美國聯邦方哥倫比亞特區（District of Columbia）法院法官伍爾皮那（Ricardo Urbina）17日晚間審理環保人士訴訟案件，最後裁定石油公司暫緩至少11萬坪的猶他原始荒地開發案，防止了土地管理局（Bureau of Land Management）進一步出租土地。
此案是由自然資源保護委員會（NRDC）、南猶他州荒野聯盟（ Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance）與地球正義（Earth justice）組成的陣線聯盟，於2008年12月17日針對公有土地出租案提出訴訟。NRDC資深律師布奇諾（Sharon Buccino）表示：「這項裁定使得土地免於受到油氣鑽井破壞，是荒野保育上一大進展，荒野沒必要成為未來安全能源下的犧牲品。」
法官伍爾皮那在審判中發現，環保團體的法律論據充足，此外「與能源開發比較起來，避免環境與公有地遭受不可挽回的破壞，後者所彰顯的公共利益更為重要。」
南猶他州荒野聯盟會長布洛赫（Stephen Bloch）表示：「審判結果真是振奮人心。土地管理局試圖出租土地，當作是布希政府離開前給石油公司的贈別禮，好在法官伍爾皮那的審判及時踩下煞車。」
大峽谷信託基金執行長海頓（Bill Hedden）認為：「在布希政府的領導下，土地管理局透過資源管理計畫（Resource Management Plans）將不少美國最敏感與美麗的公有土地轉讓，成為石油公司的私人遊樂區。」
山巒協會（Sierra Club）代表拜比（Myke Bybee）也認為：「當我們開始容忍鑽油公司以拱門國家公園（Arches national park）作為商標背景時，我們知道有些事必須改變，該停止再交出珍貴的自然讓油公司獲利。相反的，我們應更投資在能源效率與乾淨能源發展，才能讓大家受益，也為我們留下最後一片淨土。」
At least 110,000 acres of pristine Utah wilderness is temporarily protected from oil and gas companies due to a ruling Saturday night by a federal judge in a case brought by conservationists.
Judge Ricardo Urbina of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted a temporary restraining order that prevents the Bureau of Land Management from moving forward with these leases.
A coalition of environmental groups led by the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, the Wilderness Society, and Earthjustice filed a lawsuit on December 17, 2008 to prevent the leasing of these public lands.
"This ruling is a huge victory in protecting our nation's pristine wilderness from destruction due to oil and gas drilling," said Sharon Buccino, senior attorney for NRDC. "We do not need to sacrifice our wild lands to achieve a secure energy future."
In his ruling, Judge Urbina found that the conservation groups "have shown a likelihood of success on the merits" and that the "'development of domestic energy resources' is far outweighed by the public interest in avoiding irreparable damage to public lands and the environment."
"We're thrilled with this decision," said Stephen Bloch, conservation director for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. "BLM's attempt to sell these leases just before the Bush administration left office has been showcased for what it really is - a parting gift to the oil and gas industry. Judge Urbina's decision firmly puts the brakes on these plans."
"Under the Bush administration, the Bureau of Land Management pushed through Resource Management Plans that treated some of America's most sensitive and spectacular public lands as the private playgrounds of the oil and gas companies," said Bill Hedden, executive director of Grand Canyon Trust.
Sierra Club representative Myke Bybee said "when we begin to allow oil drilling in the backdrop of an icon like Arches National Park, we know something needs to change, It’s time to stop handing over our natural treasures just so the oil industry can make more money. Instead, we could be investing in efficiency and the kind of clean energy that will benefit all of us and leave our best wild places intact."
