Introduce Yourself!

The BLM wants to learn how you, your family, and your community will be affected by the proposed Northern Corridor Highway (whether you live here or not!). Take 10 minutes to write a paragraph or two that answers some of the following questions:

*Short on time? Just answer the first 3 questions in bold.  This list isn’t meant to be exhaustive or burdensome. Just do what you can! Thank you!*

  1. Where are you from?

    1. If you live in Washington County, what city do you live in? How long have you lived there?
    2. If you live in a house built after 1995, note in your comment that you live here because of the Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan. This plan which has allowed for development to continue while also protecting habitat for the threatened Mojave desert tortoise and recreation and scenery for people.
      1. Do you live in Green Springs, Brio, or Washington City, close to the proposed highway?
      2. Are you worried about increased litter, light and noise pollution caused by the highway? Lower property values? Disruption of your beautiful view? Be sure to write about this.
    3. Are you a snowbird, aka a temporary resident? Did the beautiful scenery of Red Cliffs, or its recreation opportunities attract you to this area?
    4. If you don’t live in Washington County, do you take vacations here or have you ever visited before?
      1. Do you visit the Red Cliffs NCA/Red Cliffs Desert Reserve or Snow Canyon State Park (inside the Red Cliffs) on your vacations?
      2. How many days do you spend here each year?
      3. How much money do you estimate you contribute to the local economy when you visit here? (lodging, food, travel, supplies, recreation, entertainment, etc)
    5. If you don’t live in Washington County and have never visited Red Cliffs, do you still believe this land should remain protected for some or all of the following reasons?
      1. For the cultural resources (petroglyphs, pictographs, habitation sites, and more) of the Southern Paiute people whose ancestral homelands are inside the Red Cliffs NCA and who continue to steward and care for this place
      2. For the historical resources (1863 Pioneer homes, aqueducts, historic movie sites, and more)
      3. For the exquisite scenery that draws visitors from all over the world
      4. For the 20+ threatened, endangered, and BLM-sensitive species that live in Red Cliffs
      5. For the threatened Mojave desert tortoise
      6. For Utah’s new state reptile, the Gila monster
      7. For the rich ecological value of an ecotone where the Mojave Desert, Colorado Plateau, and Great Basin come together
      8. For the 2 designated Wilderness Areas (Cottonwood Canyon and Red Mountain) that protect dark night skies, freedom from human-caused noise, and opportunities for solitude, adventure and challenge
      9. For the legacy of unbroken scientific research on the threatened Mojave desert tortoise that has occurred in Red Cliffs since the 1960’s
      10. For the paleontological resources including dinosaur tracks, track ways, fossilized ferns and more
      11. For the education and stewardship opportunities Red Cliffs provides to people living in one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the US

  2. How do you use the land in the Red Cliffs NCA?

    1. Do you hike, trail run, bike, climb, ride horses, watch wildlife, go birding, meditate, hunt, etc? Do you admire its scenery from a distance? Do you just like knowing it’s there, and it’s protected?
    2. What trails do you use?
      1. Note if you use T-bone or Cottontail, as these trails will be fragmented by the Highway
      2. Note if you use Pioneer Hills, Pioneer Rim, City Creek, Owen’s Loop, Middleton Powerline, Ice House, Mustang Pass, as these will be located less than 1 mile from the Highway.
      3. Note if you use Mill Creek, Bone Wash, Sand Hill, Dino Cliffs or Grapevine, as these will be located less than 1 mile from the Washington Parkway Extension (outside-Reserve segment of the highway)
      4. Note if you use Ice House, Mustang Pass or Mill Creek to access the Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness, as these will be impacted by highway litter, noise, light and air pollution, diminishing your experience of designated wilderness.
    3. Do you take your family into the Red Cliffs NCA/Reserve? Children? Out-of-town visitors? Students? Friends?
    4. How often? Estimate how many hours per year and what activities.

  3. How would this highway impact your use of the land?

    1. Disruption of recreation?
    2. Disruption of view shed (scenery)?
    3. Disruption of ecological processes and ecosystem services?
      1. Erosion prevention
      2. Air and water purification
      3. Carbon storage
      4. Habitat for plants and animals

  4. Why do you value this land?

    1. Recreation
    2. Scenery
    3. Ecology
    4. Wildlife
    5. Cultural resources (respectfully viewing petroglyphs, pictographs and cultural sites like the “Ancestral Puebloan” Habitation Site near Red Reef)
    6. Historical resources (respectfully viewing historic structures like the Orson Adams House, the aqueducts in Cottonwood Canyon, etc.)
    7. Education (opportunities to attend guided hikes, volunteer and stewardship projects, and community outreach focused on the Red Cliffs NCA; opportunities for Washington County school children to learn about natural resources, conservation, and threatened and endangered species)
    8. Science (opportunities for research and study of the Mojave desert tortoise that has been ongoing in Red Cliffs since the 1960’s; opportunities for paleontological resource study;  partnerships between BLM, local universities and scientific institutions; opportunities for community internships, etc.)
    9. Natural resources (designated wilderness areas like Cottonwood Canyon and Red Mountain, opportunities to experience solitude, adventure and challenge in an environment “untrammeled by man,” natural soundscapes and natural lightscapes, aka, freedom from human-made noise and dark night skies)
    10. Other reasons?
      1. Family
      2. Raising kids in nature
      3. Ethics and law
      4. Religion and spirituality

  5. How would this highway damage what you value about the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area / Red Cliffs Desert Reserve?

  6. Do you have a business that would be impacted by this project?

    1. Hospitality, tourism, guiding, outdoor recreation, etc.

  7. Would your work be impacted by this project?

  8. Example of a Great Declaration. Click here to read!