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Show SERVING MOAB AND SOUTHEASTERN UTAH SINCE PI ftmtB JwftEiJCtt&Bn 1896 Moab, Grand County, Utah 84532 -- Volume 96 Thursday, November 30, 1989 Number 48 50$ Questions being raised over incinerator near Green River by Adrien Taylor Serious questions are being raised about the advisability of allowing a waste incinerator in Grand County in the Green River area. Despite opposition to incinerators producing toxic air emissions by the Grand County voters, such an incinerator is being pushed through the permit proval process, according to research done by Moab resident Lance Christie. The new incinerator's site was previously proposed for CoWests commercial hazardous waste incinerator after Grand County voters rejected zoning for the industry in Cisco by a 1 margin in 1988. CoWest attempted to relocate within die city limits of Green River to escape Grand County zoning authority. However, hazcriteria elimiby Moab's Fire Dept. He took time ardous waste siting nated that site because of its proximity to water and habitation. Christie points out that there are no siting criteria for waste incinerators in Utah, of Fame, Grand County Fire Dept., and Santa Claus! Special thanks to although legislation is currently those merchants contributing goods being considered which would waste incinand services. City Market and Pizza make same the meet erators siting Hut. To all of you, congratulations for your much appreciated support in criteria as hazardous waste incinerators. this annual community event. He feels the threat of this The Moab Chamber of Commerce pending legislation may be one reason for the rush to get a solid would like to give special recognition and thanks to Mr. Joe Wine, waste permit for the Green River incinerators before the 1990 sesParade Coordinator. Without volunsion of the Utah Legislature. teers like Joe, events don't happen! In November, 1988, Continen-To the Moab community who parThermal Destructors of New on the lines side ticipated, along the You! Thank routes. approached the Utah DiviJersey parade Health sion of Environmental about building a waste incinerator complex in the Green River industrial park. At that time only an Air Quality 2-- Santa made his annual visit to Moab atop the open fire truck provided to visit with children after the parade at the Community Center. Sounds of Christmas rang out The "Sounds of Christmas" rang out this past Saturday, November 25, as the annual Moab Christmas Parade made its course down Main Street, ringing in the holiday season. This year's parade winners depicting their rendition of the joyful sounds of Christmas were as follows: 1st place award of a Pizza Hut Party for the entire crew, Becky's Dance Kids "prancing' and dancin' reindeer," 2nd place award of $50 from the Moab Chamber of Commerce to Walker Drug, "Happy Birthday Rudolph," 3rd place award of $25 from the Moab Chamber of Commerce, St. Pius X "Angels." Congratulations! Community thanks is sent to the following groups for participating in this years parade and for all the time and effort extended. Grand County LeSheriff, Color Guard-Americgion, Miss Grand County, Grand County Ambulance Assoc., Miniature Horses, Fallen Arches Square Dancers, Grand County High School Drill Team, Grand County High an School Cheerleaders, the Dance Centre, Grand County High School Chorus, Hollywood Stuntmen's Hall J' Permit was required. Continental's proposal was presented to Green River citizens in January, 1989, as a joint venture with the Ford brothers' commercial tomato greenhousing operation moving from Rifle, Colorado. Heat from the Continental incinerator would be used to heat the Fords' greenhouses. Later the Fords shifted their proposed tomato operation to the Price area to utilize waste heat from the power plant and the large local labor pool. Continental submitted its application for a Utah Air Quality Permit early in 1989. Said Christie, "To Continental's credit, the permit application predicted that hospital waste would be classified as hazardous waste in the future, and proposed The High School Chorus float is just one of the many lovely floats entered in the recent "Sounds of Christmas" parade held in Moab. Planning continuing on park , visitor center in downtown by Ken Davey The City of Moab is now considering buying the former Foodtown site on Center Street for a new regional visitors information center, as well as purchasing the Canyon Country Sinclair station property for a new city park. Under this new plan, the city would own the Foodtown Building and lease it to the Canyonlands Natural History Association, which in turn would sublease space to the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management The Utah State Division of Parks and Recreation and the Grand County Travel Council would also participate in the new visitors center, which would provide information on all the recreational activities available in the area. The original plan discussed by the Moab City Council last week called for the Canyonlands Natural History Association to purchase the Food-tow- n building and take responsibility for its conversion into a visitors center. The city was to concentrate solely on creating a new city park on the adjacent Sinclair station property: But at a meeting Monday of the government agencies, the city and others, Pete Parry of the CNHA exn plained that purchasing the building at a cost of $175,000 would stretch the group's finances, and that the government agencies would have a difficult time going through the bureaucratic maze of acquiring the extensive funds needed for the building's renovation. City Council member David told the meeting he had discussed with Moab Mayor Tom Stocks the possibility of the city buying both properties because the city has access to funding not available to the federal agencies and CNHA. Funding possibilities include applying for Community Impact Board loans, applying for Community Development Block Grants, and having the Moab Redevelopment Agency borrow the money. The cost for both sites Food-tow- Bier-schi- ed i would be about $350,000. "I think it's a viable option that the city buy the entire property," said Council member Dave Sakri-so- n. Larry Frederick of the National Park Service expressed some reservations of the new plan. "Right now," he said, "the federal agencies have cooperative agreements with CNHA. For us to be in a city owned facility might be difficult." His questions centered on how much control the government agencies would have on who else the city would lease space to. But he also indicated that if the city leased the entire building to CNHA, the arrangement could work. Pete Parry said he would poll the members of the CNHA board of directors to get their opinion on the new proposal. Parry also raised some potential problems that could arise with the new visitors center. He said CNHA would operate a bookstore at the visitors center that could be seen as competition to nearby local on Page A3) Writ filed on public defender fund limit A writ of mandamus was filed against Grand County