Future Now
The IFTF Blog
Utah student holds onto 22,000 acres of highly desired public land
In December, Utah's Tim DeChristopher headed to a Bureau of Land Management auction, where BLM planned to auction off 100,000 acres of public lands in Utah, some of which was supposedly protected land, for "oil and gas leasing and development." But DeChristopher found it so easy to pose as a real bidder that he grabbed a paddle and won 22,000 acres of land (13 parcels). The price tag on his 13 parcels is $1.7 million.
In order to hang on to that land, DeChristopher had to come up with a down payment of $45,000. Thanks to donations, he did it, allowing him to achieve his goal of keeping that land at least until the new administration moves into Washington. It also allows him to escape fraud charges by showing that he's made a legitimate financial claim on the land.
This story is an interesting example of turning a quick-thinking reaction with criminal consequences into a conservationist victory against corporate interests. Tim used his website, Bidder70.org, hosted through ManyOne.net, to track his financial goal and inform people about his cause.
* Photo by Don Pugh, available at www.flickr.com/photos/donpugh/2639027332/