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Show Halls Crossing Marina faces NPS closure The National Park , Service is considering phasing out popular Halls Crossing Marinaone of only four such facilities on massive Lake Powell, and the only one not operated by Del Webb Corporation, it was learned this week. In a letter to customers of the Marina, which grossed over $1 niillion last year, Director William J. Whalen of the National Park Service was quoted from a letter to marina operators as favoring closing of the operation. "I am of the view, based in part on the recommendation of Superintendent (Temp) Reynolds and Regional Director (Lynn) Thompson, that it may be in the best interests of the protection of the resources of the area and its visitors to eliminate the Halls Crossing operation altogether," altogeth-er," Mr. Whalen was quoted as saying. Calvin Black, a principal owner of the operation detailed, in his letter to customers, his prolonged troubles with the National Park Service as concessioner at Halls, and urged support of those in favor of seeing the Marina stay open in contacting their congressional representatives rep-resentatives for help. Mr. Black " stated that the letter from Director Whalen was puzzling, in light of the fact that a 1977 annual evaluation by Superintendent Reynolds had declared the operation "satisfactory," "satisfac-tory," and went on to say that it was probably the best operation on the lake. Mr. Whalen's statement also brought an angry reaction from Utah's governor, Scott M. Mathe-son. Mathe-son. In a letter to Whalen, Gov. Matheson stated: "We never have heard anyone in the park service speak of eliminating the Hall's Crossing operation, and I strongly object to an issue of so vital a concern to the people of Utah first being raised in a private letter to a concessioner." Gov. Matheson went on to say, "If you are changing your mind on any major park service operation within this state, I would assume that I would be personally involved at the initial stage of the decision-making process." The Governor stated that Halls Crossing is "necessary and appropriate" on the lake, and is one of the largest single employers in San Juan County, |