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Show c PANGUITCH • PANGUITCH LAKE • HATCH • BRYCE • TROPIC • ANTIMONY • HENRIEVILLE • CANNONVILLE • ESCALANTE • BOULDER Thursday, March 10, 2011 • Issue # 313 CONCERNED RESIDENTS HOPE TO AVERT HWY 12 "HOGBACK" DEVELOPMENT Submitted by Margaret Smith Concerned residents of Boulder and Escalante, Utah, are mounting a last-ditch effort to waylay construction of a new "day-use" area at one of the wildest, most remote, scenic areas in the state. The proposed development is at the northern gateway to the Grand Staircase-Escalante Monument, near Boulder, where All-American Scenic Highway 12 approaches "the Hogback" — the sinuous, narrow ridge between Calf Creek and Dry Hollow. Offering the first expansive views over the Escalante Canyons, the GSENM proposes to develop this area with a picnic area, vault toilet, and a boardwalk lining the canyon rim overlooking Calf Creek. Residents' objections to the development range from economic and maintenance concerns to conservationist and aesthetic issues. Boulder business owners, in particular, are alarmed at the potential loss of business if tourists "take their break" at the roadside stop and not at the local stores, restaurants, and even the Anasazi State Park. Without ongoing maintenance funding being allocated, residents are worried about trash, unrepaired facilities, and unmonitored trail cutting and damage to adjacent wilderness study areas. Ranchers are concerned about effects on grazing cattle. And local wilderness outfitters note one of the main reasons tourists are attracted to this area in the first place: the wild, remote beauty of the Escalante canyons and plateaus, from which a highly visible, roadside development would notably detract. The project has been in the planning stages since the mid-2000s. Throughout the process, residents voiced their concerns, in letters, in petitions, onsite meetings, and through public comments to the Environmental Assessment. Alternative plans were presented, but seemed to fall on deaf ears. Among recent activities, Boulder Town Council voted at its March meeting to send a letter of opposition to GSENM, BLM, and UDOT. An onsite meeting between agency representatives and members of the public was scheduled to take place on March 8. Results from that meeting are forthcoming. SUPAC MEETING TO INCLUDE UPDATE ON INTERIOR DEPARTMENT'S "WILD LANDS" ORDER An update on Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's order instructing the Bureau of Land Management to assess the characteristics of millions of acres of public land for potential designation as "wild lands" will highlight the topics addressed at the Southwest Utah Planning Authorities Council (SUPAC) bimonthly meeting at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 8, 2011, at the Hunter Conference Center on the campus of Southern Utah University. Salazar's order, issued in December 2010, essentially repeals a 2003 agreement between thenSecretary Gale Norton and former Utah Gov. Michael 0. Leavitt stating that the BLM would no longer inventory additional wilderness study areas, which are lands identified for wilderness designation by Congress. A Salazar spokeswoman called the new policy a "common-sense solution" that will help the Interior Department manage public lands, waters and wildlife. However, it is not popular with western politicians, who have accused the Obama administration of a land grab that would tie up leases on federal lands with oil, gas and mineral reserves. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert present information about as the U.S. Forest Service, decried the policy Tuesday resource assessments being Bureau of Land Managewhen he appeared with developed by local conser- ment, and the National Idaho Gov. Butch Otter at vation districts for the Five Park Service; state agena House Natural Resourc- County region (Beaver, cies, such as the Governor's es Committee meeting in Garfield, Iron Kane and Office and Department of Washington D.C. Washington counties). Natural Resources; and loIn concert with House Elissa Black, coordina- cal governments and orgaRepublicans, Herbert and tor of the Utah Prairie Dog nizations in the five-county Otter argued that the policy Recovery Implementation region. SUPAC is adminwill circumvent the author- Program, will also provide istered by SUU's Office of ity of Congress while de- an update on the program's Government Relations & claring vast tracts of public prairie-dog recovery ef- Regional Services. Brian Cottam, interim lands off-limits to oil and forts. gas drilling. SUPAC meeting to in- director SUU Regional Pointing out the royalties clude update on Interior Services, serves as SUPAC from the mineral reserves Department's "wild lands" chair. He said the organizaas a primary funding source order tion provides a consistent for Utah schools, Herbert 2-2-2 opportunity for communisaid, "This order hinders SUPAC invites county cation with the highest levrural economic develop- and municipal elected of- els of government