Tim DeChristopher Rocks!

By audaciously walking into a BLM oil lease auction and waving his buyer's paddle, a college student becomes my new hero.

You'll rarely see me dive into politics on this blog, but sometimes, I just gotta stand up and applaud. On Friday, December 19th, the BLM kicked off a hotly disputed oil- and gas-lease auction of public lands in Southern Utah near Arches, the White River, the Desolation/Green River region, Canyonlands, Nine Mile Canyon, the Book Cliffs, and Deep Creek Mountains.

Unlike the salvo of "mignight regulations" the administration has been passing to neuter Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts, this lease review was part of a longer term BLM (appointee) effort to shoehorn last-minute leases in before the administration leaves office. In other ways, it was typical of 'midnight regulation' tactics: The auction was announced on election day to hide the move behind bigger headlines. The Bush administration is on track to create far more 'midnight regulations' than any other administration in history. Many of these were quietly instituted 30 to 60 days ago, meaning they cannot be undone by the incoming Obama administration without considerable obstacles. Despite efforts to keep the brouhaha down-low, widespread public dismay over the lease auction dropped the original acreage from 360,000 acres to 149,000 acres.

On auction day, about 200 protesters arrived at the BLM office in Salt Lake to show their displeasure, doing the usual sign waving and street theater. But one of them stepped up and went further. University of Utah student Tim DeChristopher (27) registered as a buyer and successfully bid on 10 lease parcels worth $1.8 million without having the money or any intention of buying or developing them, thus driving up the price on numerous leases, and tossing a monkeywrench into the ten leases he received.

Now we all drive cars, wear synthetic fabrics, and heat our homes, so petroleum exploration will be with us for the forseeable future. But to anyone who's spent much time outdoors in the West, the drilling land rush has been alarming. While oil and gas leases involve more regulations and royalties than hard rock mining (when those royalties are paid anyway), anyone who visits drilling hotbeds quickly realizes that remote sites bear little resemblance to the industry's squeaky PR campaigns, or sparkling clean roadside rigs. And published acreage figures never include roads, pipelines or collection tank stats. IMO, much of this is far from 'responsible use.'

Tim DeChristopher took direct action, and made a very bold statement using no violence or property destruction. In doing so he put himself at considerable personal risk. And there is no heroism without risk. So Tim DeChristopher is my new hero.

Now, a small but vocal and powerful minority is demanding that he be legally crucified (unlike the companies who have systematically underpaid billions in lease revenues). He'll probably need a legal defense fund. If so, and I find out where to donate, I'll publish it here.

Hike safe readers. And enjoy your upcoming holidays. -- Steve Howe

PRINT THIS PAGE EMAIL THIS PAGE RSS FEED

Digg Delicious Yahoo Facebook Reddit StumbleUpon Google Newsvine Facebook Twitter

READERS COMMENTS

http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-spizike-c-26.html Air Jordan Spizike
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-1-c-3.html Air Jordan 1
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-2-c-4.htm Air Jordan 2
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-3-c-5.html Air Jordan 3
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-4-c-6.html Air Jordan 4
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-5-c-7.html Air Jordan 5
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-6-c-8.html Air Jordan 6
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-7-c-9.html Air Jordan 7
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-8-c-10.html Air Jordan 8
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-9-c-11.html Air Jordan 9
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-10-c-12.html Air Jordan 10
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-11-c-13.html Air Jordan 11
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-12-c-14.html Air Jordan 12
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-13-c-15.html Air Jordan 13
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-14-c-16.html Air Jordan 14
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-15-c-17.html Air Jordan 15
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-16-c-18.html Air Jordan 16
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-5-heels-c-38.html Air Jordan 5 Heels
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-6-heels-c-40.html Air Jordan 6 Heels
http://www.airjordanspizikeshoes.com/air-jordan-9-heels-c-42.html Air Jordan 9 Heels
http://www.ralphlaurening.dk/ Ralph Lauren Outlet
http://www.ralphlaurening.dk/ralph-lauren-kvinder-c-1.html Ralph Lauren Kvinder
http://www.ralphlaurening.dk/ralph-lauren-kvinder-ralph-lauren-big-pony-polo-c-1_7.html Ralph Lauren Big Pony Polo
http://www.ralphlaurening.dk/ralph-lauren-kvinder-ralph-lauren-bikini-c-1_9.html Ralph Lauren Bikini
http://www.ralphlaurening.dk/ralph-lauren-kvinder-ralph-lauren-by-polo-c-1_10.html Ralph Lauren By Polo
http://www.ralphlaurening.dk/ralph-lauren-kvinder-ralph-lauren-flag-polo-c-1_16.html Ralph Lauren Flag Polo
http://www.ralphlaurening.dk/ralph-lauren-kvinder-ralph-lauren-kjoler-c-1_17.html Ralph Lauren Kjoler
http://www.ralphlaurening.dk/ralph-lauren-kvinder-ralph-lauren-kvinder-tee-c-1_11.html Ralph Lauren Kvinder Tee
http://www.ralphlaurening.dk/ralph-lauren-kvinder-ralph-lauren-polo-match-c-1_15.html Ralph Lauren Polo Match
http://www.ralphlaurening.dk/ralph-lauren-kvinder-ralph-lauren-polo-pony-c-1_4.html Ralph Lauren Polo Pony
http://www.ralphlaurening.dk/ralph-lauren-kvinder-ralph-lauren-shirts-c-1_14.html Ralph Lauren Shirts
http://www.ralphlaurening.dk/ralph-lauren-kvinder-ralph-lauren-stil-polo-c-1_12.html Ralph Lauren Stil Polo
http://www.ralphlaurening.dk/ralph-lauren-m%C3%A6nd-c-2.html Ralph Lauren Mænd
http://www.ralphlaurening.dk/ralph-lauren-m%C3%A6nd-m%C3%A6nds-ocean-challenge-suits-c-2_18.html Mænds Ocean Challenge Suits
http://www.ralphlaurening.dk/ralph-lauren-m%C3%A6nd-ralph-lauren-by-polo-c-2_19.html Ralph Lauren By Polo

