Outdoor Industry Association has commended Governor Leavitt and the State of Utah for using its influence to protect the recreational and wilderness qualities of Utah's wild lands and for signing an executive order that creates an Outdoor Recreation Economic Ecosystem Task Force to protect Utah's recreational treasures and promote the state's recreation economy.
“We are pleased that Governor Leavitt officially recognized the importance of protecting Utah's recreational treasures,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, President of OIA. “He realized that Utah's healthy and growing recreation economy has major long term benefits for the state and should be a priority when making public lands decisions.”
“The outdoor recreation industry generates $18 billion a year across the country and plays a key role in Utah's economy,” said Peter Metcalf, OIA board member and owner of Black Diamond, a climbing gear manufacturing company located in Salt Lake City. “Since early summer, we've been urging Governor Leavitt to embrace recreation's economic impact and our efforts have finally been successful.”
Governor Leavitt has stated that, in order to protect Utah's recreation economy, the state of Utah will intervene anytime the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) considers opening undeveloped lands to off-road vehicles, development or natural resource extraction. The state is currently registering its objections to BLM approval for 15 oil-and-gas wells in the White River canyon of eastern Utah.
“Governor Leavitt has made it clear the state of Utah will work to protect land that is crucial to the state's recreation economy,” said Hugelmeyer. “This Utah policy will put the state's weight behind protecting areas left vulnerable by the Leavitt-Norton settlement. That's good news for outdoor enthusiasts, for recreation businesses and for the state of Utah. We are thrilled Gov. Leavitt heard us on this point.”
“A 'drill first, ask about recreation opportunities later' public lands policy does not benefit Utah. Our fight has always been to have Utah's policymakers protect the state's special places so that our recreation economy can continue to flourish,” said Metcalf. “Leavitt's actions help create an appropriate balance between the long term benefits of Utah's growing recreation economy and shorter term benefits of other potential public land uses.”
“We feel these actions have the potential to make Utah the shining example for how public lands should be managed across the West,” said Hugelmeyer. “There's more work to be done, but these significant efforts begin to appropriately place outdoor recreation on equal footing with other industries in Utah.”
According to the Executive Order, the Task Force will include four to six representatives from the outdoor industry and is charged with seven duties, including identifying the state's premier outdoor recreation destinations, assuring that local economies benefit from the outdoor recreation economy, and developing a outdoor recreation marketing plan. Governor Walker has stated that she is fully committed to the task force process.
“As an industry, we pledge to work with the members of this Task Force and other key stakeholders to actively promote Utah's outdoor recreation economic ecosystem and protect the recreation destinations that support it,” said Hugelmeyer. “Our measurement of success will be thriving outdoor businesses and abundant, premier quality recreation destinations in Utah. High on our priority list will be the creation of a fair, open and inclusive process for discussing public land management decisions in Utah and creation of a common agenda with the counties and the State for promoting recreation.”
“We look forward to partnering with Governor Walker and the rest of the Task Force to accomplish these goals,” said Roody Rasmussen, President and CEO of Petzl America in Salt Lake City. “We believe that together we can make Utah the 'outdoor recreation capital of the world.'”
Since June, Utah outdoor recreation business owners and OIA have voiced concerns over agreements between Governor Leavitt and Secretary Norton that prevent public land managers from inventorying Utah lands for potential wilderness designation and establishing new Wilderness Study Areas. OIA is scheduled to deliver a progress report detailing Leavitt's actions during its board meeting on November 13.
“We look forward to reporting these positive developments to our board next week,” said Hugelmeyer. “We will be able to say that the state is taking action to protect wilderness quality lands from oil and gas drilling and that they have created a task force to promote a recreation economy. This could be a winning combination for recreation in Utah.”
“We also look forward to presenting biannual reports about the progress of the Task Force at our annual trade shows in Salt Lack City,” said Hugelmeyer.
As the Governor said in his farewell address, 'we want our breathtaking landscapes preserved,'” said Metcalf. “We look forward to working with Governor Walker to continue movement forward on protecting the destinations needed for a strong recreation economy in Utah.”
