When Hollywood Helped Save the Red Rock Country

As today is Earth Day, I wanted to share a story about an interesting environmental law case we won, which also had close ties to a much loved activist, Robert Redford.

In the early 1970s, Southern California Edison proposed building a massive 3,000-megawatt coal-fired power plant on top of the Kaiparowits Plateau in southern Utah—right in the center of what we call the Golden Circle of National Parks. Grand Canyon to the south. Bryce and Zion to the west. Capitol Reef to the north. Arches and Monument Valley to the east.

The plant's emissions would have reduced visibility in those national parks from 75 miles to 15 miles.

CLIPI litigated on behalf of the Sierra Club and other environmental groups. And then Robert Redford joined our fight.

Redford was a deeply committed environmentalist, particularly about Utah, where Sundance was located. He was close friends with Brent Rushforth's brother, who taught environmental science at BYU, and Redford's wife, Lola, was serving on CLIPI's board at the time.

When we won the case, Redford gave CLIPI the rights to the Los Angeles premiere of 'All the President's Men.' The premiere filled two huge theaters and provided crucial funding for our work. (See promotion for the premier below.)

Brent Rushforth shared recently what Redford told his brother: the Kaiparowits Plateau case was one of his favorite things he ever did in his life. "It's almost like we saved the Red Rock country where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were hanging out."

When Redford showed up to help us screen the film, Brent recalled: "Some of our women were in the room, and I thought some of them would almost faint, because Robert Redford was Robert Redford."

This case reminds me that public interest law sometimes requires unusual alliances. Hollywood glamour and environmental litigation aren't obvious partners. But Redford understood that protecting Utah's extraordinary landscapes required legal expertise, sustained advocacy, and resources.

The Kaiparowits Plateau remains undeveloped. The national parks remain clear. And public interest law proved it could protect irreplaceable natural treasures—especially when influential allies were willing to use their platform and resources to support the work.

Sometimes saving the world requires both lawyers and movie stars.