Having lost an administrative appeal this week, environmentalists have failed to stop the controversial Eco-Challenge endurance race through central and southern Utah.
They will now try to hit the race organizers where it really hurts: in the wallet."At this point, we're going to be encouraging people to avoid sponsors that would support a race that's going to cause the problems this one is going to cause," said Scott Groene, spokesman for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, one of nine parties that appealed the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's decision to allow the race.
That appeal was rejected this week by the U.S. Department of Interior Board of Land Appeals. The board upheld BLM district manager Kate Kitchell's decision in February to grant Eco-Challenge Lifestyles Inc. a permit to stage a 370-mile race that snakes through the desert and canyon region from Emery County to Lake Powell.
"This was just a plain simple stupid decision by the BLM," said Groene.
Kitchell said her office's analysis showed that the race would not cause significant environmental harm.
"Any on-the-ground impacts from Eco-Challenge will be short-term and small scale," she said, noting that the company has agreed to post an $80,000 performance bond before the race begins.
Groene said he believes that the BLM was under political pressure, noting it had received letters from Rep. Jim Hansen, R-Utah, Rep. Bill Orton, D-Utah, and Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, all of whom supported the race.
Eco-Challenge also had paved the political way locally by hiring Mary Kay Lazarus, a Salt Lake public relations firm.
The race is expected to attract 50 five-person teams that will hike, bike, ride horses, canoe and climb a course that begins near Huntington and ends with a swim across Lake Powell. The event, expected to end May 6, will be filmed for broadcast on MTV and other programs.
Race organizers have been able to sell the event by emphasizing its environmental correctness. Teams must complete an environmental service project before the race and must practice low-impact techniques while in the backcountry. If they violate any of the low-impact rules, they will be disqualified, forfeiting their $7,500 entry fee.
Corporate sponsors of the race include Timex, NBC, Jansport and Mitsubishi. Sponsors of individuals include Adidas, Power Bar, Mountain Dew and Wigwam.
Environmentalists say they will try to contact the sponsors to withdraw their support.
"We believe a number of these sponsors have no idea how environmentally irresponsible this race is and would not have signed on had they known," Groene said.
Because the race is scheduled to start Tuesday, April 25, chances of staging a corporate boycott of the race are probably slim.
Eco-Challenge representatives were unavailable for comment Wednesday. "They're all over Utah setting up for the race," said a receptionist from the Eco-Challenge headquarters in Universal City, Calif.