Explore the Issues: Native Americans Wildlife and Sportsmen Oil and Gas Exploration Protecting the Past

The Issues The issues swirling through Range Creek Canyon are many, varied and sharply debated. Which interest should come first? The sportsmen who brought the money to the table to purchase Range Creek as a blue ribbon public hunting reserve? Or the archaeologists whose work could shed new light on a lost civilization? Can they peacefully coexist? And what role should contemporary Native Americans, who claim the Fremont Indians as their direct ancestors, play in the exploration, preservation and utilization of Range Creek and all that it holds? Can any interest hold off—or strike a balance with—exploration firms who believe natural gas and petroleum reserves capable of serving an energy-hungry public are to be found beneath the canyon’s surface? The following areas will link you to more information and interviews that explore each of the issues from the standpoint of the most involved parties. Native Americans Native Americans consider the sites, artifacts and remains that can be found within Range Creek Canyon to be sacred. Explore their viewpoints surrounding Range Creek Canyon. Oil and Gas Exploration Our aggressive energy climate has brought interest in Utah’s Uintah Basin and has brought exploration drill rigs to the very edge of Range Creek Canyon. Wildlife and Sportsmen The group most responsible for the acquisition of the land does not always get the same attention as the archaeology. Protecting the Past Attitudes and practices for protecting ancient artifacts on public land has changed dramatically in the last 20 years.