I know it’s the peak of the holiday fundraising season for the hoard of worthy conservation and advocacy groups out there. Please carve a little out of your holiday budget to give generously (even if it’s five or ten bucks) to groups doing good work you value.
There’s one group I’d encourage you, even beg you, to consider helping out right now – the Utah Stream Access Coalition.
THIS MORNING their legal team is in court for a third hearing on their Provo (right-to-use) case, with a trial to potentially follow shortly. Their Weber (navigable-for-title) case is coming up for a 4-day trial in early February 2015.
We’ve been honking on about access for years in Montana and Utah in particular; it’s an issue near and dear to us and critical for all fishers everywhere who cherish the ability to get on and in waters they love, near and far.
Access regs are under assault around the country and it was GREAT to see Kirk Deeter step up to the access plate in the latest issue of Angling Trade magazine; every fisher should read his Let’s Stop Messing Around on Utah article today.
KD brought up a number of great points in his piece, one of which is that the monied interests (Goliath) are bleeding USAC (David) dry in the prolonged legal wrangling; he suggests we truly mobilize the industry, raising more than needed to fight a good fight, and get it done.
We couldn’t agree more.
Please donate here. These legal battles aren’t cheap, even with some astoundingly generous legal work being donated to the cause in Utah.
If the privatization interests win in Utah they’ll be knocking on other state’s doors soon. Carving out rational, fair and equitable access regs in Utah will go a long way toward stemming future assaults on access around the country.
Let’s get it done.
