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Show CI( UT mSOKT -- J2 C deadlines USU near. See Page A12 Single Copy 50$ Wednesday, August 6, 2003 i Vernal, Utah 84078 111th Year No. 32 20 Pages L DDsa anras Mine shuts down temporarily Mining at the Deserado coal mine was suspended Monday, July 28, when one of 5 air quality monitors detected increased levels of carbon monoxide in a remote inactive area. Based on the carbon monoxide level and information from additional sources, Deserado managers elected to evacuate the mine as a safety precaution. Using normal evacuation procedures all 35 miners exited the mine safely. the evacuation Following Monday, representatives from the and Health Mine Safety Administration (MSHA), the United Mine Workers and Deseret's managers approved a plan to control the carbon monoxide releases by sealing off the previously mined areas where the releases were occurring. Monday evening temporary seals were installed and key air quality points were surveyed for improving conditions. Following a period of favorable air quality readings, a thorough physical inspection of the mine will be conducted. If the inspection is satisfactory, miners will replace temporary seals with permanent seals that will separate the active working areas from old, areas. As part of previously-mine- d its routine safety practice, the Deserado miners already have installed numerous permanent seals to help control of potential carbon monoxide releases. ..Deserado continues its strong safety record with 340 days without a lost time accident and an awardwinning mine rescue team. This week workers completed placing nine seals in the mine to prevent carbon monoxide contamination. Once the work in done, likely this week, miners can resume work. The Deserado mine located near Rangely, Colorado employs 168 and has recently set new company records for its safety and productivity. The mine produces coal for the Bonanza power plant, located 35 miles west of the Deserado. The Bonanza plant is operated by Deseret Power. Deseret Power is a major supplier of electricity serving over 42, (XX) customers in Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, Colorado, and Arizona. Established in 1978, Deseret is based in South Jordan, Utah and is owned by Bridger Valley Electric, Dixie Escalante REA, Flowed iis B2 Vernal is known for its dinosaurs and if a local family gets its way, a new dinosaur replica will be added to the present collection at Dinosaur Gardens. Dr. Tyrrell Seager and family have pledged $20, (XX) toward the purchase of an allosaurus replica which will be placed at the present Dinosaur Gardens and later moved to the new museum now under construction. The Dinosaur Gardens Committee is heading the effort to raise the $10, (XX) additional funding for the project. The Seagers have to already been paid $20,(XX) DinoLabs, operated by Jim Madson in Salt Lake City, for the replica. A couple of months ago I contacted my good friend, Dr. Sue Ann Bilbey, about what might be available for the new gardens, said Dr. Seager. She was aware that an allosaurus replica had been made by Jim Madsons DinoLab Company and was on loan at BYU. So Sue Ann volunteered to take on the job of the acquisition of that dinosaur for our new gardens, Dr. Seager said. She has been very helpful in this process. The dinosaur has been inside a building' since it was First made and will have have a new paint job suit- - Wrecking crews work to remove a shattered motor home from its resting place Highway 40 Tuesday. ld long-standin- COPY f in the eastbound lane of Crash sends three to the hospital A accident Tuesday afternoon sent three drivers to the hospital, and one was transported by Life Right to a Salt Lake hospital. A Chevrolet Astrovan driven by a female was going West on Highway 40 at 3500 East and slowed to make a turn at an intersection when the van was struck from behind by a BJ tanker semi truck, also westbound. The tanker, driven by three-vehic- MaftlhiesoDD right-of-wa- able for display outside. They are planning a paint job on the critter and may have that done within a months time, Seager said. The company will transport the dinosaur to the location of the present gardens, west of the Utah Field House where it will be displayed until there is room at the new Utah Field House at 5(X) East Main sometime next year. The allosaurus is a predecessor of the tyrannosaur rex and is a large predator. Fossils from the allosaurus have been found in this area and a juvenile allosaurus is on display at the Quarry in Dinosaur National Monument. More fossils of the g dinosaur allosaurus have been found in Utah than anywhere else in the world, and so it is no surprise that allosaurus became Utahs state fossil. However, in spite of over a century of study and the collection of thousands of bones, many unanswered questions still remain about this creature. The discovery of a new skeleton of Allosaurus in Dinosaur National Monument in the 1990s led to a reappraisal and better n understanding of this dinosaur. meat-eatin- well-know- Warden warns le Ronnie James Brandt, braked and collided into the rear of the van. The van was propelled forward, but the driver was able to park it off of the highway. The tanker traveled into the Eastbound lane and collided with an eastbound Winnebago motor home driven by Elva D. Drake, 75, of Dallas, Texas. Following the collision the tanker ran off the south side of the highway and down an embankment. 