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Show County PANGUITCH • PANGUITCH LAKE • HATCH • BRYCE • TROPIC • ANTIMONY • HENRIEVILLE • CANNONVILLE • ESCALANTE • BOULDER Thursday, April 7, 2011 • Issue # 317 BIM TO HOLD REGIONAL FORUMS ON HYDRAULIC FRACTURING IN NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION Bureau of Land Management Director Bob Abbey today announced that the BLM will hold a series of regional public forums in late April to further discuss the use of hydraulic fracturing techniques to stimulate natural gas production on Federal lands. The sessions will be held in Bismarck, North Dakota; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Denver, Colorado. These locations will help to highlight increased regional interest in natural gas development on Federal lands and other areas where the BLM has responsibility for mineral leasing. "These forums will help inform BLM as we work closely with industry, the states, other Federal agencies and the public to develop a way forward on natural gas so that the United States can safely and fully realize the benefits of this important energy resource," Director Abbey said. "The Interior Department has a responsibility to study the potential impacts and to identify commonsense, best management practices that should be used in fracturing operations on public lands to ensure that this development is carried out in the right way and in the right places." The regional forums will build upon a forum the Department of the Interior hosted in November 2010 in Washington, D.C. on best practices for hydraulic fracturing and will provide a more in-depth, technical review of natural gas development practices on public lands. The meetings are part of the Department's proactive efforts to ensure that oil and gas development is taking place 20 S CATTERED T-STORMS on public lands in a responsible and environmentally sustainable manner. Topics to be discussed will include best management practices, disclosure of the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing fluids, well construction and integrity, production wastewater management and other techniques for protecting drinking water resources. Panelists will include experts from Federal and state governments, industry, and environmental organizations that have RAIN/SNOW Beth Kampschror Two to s m Escalante the second week in April will highlight two subjects beloved to many Utahns — the showy flowers of the genus Penstemon and the geology of the Colorado Plateau. BYU Professor Mikel Stevens will give the talk "Penstemon: Who's related to whom," at the Kanab Visitor Center on Wednesday, THURSDAY HIGH: 48 LOW: 28 HIGH: 43 LOW: 25 HIGH: 39 LOW: 23 SUNDAY MOSTLY SUNNY HIGH: 48 LOW: 23 MONDAY PARTLY CLOUDY t r, MOSTLY SUNNY SUNNY Member of: April 13 and at the Escalante Interagency Visitor Cenon ter Thursday, April 14. Both pro grams will begin at 7 pm. Prof. Ste- vens's talk is aimed at the layman who's interested in life sciences, nature, and how new DNA research and genetics are connected to the world of botany. University of NevadaReno Associate Professor Come Kreemer will give his talk, "Using GPS to measure plate motion and the deformation of the American southwest," at the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center on Friday, April 15, at 9 am. Both scientists hold research permits on Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Their talks are sponsored by the non-profit friends group that supports the Monument. Formed in 2004, Grand Staircase Escalante Partners (www.gsenm.org) supports science, conservation and education on the Monument. Penstemon expert Prof Stevens said that the same variety that makes the genus intriguing to the gardener also poses a mystery to the geneticist trying to sort out the relationships between the different species. "Penstemon is the largest genus in North America, - SATURDAY SNOW 2010, about 14 percent of domestically produced natural gas came from onshore public lands. The BLM issues leases for natural gas development on lands managed by the BLM as well as lands managed by other Federal agencies, such as the U.S. Forest Service. The BLM also manages the subsurface mineral estate in a number of areas where the surface is privately owned. The use of hydraulic fracturing in these areas has similarly increased in recent years. PENSTEMON/EARTHSCOPE PREVIEW FRIDAY I been engaged in natural gas development issues. Safely harnessing the nation's abundant natural gas resources is a vital component of America's energy portfolio and has the potential to power the U.S. economy for decades to come and reduce dependence on foreign oil. Natural gas development on Federal lands has more than doubled over the last 20 years, from 1.2 trillion cubic feet in Fiscal Year 1991 to nearly 3.0 trillion cubic feet in Fiscal Year 2010. In Fiscal Year HIGH: 54 LOW: 30 TUESDAY HIGH: 54 LOW: 30 You need only reflect that one of the best ways to get yourself a reputation as a dangerous citizen these days is to go about repeating the very phrases which our founding fathers used in the struggle for independence. Charles Austin Beard HIGH: 57 LOW: 29 LOW: * * * * IFPA . [ Utah Press ill * * * * INDEPEROINT FREE PAPERS OF AMERICA and among the very largest in the world," he said in a recent interview. "And there are more species in Utah than any other state or any other similar geographic area — part of that is because Utah has loads and loads of