I just wanted to comment on one of Utah’s state lawmakers Rep. Michael Noel, R-Kanab. Here is what was reported by the Associated Press


4:34 PM MST, February 6, 2009

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A state lawmaker says he wants to reclaim Utah's lands and resources from the federal government so the public can use them for recreation and energy development.

Rep. Michael Noel, R-Kanab, says he's declaring another Sagebrush Rebellion and he's also drafting a bill to make it a state felony to try to stop legal development of federal and state lands.

The bill is a response to environmental activist Tim DeChristopher, who in December successfully bid $1.7 million for 13 parcels at a lease auction for oil and gas drilling in Utah.
Environmental groups blasted the auction, parts of which have since been invalidated by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, saying it threatened the state's wild lands. DeChristopher has acknowledged he made the bids with no intention to pay for the leases he won.

I for one support this bill, I think what Tim Dechristopher did was on the boarder of eco terrorism. He stopped the leases that could bring money and more jobs to Utah. There is nothing out there where the leases where being auctioning off.
Now the problem is our Governor, Jon Huntsman, he should have vanes bulging out of his for head over this. This was a clear over reaching of the Federal Government and the new Obama Administration; but of course he doesn’t care, he is a populist anyway. Furthermore I hope this Tim (tree hugging) DeChristopher gets put in jail for this.