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Show n Energy Crisis, Environmental Protection jj Influenced BLPA Activities in 1 974 The energy crisis and national emphasis on environmental en-vironmental protection greatly influence the activities ac-tivities of the Burueauof Land Management in Utah during 1974. " There were increased efforts by the Bureau to develop energy resources resourc-es in harmony with the various other uses of the national resource lands, stated Paul L. Howard, BLM state director for Utah. The first geothermal steam energy leases on BLM administered lands in Utah were issued during dur-ing the year. A competitive compet-itive lease sale resulted in bonus bids of $877,188 on 12 tracts. Leases were issued on 23,350 acres in the Roosevelt Hot Springs known geothermal geother-mal .resource area northeast of Milford, which is one of the more promising areas in Utah. In March the first coal lease offered by the BLM in Utah since September 1970 was issued to the Plateau Mining Company of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The lease involved in-volved 1,360 acres and is located in the Wasatch Plateau Coal Field south of Price. The lease was issued under the Department Depart-ment of the Interior's short-term criteria involving in-volving coal that is needed need-ed for production in the immediate future. Mr. Howard added that interest in leasing oil and gas on federal lands increased during the year. A total of 5,870 leases were issued and the total acreage under oil and gas lease increased in-creased to 14,800 acres. Early in the year more than 75 million dollars was bid by Phillips Petroleum Pe-troleum Co. and Sun Oil Co. for the first Utah oil shale lease offered by BLM. In April a second sec-ond prototype oil shale tract lease was issued by BLM to the White River Shale Oil Corp. for more than 45 million dollars. The two Utah tracts are located approximately appro-ximately 40 miles southeast south-east of Vernal with 5,120 acres in each tract. The oil companies are proceeding pro-ceeding with baseline environmental en-vironmental data collection collec-tion and monitoring studies stu-dies before development of the oil shale resource. During 1974, the Utah State Treasury received $5,003,279 from BLM. This represented Utah's share of income from BLM administered lands within the State. Mineral activities contributed the major portion of this amount. There was increased emphasis on the condition condi-tion of grazing lands throughout the West, stated sta-ted Mr. Howard. Public comment was solicited by the Bureau to help in assessing range conditions condi-tions on BLM administered admini-stered lands in Utah. Public Pu-blic participation is an important part of the Bureau's Bu-reau's planning process, stated Mr. Howard. More than 61,000 acres of never-before surveyed survey-ed land on the Kaiparo-wits Kaiparo-wits Plateau in southern Utah was surveyed by BLM in connection with a proposed coal-fired electric el-ectric generation station sta-tion to be located in the area. Also, an initial rough draft environmental impact im-pact statement (EIS) on , the proposes Kaiparo-wits Kaiparo-wits complex was prepared pre-pared by BLM. The draft EIS is anticipated to be available for public review re-view in April. Mr. Howard pointed out that a general study - of BLM's organization in Utah was started during the year and is continuing. continu-ing. The study will determine de-termine whether changes chang-es may be appropriate to make BLM more efficient ef-ficient and responsive to the public. Severe drought conditions condi-tions caused the worst fire year in history for BLM in Utah, with 216 fires that burned more than 31,000 acres. Four Utah students became BLM's first all-girl fire fighting crew in Utah! The girls were hired as summer employees and were stationed atGrouse Creek. BLM was also involved in studies of sections of rivers within the State which might be designated designa-ted wild, scenic, or recreation re-creation rivers. Rivers included in the studies were the Green, White, Colorado and Dolores. There was an increased increas-ed use of national resource re-source lands in Utah during dur-ing the year, for recreational recrea-tional purposes, said Mr. Howard. Another BLM recreational site was made available to the public with the opening of the Simpson's Spring Campground in June. The campground is located near the site of a former Pony Express station in Tooele County. A project of a different differ-ent nature was undertaken undertak-en by BLM when it moved mov-ed an old gold mill out of the Henry Mountains. The parts of the mill, which included a 20-foot-in-diameter water wheel were flown out by helicopter heli-copter to Hanksville. Plans are to reconstruct the mill as part of a visitor's vi-sitor's center near Hanksville. Land transactions for public purposes by BLM during the year included selling 160 acres on Westwater Creek southwest south-west of Blanding to the Utah Navajo Development Develop-ment Council for development devel-opment as a recreation site. The city of Blanding also purchased 100 acres I north of the town from I BLM to enlarge an exist- f ing recreation area. Mr. Howard pointed out that these transactions were authorized under the Re-creation Re-creation and Public Purposes Pur-poses Act with the land being sold for $2.50 an acre. And again in 1974, BLM made it possible for Utah families to cut their own Christmas trees from 30 designated areas in var- ious parts of the State. Mr. Howard noted that ' BLM administered lands make up approximately 43 of the total land area in Utah. The director expressed his appreciation appreci-ation for cooperation and support received during ' the year from the many organized user groups and also the public in general. |