88°F
weather icon Clear

Proposal for gas drilling near Zion draws in almost 40K public comments

ST. GEORGE, Utah — Federal land managers have received tens of thousands of public comments on a controversial proposal to open up land near Utah’s Zion National Park for oil and gas leasing.

The Spectrum reports that Bureau of Land Management spokesman says close to 40,000 comments were submitted to the agency as of last week. The comment deadline is Thursday.

The agency released an environmental assessment in January of three parcels of public land nominated as potential leasing sites by Utah Exploration and Drilling LLC.

The nearly 5,000 acre-plot comes within just two miles of Zion.

Residents from communities in the area have requested the agency deny the leasing sale. Park officials have also raised concerns about how the leases will affect water, air quality, wildlife and tourism.

MOST READ
Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
Hulk Hogan, icon in professional wrestling, dies at 71

Hulk Hogan won a world championship in Las Vegas in 1993 and was a fixture for years, facing everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and WWE chairman Vince McMahon.

MORE STORIES