Chaffetz voices support for public lands initiative

If Rep. Jason Chaffetz could wave a magic wand, he says he would give local governments more power to manage Utah’s public lands. But the third-term Utah Republican congressman told local voters that he won’t use any powers – supernatural or otherwise – to influence the shape that an ongoing public lands initiative may take. Speaking at an April 21 campaign event in Moab, Chaffetz said he and Rep. Rob Bishop don’t believe they should be inserting themselves into the process at this point. Instead of telling local citizens or officials, “This is how it’s going to be,” they believe the initiative should be driven primarily at the county level, he said. “We want a bottom-up process,” he said. Chaffetz said that he supports the concept of multiple-use management, but he acknowledged that others might not hold the same views. Discussions about public lands management can grow “very emotional” at times, he said. But as he envisions it, a successful initiative process could provide everyone with a clearer direction of future activities on eastern Utah’s public lands. “Part of what we’re trying to do is change the equation and the tools they have in Washington, D.C., so that we can have more certainty,” Chaffetz said. Seven counties across the region are currently participating in the initiative process, and among those, Emery and Uintah counties are furthest along, he said...more