9 Uintah County Commissioners were surprised by Congressman Jim Mathesons opposition to an amendment supported by the rest of the Utah delegation concerning road rights of way on public lands. The RS 2477 issue has been debated between counties and the federal government for over 15 y years. The counties claim a on public land based on a mining law. Interior and Gale Norton Secretary Governor Mike Leavitt used the law to fashion a process in June for handling the states road claims. Opponent of Nortons agreement with Utah believe a uniform, nationwide approach is the best g land way to settle the disputes. We knew he wanted to pull B Road out of the debate, which we said with" don't disagree Commissioner Dave Ilaslem. "But we didnt think he would oppose the other Utah lawmakers when his amendment failed." Matheson Jim Congressman attempted to bring a compromise to a contentious debate over RS 2477 rules. He offered legislative language in the U.S. House of Representatives that he believes would begin to address the long fought issue of RS 2477 claims in Utah. Congressman Mathesons rnoong) to Veronal 1 See Mine on page SUPPORT OUR TROOPS Express online: www.vernal.com Drake sustained multiple lacerations, and had to be extricated from the motor home. She was taken by ambulance to the Ashley Valley Medical Center. She was subsequently flown to Salt Lake by Life Right. Both the driver of the tanker and the minor female were taken to the AVMC, and released with minor injuries. Both Brandt and the minor are See Crash on page B2 off ffSire potieimtioan Fire Warden Lincoln Brown said that nationally wild fires are getting bigger and more expensive to put out because of a build up of fuel due to years of successful fire suppression. "It is no secret to anyone that for the past several decades government has spent a great deal of money and effort to suppress wildfires, Brown said during Tuesdays Vernal Area Chamber meeting. And over the years we have become very good at stopping wild fires, in fact so good that some issues have arisen. The first issue is the accumulation of fuel which is a simple equation more fuel equals larger fires. sooirpirises Headers toy voffe amendment to the Department of Interior appropriations bill would bridge the gap between opposing sides of the RS 2477 issue, he said. The majority of the roads on public lands are not controversial, Matheson said last week while in Vernal. They can be resolved in short order. But there is a lack of trust among the groups involved. Congressman Mathesons amendment would have recognized Class B Roads. But by agreeing to the commissioners amendment, believed that it would weaken their argument for more controversial roads to be accepted. The Republican majority in the House blocked the Matheson amendment from coming to a vote due to several technicalities. An unwillingness to move forward isnt going to solve our concerns and my fear is that we will once again go right down the path to more litigation - that doesnt serve purposes," anybodys Matheson said. Em trying to come up with something that works. My pledge to all Utahns is that I will continue this fight another day. Concerning economic development, Matheson said there is both a national component and a local component. The national component is tax cuts. He said he supported President Bush's tax cuts to jump start the economy. I would have supported even more of a tax cut, to really get the economy moving, he said. Matheson said the passage of the Highway Bill, would create jobs and provide for more economic development. The Blue Mountain Road from the Utah to the Colorado side of Dinosaur Monument is included in the bill which in now stalled in Congress. Another bill Matheson said would help the local economy is passage of the National Energy Bill. The bill would solve a lot of problems with exploration on federal land and would ultimately increase production, he said. The Energy Bill passed the House but is being debated in the Senate. In an odd turn of events last week, deliberations on the Senate energy bill were cut short by a vote of 84-1- 4 to approve last years omnibus energy bill (S 517 and 107 Congress). The action set up a House-Senat- e conference committee on energy this fall. Matheson said that based on a town meeting in Vernal and after meeting with county officials, more emphasis should be place on helping existing businesses rather than attempting to attract outside businesses. Businesses who have survived The second issue is that with large, more intense fires, the cost to suppress wild fires continues to climb. Brown said that air tankers, helicopters and smoke jumpers, which are needetl to fight larger fires, cost money and every year the costs go up. The question is Who ends up Brown paying for those fires? asked. Unless we can find out who set the fire, the public pays the cost. As more people build summer homes and even primary homes near the forest, destruction to See Fire on page B2 roads odd Bonanza Plant Manager Stan Gordon shows Congressman Jim Matheson a turbine during a tour of the power plant last week. over the years, are doing something right and should be given incentives to grow," he said. Concerning the situation in Iraq, Matheson said the intelligence was n't as strong as it should have been, but he still supports going to war. We need to leant from the past and look forward," he said. Still our number one terrorism threat is A1 Qcada." Matheson completed his trip to the Uintah Basin by touring the Bonanza Power Plant. X h n an ip ;(gr Oilman fltt Jut |