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Show COM ME ARY THETHUNDERBIRD·SOllfHERN UfAH UNIVERSITY•TIRJRSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1993 ·PAGE.+ SUU TAKES A ROAD LESS TRAVELED BY G ood news. Members of the community can have a significant impact on SUU policy, especially when it comes to safety. Congratulations to the Board of Trustees who, in their Feb. 12 meeting, showed respect for Cedar citizens' concerns and approved preliminary plans for a new and safer road on university property located between the freeway and 1100W. The roughly two-city block plot of land is designated for future student housing and as a site'. where Plant Operationsmachine storage, tool sheds, and repair shops-can be grouped together. Controversy arose when campus officials had architectural plans drawn up for a student housing complex including a road that would bisect the property. Neither the housing nor the road has been constructed yet; only a few Plant Operations buildings have been or are being constructed. Local residents claimed that the proposed student housing and road could significantly increase traffic flow along 400 S. and endanger the school children who walk to nearby South Elementary School. Residents proposed an alternative road that would parallel the highway and empty student traffic onto 200 S., closer to the campus. Problems seemed insurmountable-the residents' suggestions would require new architectural plans to be drawn. The configuration of Plant Operations sheds would have to be moved 20 feet to the east, leaving room for the straight road to be built along the freeway. The number of student housing units would also be reduced to make room for the Plant Operations buildings. The Board of Trustees assigned Paul Southwick, executive vice president for financial affairs, to head a committee to investigate the consequences of both road options. In the February meeting, Southwick recommended that the straight road along the freeway-the citizens' choice-be approved. Formal adaptation of the road design will take place in July when the State Board of Regents reviews SUU's master plan. President Gerald R. Sherratt presented the caveat that with the new road design, traffic from both the student housing and the Plant Operations-trucks, tractors, and lawn mowerswould merge. But, The Thunderbird feels SUU students are mature enough to cope with an occasional truck or backhoe on the road, rather than risking the lives of Cedar's schoolchildren. When and if SUU ever buil s student housing, the straight road will draw student traffic away from South Elementary and prevent possible accidents. Safety must come first. THE THUNDERBIRD SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY • CEDAR cm, lffAH Edit:o,, )enniftt MorL.y OplaloD DiN£lal" Jaaon D. North OplaloD ~ Head,a, Grun Sparta Ed..... Jay Hinron ..U--C Editor Bi0 Galvan ~ Rep Tmvu Newman &c..ltr Mvwr uny Bmr ~ Ad.lN:r lfnn S. Datnm n.. Tiu.tta<T/,i,d iJ publiwd -'> Mo.m,, ond Tbunday of cbe -"mi< y,,:ar br ond for cbe tcuckru body ol So.nho.n Utah Uniftnily and ii noc aJ6lwzd wilh d.. l/niYersi<J'• dq,en:ment of conununiadon. The . . _ ond cpinions _..d in Th< Thtuwlnl,i,d an: ~ of individuol and do nor ~ rdkct cbe ol dte inta,uoon, &mlty, ,aff 0< smdmt body in grr,onl. The wui,-1 .ditoriol dmaiy dxMe it cbe opinioo of Tll< ~ U o llnp< J..eai:n ID dw ~ be IJpod ,md indU<k namt OM phon< number. Ont, cbe namo ,.;JI be princied. Nama ..ill no,: be whbeld und,,r ""T dn::ummncn md cbe tdilor ..-.va .didna: prMlqa. l.tmn mU>f be fUhmiu.d br IIOOC\ Friday. b Mo,,day cditiom; S p.m. TUCG\'S for Thunday eclnlono. Ar.rr !ndmdt.l Mh • ~ apuuc n,. Tiu,,wl.,l,ml oboo.,ld di-. sue'> p,oolrm &nt ., cbe «lilDr. If unreaoiwd, mat Jricyana: ohouJd m<n be dircm,cl ID the ..i.ua. If still wuaoiwd. the l(leYanot lho.iJd be cfin,md ID SUU Puhlicaliona Cow,d}, 58(,.7710. mmy. me c.- me n.....lmmi offias In SW Tochnoloe, Buildin( 003. M.il or SUU Bax 9JS4. Cedar 0.,. lJT 84720. Phone (801) S8&77S1. S86-77S8. S86-1750, 58&S488. FAX 586-5487. Ti.. ACCESS 'Beyond Beef' makes absurd claims · 'Access' is a reaming gi,est editorial featu:re in which mnnben of w SUU campus communit) ma:, comment on important issues. Today's column is written by James E. BoWD!I, range ecologist, Dan iel R. Dail, cwociate professor of agriculture, Brent C. Palmer, fn'ofes.sOf' of botany, Dean L Winward, assistant fn'ofessOf' of agriculture, W. Craig Jones, associate professor of political scien.ce. The SUU Convocation lecrure series is no doubt intended to expose us to new ideas and provoke discussion and debate in order that we might arrive at more informed opinions and decisions on issues that affect our lives. It is with this intent that we respond to some of the claims of Mr. Jeremy Rifkin's lecture on Jan., 28, 1993 and his book Beyond Beef. Among the many topics that Mr. Rifkin touched upon were the condition of western ranges and the negative influence that cattle are allegedly having upon human health and the environment. Specifically, he stated that cattle are a major source of greenhouse gases and the resultant global warming; and contribute to world hunger by consuming 70 percent of the world's grain supplies. Concerning western rangelands, Mr. Rifkin stated that they are being overgrazed and destroyed by livestock grazing. In Beyond Beef, he further states: "virtually every available square mile of rangeland and cropland is being e.xploited, depleted, and eroded with little thought of tomorrow or the needs of future generationst (p. 202) and cattle are destroying much of the American West (p. 203). The absurdity of this statement could easily be refuted by reference to unused or non-active federal allounenrs, and millions of acres of ----------~rr1----------· 'The rangelands in the United States are in the best condition they have been in this century. ' -----------IJJi,..,--------marginal public and private lands such as sloped, tree-covered and mountainous areas that hav'e limited, if any, grain use. One has only to drive across the western deserts of Utah and Nevada to realize that in many areas one may drive for miles and see few if any cattle. But aside from the fact that millions of acres are not grazed or very slightly grazed, let us first address the issue of general range conditions and trends on western public and private lands. There is much evidence and agreement among academic and range specialisn; that public ranges have been and are improving; and that there is more plant and wildlife diversity than there was several decades ago. In faet, a 1990 Bureau of Land Management study shows that since 1936 the lands which they manage have generally improved. The amount of land which they classify in excellent or good condition has doubled. The amount in fair condition has decreased by 25 percent; the amount classified as poor has decreased by 56 percent. A 1987 U.S. Forest Service report indicated that of all forest lands, 85 percent were in fair to excellent condition. A reputable study of western private lands concludes that the amount of range land in excellent or good condition has more than doubled; the amount in fair ndition has remained about the same; and the amount in poor condition has declined by 70 percent. While there are exceptions and there is still room for improvement, overall the rangelands in the United States are in the best condition that they have been in this century and the current trend is one of improvement. Secondly, it is a gross misconception that livestock (CONTINUED ON PAGE 5) |