ecological niches. We have high mountain ranges, low desert valleys, and ecological islands that happen because over time we've gone from glaciation to desertification and so these plants have been isolated and brought back together slowly because temperatures and climates have changed dramatically. So all of a sudden it becomes really challenging to see who's related to whom in this big pot that's been stirring for millennia." On Friday morning, Prof Kreemer's geology talk will deal with plate tectonics and earthquakes, and how scientists use GPS to measure how the earth's surface is moving. "These are not the kinds of GPS you buy to go hiking — this is sensitive equipment," said Prof Kreemer in a recent interview. He noted that while the Colorado Plateau in the past behaved as a quasi-rigid block, scientists are unsure whether the Plateau is still moving as a block, because recent measurements suggest otherwise. "It could be that the whole Colorado Plateau is actually breaking up," he said. "If it is breaking up, that has implications for seismic hazard. You could have earthquakes, perhaps big earthquakes." Prof Kreemer's research on the Monument is funded by the National Science Foundation under the Foundation's EarthScope project, which aims to discover more about the structure and evolution of the North American continent. ac_ 4.1.11• " t• 11111111AMII•41t1,4111". THE GARFIELD COUNTY INSIDER is owned and operated by Snapshot Multimedia and is distributed weekly to all of Garfield County. Its purpose is to inform residents about local issues and events. Articles submitted from independent writers are not necessarily the opinion of Snapshot Multimedia. We sincerely hope you enjoy the paper and encourage input on ideas and/or suggestions for the paper. Thank you for your support. BRYCE CANYON WELCOMES SPRING VISITORS Winter and early spring is perhaps the most beautiful time to visit Bryce Canyon National Park. Following snowstorms, the colorful red hoodoos are layered in bands of white snow. The park is largely snow covered on the plateau. The current snowpack at the Visitor Center (elev. 7,900 ft.) measures 11 inches. Snow in the southern end of the park towards Rainbow Point (elev. 9,100 ft.) is 2-3 feet deep. March-April temperatures average to 50° F during the day and drop to 20° F at night. Fairyland and Paria View roads remain unplowed for use by cross-country skiers and snowshoers. All other park roads and viewpoints remain open, though the main road to Rainbow Point may be temporarily closed due to snowstorms. The Visitor Center is opened daily from 8:00 AM-4:30 PM and extending to 6:00 PM on April 3. Visitors are reminded to prepare for winter driving conditions, high elevation and to dress warmly for the cold temperatures and snow. Day hiking trails are open, but are snow-covered, icy and muddy. Hiking boots/snowboots with traction devices as well as hiking poles are highly recommended. For the Fairyland Loop and Peekaboo Loop, it is advisable to carry snowshoes. Due to deep snow in the southern section of the park, backcountry hiking is not recommended. Due to rock slides and hazardous trail conditions, the Thors Hammer's side of the Navajo Loop is temporarily closed for visitor safety. Assessments will be made weekly to determine when the trail can be safely reopened. The Wall Street side (which is closed during winter) will remain closed for several more months. Park rangers present geology talks daily, and on Saturdays, evening and night sky programs. Cross-country ski trails in the park are on ungroomed 2-track trails. The slope between the Plateau Rim and 7600 foot contour elevation is closed to skiing, snowboarding, sledding or sliding devices. Below the Rim, cross-country skiing is permitted on the Under-the-Rim Trail and Riggs Spring Loop. The Bryce Canyon Lodge, restaurant and gift shop reopen on April 1. Public showers and laundry will be open April 1st and the General Store by April 3. Horseback rides will resume around April 1 once trails are free of snow and ice. For more information, please visit the park's website at: www.nps.gov/brca or call 435-834-5322. LAKE POWELL FERRY CROSSING INFORMATION State Route 276 runs through Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and includes a ferry crossing at Lake Powell. The ferry runs between Bullfrog and Hall's Crossing and is capable of carrying cars, trucks, RVs and trailers for a fee. The fee depends on the size of the vehicle starting at $10 for foot passengers and bicyclists. The schedule varies depending on the season with three crossings in the spring between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m, four crossings during the summer months between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. and two crossings between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the fall. The ferry usually does not operate through the winter. Please call (435) 684-3088 for current schedule and fare information. Informational signs have been posted in Bullfrog and Hall's Crossing to assist motorists. Travelers should also note that inclement weather may shut down ferry service at any time. Multimedia Phone: 435-676-2621 Fax 1-888-370-8546 PO BOX 472, Loa, Utah 84747 snapshot@scinternet.net ALL content for THE GARFIELD COUNTY INSIDER must be submitted on FRIDAY BEFORE 5:00 PM to be included in the following Thursday edition of the paper. BOXHOLDER PRE-SORT STANDARD PAID LOA, UTAH PERMIT No. 5 |