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Bonneville
Raymond E Griffith
Thursday July 28 2011, 9:00 PM
Dear Fellow Enthusiast,

Once again, Summit Racing Equipment is reaching out to motorsports enthusiasts - helping to raise awareness and seeking your support on the issues affecting our industry, hobby, and passion.

Below is a letter addressed to the Bureau of Land Management asking for its immediate support in stopping the destruction of the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah - a site of immense historic value where land speed records have been attempted, and set. Originally 96,000 acres, the Salt Flats have shrunk to just 30,000 acres because of unchecked potash mining operations who have failed to replace the salt they've destroyed.

We ask that you take the time to either write your own letter, or copy the one below into an email, to help our government leaders understand the historic and intrinsic value of the Salt Flats, and of their responsibility to help preserve them. Please consider sending or emailing the following letter to the Bureau of Land Management:
To: The Honorable Robert Abbey
Director, Bureau of Land Management
U.S. Department of the Interior

As a long-time automotive and motorsports enthusiast, I was particularly troubled to learn about what appears to be the deliberate destruction of Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats by potash mining operations.

The Bonneville Salt Flats are a national treasure, and have been an integral part of the American motorsports scene dating back to the first record land speed attempt there in 1914. The Salt Flats are a "National Landmark" and an "Area of Critical Environmental Concern" both of which are designations that should trigger the Bureau of Land Management's immediate involvement.

Originally 96,000 acres, the Salt Flats are now a mere 30,000 acres. It's a travesty, and something has to be done. I ask that you do everything in your power to mitigate the damage being inflicted on the Salt Flats, including:
  • An Environmental Assessment that will require mining operators to implement a permanent salt-replenishment program, requiring that miners replenish mined salt at the same rate that it is removed.
  • A mandate that replenished salt be of the same, or better, quality than what is removed, and that the replenishment program occur over a period of several months to ensure that the salt is dispensed throughout the Salt Flats basin, and that the underground aquifer is replenished.
  • Preventing salt from being removed from the Bonneville Salt Flats region for commercial sale.
  • Action to make the program permanent and verifiable.
Please help motorsports enthusiasts protect these invaluable resources. Please save the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Thank you.

 Emails should be sent to:
director@blm.gov CC: to SEMA at stuartg@sema.org
Letters should be mailed to:
Bureau of Land Management
U.S. Department of the Interior
Attention: The Honorable Robert Abbey, Director
1849 C Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20240
Thank you again for your support!
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