last week over limits placed on fees allowed Public Defender Michael Wray in his defense of Steven Ray Allen. A former resident of Castle Valley, Allen is scheduled for jury trial next month on a charge of second-degre- e homicide and three counts of child abuse in connection with the death in 1986 of a former girlfriend's son, Michael Barrie. Defender Wray had requested as much as $10,000 for the services of an expert witness in the upcoming trial. Grand County Commissioners and County Attorney Elaine Coates discussed the issue at Monday's regular Commission meeting. Commissioners said they felt the fee was far too high and had indicated to the Public Defender that the County did not have funds available to cover the higher costs, and that they considered the $3,000 to be an "advance" on the total fee. That action prompted the filing of the writ, which now has to be answered formally by Grand County, Mrs. Coates stated. Following the filing of an answer, the matter will be set for hearing before District Judge Boyd Bunnell, who will make the final determination on the amount to be allowed, she said. monitoring and operating requirements in the permit would requirements in the permit which would permit the Green River incinerator complex to meet hazardous waste incinerator permit requirements. "Doing so insured against any operations interruption if hospital waste was reclassified as hazardous waste. It also introduces the interesting possibility that he company could apply for a modification its permit to accept other hazardous wastes, since the facilhazardous ity is a commercial waste incinerator in design and permit conditions anyway." Christie says, "In other words, by escaping the state hazardous waste incinerator siting criteria Explosion at gas plant listed damage heavy An explosion early Wednesday morning, Nov. 22, caused approximately $200,000 damage at a gas plant in the San Arroyo gas field in northern Grand County. According to Deputy Sheriff John McGann, who investigated, natural gas had accumulated in the building until it found a source of ignition. The plant was owned and operated by Mesa Pipeline Co. The explosion caused extensive damage to the main compressor building and surrounding structures, McGann said. At 4 a.m., when the explosion occurred, no work crews were present, and no injuries were reported. The fire and cause of the explosion are under investigation at this time. by obtaining a waste incinerator permit for a hazardous waste incinerator design, the company may be grandfathering itself into a position where it can obtain hazardous waste incinerator permits in the future." Despite questions Christie raises about the soundness of the company, an Air Quality Permit was issued in Mach, 1989, for two incinerators of 1,050 capacity each. According to his information, each incinerator must maintain 1400 degrees Fahrenheit temperature in the primary combustion chamber, and (continued on Page A3) pounds-per-ho- ur Special choir concert Sunday at Moab church The Community Baptist Church would like to take this opportunity to invite the community to hear the Castle Valley Choir from the Castle Valley Academy. The concert will be held Sunday, Dec. y at 7:00 p.m., and will be held in the church sanctuary located at 544 MiVida Drive, one block north of the Helen M. Knight School. This is an annual event for the church and choir. It is one very good way to start the Christmas season. following the concert there will be a fellowship time in the church's fellowship hall for those wishing to meet the choir. Light refreshments of punch, coffee and cookies will be served. An offering will be received for the choir. Admission is free of charge. Courtjail facility was discussed here Monday Grand County Commissioners Monday discussed a proposed new jailcourts facility and remodeling of the present county courthouse in their regular meeting. Eric Sandstrom, the architect who has been doing the preliminary work on the capital improvement, was present for the discussion. He outlined the time schedule of events if the Commission makes the decision to proceed with the project Commissioner David Knutson discussed a public information meeting scheduled for Monday evening. On Tuesday he stated that although only a few people were in attendance, he thought it was a good exchange, and a positive meeting. Several other similar information meetings have been planned to fully inform those in the community wishing answers to questions. In response to a question, Mr. Sandstrom stated that he had been contracted by the previous County Commission to do the preliminary architectural work on the facility. It was also pointed out that any fees paid him for that work by Grand County would be reimbursed when a total funding package for the new facility is formulated. Sandstrom pointed out that the ar- chitect follows through with the contractor to see that a building is built to specifications. It was suggested that a competent construction superintendent would be good to have to work closely with the architect. Although the County Commission expresses mild enthusiasm for the new facility, they all agree that work must proceed. They have been instructed that the present jail facility is totally inadequate, placing the county in the position of being open to liability. The courts facility being planned in conjunction with the new jail would eliminate security problems now involved with moving inmates from the jail to the court and back. Commissioner Knutson stated that several funding options for the work have been discussed, and seem to be viable and within the county's ability to handle. He said, however, that no decision would be made to proceed with the project until the series of public meetings gave residents ample opportunity to express their opinions. New directors named to Chamber board Three newly elected directors will join the board of the Moab Chamber of Commerce. Theresa King, President Moab Chamber of Commerce, announced the 1990 board additions at the Annual Business Luncheon, Tuesday, November 28, 1989 at the MiVida Restaurant Replacing three expired positions to the board will be Sue Shrews- Realty, bury, Century Adrien Taylor, and Ron Nagel, Certified Ms. King welcomed the new board members, who will serve 3 year terms effective January 1, 1990. Ms. King outlined the evolution of the Moab Chamber of Commerce during the past year, including the the adoption of new formulation of active committees, the Economic Development Council, an expanded board, a monthly newsletter, Evening Social meetings to showcase Moab area merchants, and not least, the support of the Times-Independe- nt Ford-Mercur- y. by-law- s, business community reflected in the growth of new membership and the continued support of members in long-standin- g. The December evening social will feature Royce's Electronics, 611 South Main, Moab. Royce and his crevf invite you to see the many new products and Christmas gift choices available at Royce's Electronics, Tuesday evening, December 12, 1989 between the hours of 6 and 7 p.m. WEATHER i ' |