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Show PR0V0 FAVORS PLAN TO TRANSFER CANYON TO UINTAH FOREST Transfer of 200,000 acres of land, including most of Provo canyon, to jurisdiction of Uintah national, forest should be accomplished accom-plished soon, Dr. Vasco M. Tanner, chairman of the Provo chamber of commerce forest and flood control con-trol committee, reported Friday of last week.. Department of agriculture officials offi-cials have acted favorably on the transfer, Dr. Tanner said. Bureau of land management, department of interior, now is studying the move. If it aproves, the only remaining re-maining step will be a presidential proclamation setting the area aside as forest land and extending the Uintah forest boundaries. The favorable report was made to Dr. Tanner Friday by Mitchell Carter executive assistant to Sen. Arthur V. Watkins (R., Utah), he said possibilities of the transfer are favorable and he will continue to support the project. Provo canyon is situated between be-tween Uintah and Wasatch national na-tional forest boundaries and development devel-opment work has been Jess than other canyons of similar size and beauty in the state, Dr. Tanner pointed out. Benefits gained if the transfer is complete include flood and fire control, protection of the watershed, water-shed, grazing management, re-seeding, re-seeding, ( sanitation control and recreational development, he explained. ex-plained. In view of the recent discussion concerning sewage pollution . of Utah lake, some method of con. trolling the sanitation of water that goes to the lake through Provo river should be considered, Dr. Tanner said. Development of camp sites, trails and roads, would benefit all people living in the vicinity, Dr. Tanner continued. The canyon is extensively used for recreation at the present time, but is not properly prop-erly managed. If the canyon comes under the forest service, no pressure would sell his property, or private graz-sell graz-sell his property, or privarte grazing graz-ing rights would not be endangered, endan-gered, but federal funds would be used to develop the area as a whole. Utah county commissioners and Wasatch 'county . commissioners both bave gone on record favoring the project. |