Posted: Apr 19, 2012 http://www.ralphlaurening.dk/

He is looking at the larger picture, making him the perfect anti-terrorist! 300,000 americans die in fossil fuel burning cars each YEAR so I'd consider our fuel craving the TERRORIST.
Posted: Mar 06, 2011 Jordan

Tim is awesome! Fight on Tim, Fight On!
Posted: Mar 04, 2011 Austin

Tim Dechristopher is a DOMESTIC TERRORIST. I hope he gets the next 10 years to think it over.
Posted: Mar 02, 2011 Capt Planet

I'm a Utahn & I support Tim's actions. It was civil disobedience and does not deserve criminal persecution. Have we Americans not learned anything from the civil rights movement -in the end, justice will prevail. I support you Tim!
Posted: Feb 09, 2010 tenz

so - what's the legal status of this brave, patriotic man?
Posted: Sep 29, 2009 kwbarb

Dechristopher should have a hundred years in jail not only 10. so he has to learn about what he did and others may learn from his mistake
Posted: Apr 09, 2009 coco

Thank you and God bless, Mister DeChristopher!
Posted: Apr 04, 2009 Someone Who Cares

Tim DeCRIMtopher Is an Fing idiot and loser. I can't wait until he is behind bars picking up soap for his new friend Willy.

Treehuggers suck
Posted: Feb 21, 2009 SUWA

I too am a Gladiator for the people.Since 1999, I have told all who will listen to stay away from Libby Montana as Libby is not a safe place for anything that breathes.I save people from asbestos exposure by telling them the truth.Thank you
Posted: Feb 05, 2009 Mike Crill

Mr.DeChristopher is more than a hero...He is a true Gladiator.A Gladiator steps into the ring against all evels of denials and corruption that is bigger than one person.True example of one person making a difference.And he takes them all on with truth as his sword.And Tim cut them all down.Tim should not be charged but given a medal for humanity for which he risked so much for you and I and us...and the world.Thank you Tim DeChristopher.Amazing what it takes to stop something so wrong.Without bloodshed/jail...Hold your head high Tim.And Thank you
Posted: Feb 05, 2009 Mike Crill

Ditto Beth and others on the real fraud being that perpetrated by the BLM on the American people. Please blog, twitterm IM, call and generally help spread the word to drive those sympathetic to Utah's wild landscapes and Tim's valiant effort at http://www.bidder70.org to contribute to Tim's cause and legal defense fund - before the BLM deadline this Friday, Jan. 9. Read a personal slant to the story at http://www.SalidaCitizen.com/tim-dechristopher
Posted: Jan 07, 2009 lee hart

For anyone interested you can donate to help Tim to hopefully pay off the leases here:

http://www.bidder70.org/articles/view/136369/

Posted: Jan 05, 2009 insert name here

If I saw Tim DeChristopher on the street I'd punch him in the face and everyone else who supports him should go live in your grass huts somewere and try to live off not developing anything.
Posted: Jan 04, 2009 Native Utahn

Tim cost every taxpayer not only the $1.8 million in lost lease revenue but also the legal cost of prosecution. Tim is a child and so are his peers
Posted: Jan 02, 2009 capt. clean

Whether you call it civil disobedience or criminal, it was definitely illegal. But when oil and gas interests can unfairly buy influence in Washington and push an agenda thats not in best interests of Americans (and humans in general), why should anyone recognize the legality of this BLM auction?

Tim DeChristopher is a patriot who recognizes that the environmental consequences that we are heading for threaten our security and freedom much more than any terrorist.
Posted: Dec 28, 2008 Bryce

As some one who has worked in oil and gas the majority of their adult life, and been an activist-steward on wilderness and open space, Timothy Christophers actions did make me draw a hard breath. Not a few years were spent both as a backpacker and as a driller or surveyor doing seimic surveys in Utah's canyonlands.
What Christopher did was an act of civil disobediance and he should be held accoiuntable. What the BLM and it directors were doing was also outside the Federal Regulation and need to be held accountable as well. There are a number of BLM solictors that have been hell-bent on stripping the agency of it's powers to monitor grazing to leasing that are now leaving their political appointments and burrowong in by taking civil service appointments, making their mischief so much harder to undo.
I have to admire the outcome of his acts. Pushing through leases that do not meet the NEPA standard or the pre-2008 BLM regs may not happen now. That could be a victory for the whole of the canyonlands and the public.
Posted: Dec 25, 2008 rangewalker

Snitch-

Why don't you take the time to get to know Steve before you call him a hypocrite? Please know who and what you're talking about before you spout off, you J-hole. Merry Christmas, jerkoff

Ed
Posted: Dec 24, 2008 EZ Ed

Better than a legal fund let'e all chip in $ and buy the land for public use and preservation!There must be some well heeled environmentalists who can start the ball rolling with several million dollar donations--we will join in!!
Posted: Dec 24, 2008 Zalman Saperstein

A little non-violent trickery in response to auctioning off of public lands on the sly from the Bush admin. Well-done. Hope he gets some high price lawyer to take his case gratis so any money raised goes to buy some of this land.
Posted: Dec 24, 2008 Hal