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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2002

The Department of Interior is fond of saying consultation is "underway" but in the case of the potential designation of a new national monument, officials might actually be telling the truth.

Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt (R) on Monday said he wanted 620,000 acres in the southeastern part of the state set aside as the San Rafael National Monument. The state has been talking with the Interior on how that might be done, said a spokesperson for Secretary Gale Norton.

Currently known as the San Rafael Swell, the site is home to historic petroglyphs, unusual rock formations, canyons and not much water.

Get the Story:
Bush May Create Monument in Southern Utah (The Washington Post 1/30)
Reserve Proposal Touted, Leavitt: San Rafael no Escalante ambush (The Salt Lake Tribune 1/30)

Relevant Links:
Petroglyphs of the San Rafael Swell - http://www.geocities.com/Baja/Dunes/2319/glyphs.html
San Rafael Swell - http://www.canyonlands-utah.com/pages/sanrn.html
Gov. Mike Leavitt - http://www.utah.gov/governor

Related Stories:
Monument proposed for Utah site (1/29)