In late July Sierra Club reached an agreement with the Bureau of Land Management to ban surface occupancy of oil and gas operations in the roadless area surrounding Desolation Canyon on the Green River in Utah. The West Tavaputs agreement ensures that the area, which is a National Historic Landmark, will be protected from industrial development. Sierra Club’s partner, Southern Utah Wilderness Association, was lead in negotiations which got the oil company to agree not to drill on existing leases within the wilderness study area.
Click here to read more on the Grand Canyon Trust's blog. (Photo courtesy of Eric Conner.)