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A6 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 24 auguSt 2019

Plan allows drilling, grazing near national monument in Utah

By BRADY McCOMBS kinds of destructive activi-
Associated Press ties,” she said. “It’s really a
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A giveaway to the fossil fuel
new U.S. government man- industry.”
agement plan unveiled Fri- Barber stressed that pro-
day clears the way for coal tections will remain even
mining and oil and gas drill- though the lands are no
ing on land that used to be longer within the monu-
off limits as part of a sprawl- ment.
ing national monument in “It’s not a free-for-all,” Bar-
Utah before President Don- ber said. “That seems to be
ald Trump downsized the what I hear a lot, people
protected area two years feeling like now anybody
ago. can go out and do any-
The plan released by the thing they want to do on
Bureau of Land Manage- these lands. But, they need
ment would also open to realize that we still have
more lands to cattle graz- our rules and policies.”
ing and recreation and ac- But an economic analysis
knowledges there could be estimates coal production
“adverse effects” on land could lead to $208 million in
and resources in the monu- annual revenues and $16.6
ment. million in royalties for the
But while allowing more ac- This July 9, 2017 file photo, shows a view of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah. U.S. government.
tivities, the plan would also Associated Press Oil and gas wells in that
add a few safeguards for manager of the national ing 1.1 million people from excluded lands to what he area could produce $4.1
the cliffs, canyons, water- monument, told The As- October 2017 through Sep- calls “garden variety public million in annual revenues,
falls and arches still inside sociated Press the plan re- tember 2018, according to lands.” it says.
Grand Staircase-Escalante flects changes made after U.S. government figures. “Grand Staircase-Escalan- Barber said he’s excited
National Monument that considering input from the Conservation and paleon- te is one of the nation’s that competitive events
weren’t in a proposed plan public and considering an tology groups have filed public land crown jewels would be allowed in the
issued last year. assessment that there are ongoing lawsuits to stop and from the outset the monument under the BLM
Among them are open- enough protections al- the downsizing. Trump administration was plan.
ing fewer acres to ATVs ready in place. They say the new plan hell-bent on destroying this A popular trail running race
and cancelling a plan that “There are people who lacks adequate protec- place,” Bloch said. called the Grand to Grand
would have allowed peo- graze livestock, people that tions for the land and reiter- The allowance for coal, oil Ultra has wanted to extend
ple to collect some non- like to hunt, people that like ated their concern that the and gas extraction on the its course through parts
dinosaur fossils in certain to hike, people that like to years spent creating the lands cut was expected of the monument and will
areas. trail run,” said Barber, who plan were a waste of tax- as the Trump administra- now be able to seek per-
The BLM says no land will be has worked at the monu- payer resources because tion carried out a “reckless” mission, he said.
sold from the 1,345 square ment since it was created. the lawsuits remain unre- plan to undo protections President Bill Clinton creat-
miles (3,488 square kilome- “We’re trying to be fair.” solved. on pristine lands, said Heidi ed the monument in 1996
ters) that were cut from The plan is expected to go Steve Bloch, legal director McIntosh, managing attor- using the Antiquities Act,
what had been the 3,000 into effect after a public re- at the Southern Utah Wil- ney of Earthjustice’s Rocky which sets guidelines call-
square miles (7,770 square view period. derness Alliance conserva- Mountains office. ing for the “smallest area
kilometers) of the monu- The monument has seen a tion group, said it’s unforgiv- “First, they ripped in half compatible with proper
ment. 63% increase in visitors over able to cut the monument and now they are official- care and management” of
Harry Barber, acting the past decade, host- in half and downgrade the ly opening the door to all artifacts to be protected.q

West Virginia AG sues opioid makers, says they hid risks

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — named as defendants. tributing patient education reached a $37 million set- in more than 47,000 deaths
West Virginia’s top prosecu- Morrisey says the compa- guides that sought to dispel tlement with the drug dis- in both 2017 and 2018.
tor filed suits Friday against nies engaged in strategic the “myth” that opioids are tributor McKesson over a More than 2,000 state, lo-
the major opioid makers campaigns to deceive pre- addictive. lawsuit that accused the cal and tribal governments
Johnson & Johnson and scribers. West Virginia, which has company of sending mil- have filed similar claims
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Teva told doctors that pa- the nation’s highest opi- lions of suspicious painkiller seeking to hold the drug in-
for misrepresenting the risks tients could take increas- oid overdose rate, has orders to the state as it was dustry accountable for the
of their painkilling drugs. ingly strong opioids without been the site of many suits being ravaged by the opi- opioid crisis.
The separate suits filed in disclosing the rising risk of against the industry. oid epidemic. The compa- Most of suits have been
Boone County, West Vir- addiction, according to About 30 hospitals in the ny admitted no wrongdo- consolidated under a fed-
ginia, by Attorney General the lawsuit. state and affiliates in Ken- ing. eral judge in Cleveland.
Patrick Morrisey accuse the The company disguised its tucky banded together The state has received West Virginia University Pres-
drugmakers of violating the marketing efforts through in April to sue some of the about $84 million through ident Gordon Gee and for-
state’s Consumer Credit third-party advocates and largest opioid companies, settlements with compa- mer Ohio Gov. John Kasich
and Protection Act and professional associations, saying they flooded Appa- nies in opioid lawsuits, ac- on Thursday announced
seek monetary penalties. Morrisey said. lachia with powerful pain- cording to the attorney they were creating a non-
Johnson & Johnson subsid- Johnson & Johnson, killers and forced medical general’s office. profit to steer cash from any
iary Janssen Pharmaceu- through Janssen, is also ac- centers to deal with the fi- The U.S. Centers for Disease national opioid settlement
ticals and Teva sister com- cused of downplaying the nancial repercussions. Control and Prevention to hospitals, instead of local
pany Cephalon are also dangers of painkillers, dis- In May, West Virginia says opioids were involved and state governments.q