excerpts of interviews about the search for compromise on public lands issues in the west
Bruce Adams: San Juan County Commissioner.
“All of that property belongs to the Federal government. So whatever they decide to do with it; it’s up to them; it’s really not up to me...”
Interview date 1-25-16
Rebecca Benally:San Juan County Commissioner, representing the southern part of the county, including the Utah portion of the Navajo Nation.
“respect everyone’s differences and input, I represent my constituents; I will respect whatever happens”
“Cedar Mesa should be protected and preserved for Native American access for ceremonies and gathering…”
Two clips.
Heidi Redd: A cattle rancher since 1965. Redd served as a member of San Juan County Commissioner Phil Lyman’s Public Lands Council.
“I think we do need tourism, but I don’t think that should be the only egg in the basket… What this county has lived on for ages has been minerals …”
Interview date: 4-20-16
Jim Dabakis: (D-UT) Member, Utah State Senate representing District-2
“Don’t underestimate the few special interests…that have no intention really of trying to move the needle to wherever the economy is going to go…”
Interview date 6-6-16
Gavin Noyes: Executive Director of Utah Dine Bikeyah.
“There’s four divides in the county – there’s native and non-native, then there’s Mormon and non-Mormon, and that’s woven through in both cultures… trying to think of ways to break through some of those barriers …”
Interview Date 6-7-16
Charles Wilkinson: Professor of Law (emeritus) at the University of Colorado, Boulder and a long time advocate for Native American rights.
“I will say one thing about the Coalition. To their everlasting credit, they have not used the word ‘racist’ in public…”
Interview Date 3-7-16
Phil Lyman: San Juan County Commissioner who organized the Lands Council in response to Rep. Rob Bishop’s (R-UT) call to provide stakeholder driven input to the Utah Public Lands Inititative.
“This is not our land. This is federal land… You came to see a boxing match and it was more of a chess game…I’m not going to go in swinging….”
Interview date: 4-5-16
Sue Bellagamba: Canyonlands Regional Director, Utah Nature Conservancy.
“You demonstrate that conservation and human needs can work hand in hand…”
Interview date: 4-29-16
Listen to more audio from our interviews:
Excerpts of interviews with members of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition
Excerpts of interviews related to Mormon beliefs about land stewardship
Excerpts of interviews with people with strong connections to San Juan County
Excerpts of interviews reflecting on the importance of preserving wild landscapes
Excerpts of interviews about Native tribes’ leadership in protecting Bears Ears
Excerpts of interviews about attempts to find compromise on public lands issues
Rob Bishop: (R-UT); currently chairs the House Committee on Natural Resources. In 2013, Bishop initiated the Utah Public Lands Initiative, which he describes as “a locally-driven effort to bring resolution and certainty to the most challenging land disputes in Utah.”
“A monument would be counterproductive….”
Interview date 10-14-16