The "world's longest art gallery" and other Utah treasures may be at risk, according to a new study.

Energy development of Bureau of Land Management public lands could lead to the loss of invaluable archeological and historic sites, according to a study recently released by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In addition to energy development, BLM land is also being threatened by a surge in recreational vehicle use and residential sprawl.

The National Trust's report said only one in every 16 acres of BLM land has been surveyed for cultural resources. BLM funding and staffing shortages could result in a loss of these resources, including for sites in Utah, the report said.

One site threatened by development, Utah's Nine Mile Canyon, often called the "world's longest art gallery," contains the largest concentration of rock art sites in the U.S. The site, located east of Price, is actually 70 miles long and is considered at risk by the National Trust. According to Utah BLM, development of the area has been taking place for years. Drilling rigs can be seen in place near the canyon.

Joel C. Janetski, BYU professor of archeology, said prior to development in the area, "Nine Mile Canyon was very quiet," and a place to "go think about the drawings."

More developments are proposed for both north and south of the area, a tragedy from the perspective of an archeologist, Janetski said.

"There appears to be a streamlining of the process of clearing land for energy development," Janetski said.

In other words, in order to meet national energy demands, the government has allowed quicker development of public land. This process of development has caused many to worry.

The developments in Nine Mile Canyon have the potential to cause an increase in industrial traffic throughout the region.

"We don't really know what the impact of all the heavy trucks traveling through the canyon will be because the artwork is right up against the road," Janetski said.

But Garth Portillo, cultural resources program lead for BLM Utah, said, "This is a public road we are discussing. There are hundreds of vehicles driving the road every day and this will happen whether or not the [new developments] are approved."

Very few or none of the oil wells would be directly in Nine Mile Canyon, Portillo said.

Nine Mile Canyon is just one of many archeologically rich sites in Utah. The BLM, which manages 44 percent of Utah's land, nearly 23 million acres, has not been able to survey all the land in the state.

To do so, said Portillo, "would require every archeologist in Utah working full time for ten years."

Instead, the BLM must prioritize between many needs. To accomplish this, the BLM will inventory a site that will receive a direct impact from public use, Portillo said.

He said the BLM is doing the best it can despite limitations on the agency.

"We don't even let a fence get put in if it will harm cultural resources," he said. "We do what is required by law and what we can with our funding."