focused ment and hurts key funding ficials, economic develop- on important community sources for Utah's school ment directors, planning planning and development children." commissioners, and plan- issues in southwest Utah, Todd Christensen, Color ning professionals, as well such as public lands, natuCountry district manager as all interested members ral resources and transporfor the Bureau of Land of the public, to attend the tation. Management, will provide meeting. "These can be very conFor more informa- troversial topics," Cottam an update on the Interior Department's latest "wild tion about SUPAC, con- said, "but SUPAC provides lands" directives at Tues- tact Kathleen McDowell, a consistent forum to disday's SUPAC meeting. In Southern Utah University cuss these and other critical addition, he will discuss Government Relations issues for our region." SUPAC is not a planning progress on the update of & Regional Services, the BLM's Cedar City Field 435.586.7738 or mcdow- or advisory committee, Office's resource manage- ell@suu.edu. Cottam said. Rather, it is a SUPAC is a regional ment plan, which guides cooperative effort focused land-use decisions for BLM collaboration of state and on getting decision-makers lands in Iron and Beaver federal agencies and local together to exchange inforcounties. governments whose geo- mation, minimize misunTyce Palmer, Zone 5 re- graphic emphasis is Bea- derstandings, and explore source coordinator for the ver, Garfield, Iron, Kane solutions to important reUtah Association of Con- and Washington counties. gional planning challenges. servation Districts, will Created by then-Gov. MiSUPAC meetings occhael 0. Leavitt in 1994, cur every two months at SUPAC aims to facilitate locations that rotate among shared goals and strategies the participating counties. for planning and resource Anyone interested in more development, as well as to information about the coThe Legislature's new it ironic the Legislature im- enhance information-shar- operative effort or desiring model for open govern- posed such sweeping secre- ing and cooperation among to be added to the SUPAC ment exempts itself from cy with only a day or two of agencies, organizations and e-mail list can contact SUU most of GRAMA, cloaks notice to the public? local governments in south- Government Relations most electronic records in GRAMA is not perfect, west Utah. & Regional Services at in- 435.865.8023 or cottamb@ Cooperators secrecy, repeals the law's but she already allows legoriginal intent that when in islators to plan bills and de- clude federal agencies, such suu.edu. doubt, the public should be liberate with some privacy. allowed access to records, She also already protects and imposes the possibility citizens against unwarrantof new higher fees on those ed disclosures of private inwho request records. You formation they have shared may have to pay for lawyer with government. Even with her imperfecreview time next time you request a record. tions, GRAMA deserved What now can be hid- better than the shabby and den from the Utah public? arrogant treatment given Nothing less than docu- her by the Legislature in the ments like those electronic midnight hours of its 2011 records that exposed the session. Whatever good sex and financial scandals may have been done in that in the Detroit Mayor's of- session, it is now forever fice or those text messages tainted for what it did to sent by unions and special GRAMA. interests- during meetingsAnd in the aftermath we to the San Jose City Coun- citizens are left to face the cil instructing members on most frightening of queshow to vote. tions- who now will keep an Every Saturday Don't expect to see re- eye on the Big Bad Wolf? in March from 1-4PM cords about how a legislator Michael Patrick O'Brien you can come fill out is performing his or her of- is a Salt Lake attorney and ficial duties. The new law legal counsel for the Utah an application. makes them all secret. Isn't Media Coalition. THE BIG BAD WOLF IS EATING GRAMA AND LITTLE RED Spring may be in the air, but really it is time to don black mourning clothes and stop believing in fairy tales. The Big Bad Wolf is eating GRAMA and Little Red. GRAMA is the Government Records Access and Management Act, for 20 years Utah's nationally-admired model of open government. In early March, in less time than it takes to respond to a GRAMA request, the Utah Legislature eviscerated that model law. THURSDAY PARTLY CLOUDY HIGH: 52 LOW: 27 FRIDAY SUNNY 0 PARTLY CLOUDY HIGH: 52 LOW: 27 SATURDAY HIGH: 53 LOW: 27 SUNDAY MOSTLY SUNNY °-. 0STLY SUNNY NOW Hiring HIGH: 53 LOW: 24 MONDAY HIGH: 49 LOW: 25 TUESDAY PARTLY CLOUDY HIGH: 49 LOW: 25 The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, `I'm from the government and I'm here to help.' Ronald Reagan WEDNESDAY' MOSTLY SUNNY Member of: fir Utah Press HIGH: 50 LOW: 26 ***** I FPA. INDEPENDENT FREE PAPERS Of AMERICA ac_ 4.1.1I • I " • ISMII lIA0111 ,11t ►,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. 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