Rural Utah lawmaker angered over block on drilling

From the Salt Lake Tribune:

One lawmaker says that it's time for Utah to fight back over the sale of 77 oil and gas leases disrupted last month by University of Utah student Tim DeChristopher and since shelved by the Obama administration. Rep. Mike Noel said he initiated a bill Thursday to make DeChristopher's actions a felony. "To me, it's environmental terrorism," said the Kanab rancher. "I'm really upset that he participated in taking millions [of dollars] away from the school system that he benefited from and he sits out there laughing at us." Noel told his GOP colleagues in the House that the state could miss out on $30 million in royalties over the next 15 years because those leases are now off-limits. "Utah is in the gun sights of the environmental community," Noel said, blasting the Obama administration for -- in one month -- reversing the opening of public lands, including near national parks, to drilling...