New York Times: The San Rafael Swell, with its miles of twisting sandstone spires and towering mesas, has long been a draw for hiking and canyoneering, and has even been considered for designation as a national monument.
So last month, when the federal Bureau of Land Management announced its intention to open portions of the 2,000-square-mile stretch of central Utah for drilling by private oil and gas companies, conservation groups reacted with alarm.
The debate over the proposed sale of drilling leases has...