying the area by foot and bike to hear their impressions on this proposal.

Show Notes:

Grand County Resolution Re: Sand Flats Leasing –

https://www.kzmu.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Grand-County-Resolution-re-Sand-Flats-Parcels-1.pdf

Moab City Resolution Re: Sand Flats Leasing –

https://www.kzmu.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Moab-City-Resolution-re-Sand-Flats-Parcels-1.pdf

More photos and maps –

https://www.kzmu.org/kzmu-news-monday-february-17-2020/

Moab residents, business owners, and some city council members recently expressed resistance to a proposed downtown parking structure. Our partners at the Moab Sun News reported that community members questioned the overall benefits of a parking garage, wondering if there's an actual need for the multi-million dollar project. Managing editor Maggie McGuire and staff writer Rachel Fixen stopped by the KZMU studios to unpack this controversial issue and the complicated emotions at play.

Show Notes:

Moab Sun News, 'City prioritizes parking plan to ease traffic woes' -

http://www.moabsunnews.com/news/article_a4b4b7b8-59e8-11e8-8149-1ffe2c76a24e.html

Moab Parking Management Study -

https://moabcity.org/DocumentCenter/View/2443/Parking-Management-Study?bidId=

Moab residents, business owners, and some city council members recently expressed resistance to a proposed downtown parking structure. Our partners at the Moab Sun News reported that community members questioned the overall benefits of a parking garage, wondering if there's an actual need for the multi-million dollar project. Managing editor Maggie McGuire and staff writer Rachel Fixen stopped by the KZMU studios to unpack this controversial issue and the complicated emotions at play.

Show Notes:

Moab Sun News, 'City prioritizes parking plan to ease traffic woes' -

http://www.moabsunnews.com/news/article_a4b4b7b8-59e8-11e8-8149-1ffe2c76a24e.html

Moab Parking Management Study -

https://moabcity.org/DocumentCenter/View/2443/Parking-Management-Study?bidId=

KZMU News speaks with Carter Pape, staff writer for The Times-Independent about a recent tragedy – a car accident that took the lives of a local father and his son. Pape gives a breakdown of what law enforcement say might have happened to cause the accident, and a reflection of the community response in the aftermath.

Show Notes:

'Funeral Services, benefit event announced for family of car crash victims'

https://moabtimes.com/2020/02/13/funeral-services-benefit-event-announced-for-family-of-crash-victims/

'Boy in Sunday car crash dies'

https://moabtimes.com/2020/02/12/boy-in-sunday-car-crash-dies/

'Moab loses Padre Espiritual in car crash; suspect faces manslaughter charge'

https://moabtimes.com/2020/02/10/moab-loses-padre-espiritual-in-car-crash-suspect-faces-manslaughter-charge/

KZMU News speaks with Carter Pape, staff writer for The Times-Independent about a recent tragedy – a car accident that took the lives of a local father and his son. Pape gives a breakdown of what law enforcement say might have happened to cause the accident, and a reflection of the community response in the aftermath.

Show Notes:

'Funeral Services, benefit event announced for family of car crash victims'

https://moabtimes.com/2020/02/13/funeral-services-benefit-event-announced-for-family-of-crash-victims/

'Boy in Sunday car crash dies'

https://moabtimes.com/2020/02/12/boy-in-sunday-car-crash-dies/

'Moab loses Padre Espiritual in car crash; suspect faces manslaughter charge'

https://moabtimes.com/2020/02/10/moab-loses-padre-espiritual-in-car-crash-suspect-faces-manslaughter-charge/

The first hearing on the Trump Administration’s proposal to speed up energy projects through a National Environmental Policy Act rollback was held in Denver on Tuesday. Although industry strongly supports a push for faster environmental reviews, many people testifying during the hearing said a careful process leads to better decisions. Our partners at KDNK spoke with Peter Hart, staff attorney for Wilderness Workshop, about what’s at stake if the proposed revisions to NEPA are approved.

Show Notes:

NEPA Modernization, Council on Environmental Quality ¬–

https://www.whitehouse.gov/ceq/nepa-modernization/

Submit Comments for Docket ID No. CEQ-2019-0003 –

https://beta.regulations.gov

KDNK, ‘Wilderness Workshop Weighs in on NEPA Changes’ –

https://www.kdnk.org/post/wilderness-workshop-weighs-proposed-nepa-changes

Denver Post, ‘NEPA battle pits Colorado leaders, residents against industry backers of Trump push for faster environmental reviews’ –

https://www.denverpost.com/2020/02/11/nepa-review-denver-hearing/

The Colorado Sun, ‘Trump administration’s effort to roll back NEPA environmental law draws ire at Denver hearing’ –

https://coloradosun.com/2020/02/11/nepa-trump-administration-colorado-denver-hearing/

The first hearing on the Trump Administration’s proposal to speed up energy projects through a National Environmental Policy Act rollback was held in Denver on Tuesday. Although industry strongly supports a push for faster environmental reviews, many people testifying during the hearing said a careful process leads to better decisions. Our partners at KDNK spoke with Peter Hart, staff attorney for Wilderness Workshop, about what’s at stake if the proposed revisions to NEPA are approved.

Show Notes:

NEPA Modernization, Council on Environmental Quality ¬–

https://www.whitehouse.gov/ceq/nepa-modernization/

Submit Comments for Docket ID No. CEQ-2019-0003 –

https://beta.regulations.gov

KDNK, ‘Wilderness Workshop Weighs in on NEPA Changes’ –

https://www.kdnk.org/post/wilderness-workshop-weighs-proposed-nepa-changes

Denver Post, ‘NEPA battle pits Colorado leaders, residents against industry backers of Trump push for faster environmental reviews’ –

https://www.denverpost.com/2020/02/11/nepa-review-denver-hearing/

The Colorado Sun, ‘Trump administration’s effort to roll back NEPA environmental law draws ire at Denver hearing’ –

https://coloradosun.com/2020/02/11/nepa-trump-administration-colorado-denver-hearing/

Just north of Arches National Park, the Dalton Wells area is internationally known as a place of incredible significance when it comes to paleontological resources. In recent years however, elected officials have grown concerned about its protection. As Moab’s tourism boom draws more people to dispersed camping in the area, vandalism and waste increase. In recent years, state agencies and stakeholders have looked for simple and consistent solutions to protect these natural resources. With a bit of buzz surrounding a soon-to-be introduced proposal for a new Utah state park in the area, we speak with state paleontologist Dr. Jim Kirkland to provide more context on the significance of Dalton Wells.

Just north of Arches National Park, the Dalton Wells area is internationally known as a place of incredible significance when it comes to paleontological resources. In recent years however, elected officials have grown concerned about its protection. As Moab’s tourism boom draws more people to dispersed camping in the area, vandalism and waste increase. In recent years, state agencies and stakeholders have looked for simple and consistent solutions to protect these natural resources. With a bit of buzz surrounding a soon-to-be introduced proposal for a new Utah state park in the area, we speak with state paleontologist Dr. Jim Kirkland to provide more context on the significance of Dalton Wells.