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Groups protest tar sands, oil shale plans in Utah

Posted at 8:21 PM, Nov 19, 2012
and last updated 2012-11-19 22:21:04-05

SALT LAKE CITY – Dozens of protesters gathered at the Bureau of Land Management Office in downtown Salt Lake City on Monday to voice their opposition to massive tar sands and oil shale plans in Utah.

The groups Peaceful Uprising and Utah Tar Sands Resistance say their protest is in response to a recent decision to lease nearly one million acres of Utah, Colorado and Wyoming public lands for tar sands and oil shale development.

“We believe that this is a terrible way to use our lands. It’s very destructive. It’s akin to mountain top removal in terms of how much land is destroyed. It will poison the water and devastate the habitat of all sorts of natural species,” said Rapheal Cordray with the Utah Tar Sands Resistance.

Protesters say the event is part of a week of actions by more than 40 communities around the world demanding an end to tar sands mining.