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Show BLAA comments on MX surprise Sen. Hatch Bureau of Land Management (BLM) concerns about the MX missile proposed propos-ed "racetrack" deployment makes the agency "an unlikely but welcome ally in the Sagebrush Rebellion," Senator Orrin Hatch said last week. BLM has submitted to the Air Force a list of 'questions that closely parallel complaints of racetrack deployment opponents, op-ponents, to be answered in environmental environmen-tal impact statements. Concerns covered economic impact of the project, pro-ject, in conjunction with energy projects pro-jects already approved for the area, local inflation problems, impacts on grazing and mining in the area, and water supply problems. The MX racetrack scheme has roused stiff opposition op-position from local citizens and officials expressing concern over these issues. "Utah has not been heard on these issues, and that's one of the major reasons for the Sagebrush skirmishes federal officials too often don't pay attention to our needs in the west," Hatch said. "Finding BLM on our side is a real shocker, though," he explained. "That's the agency about which we get the most complaints on these issues of local government control. BLM is certainly cer-tainly an unlikely, but welcome, ally in the Sagebrush Rebellion." -" - ' ' "It makes you wonder just who is doing do-ing the coordinating for the Carter Administration. Ad-ministration. One agency proposed a project and another opposes it. It makes you wonder if anyone is in charge, or even paying attention," Hatch said. "Utah is beginning a boom growth period, and MX will not be, in any case, the economic salvation for the state -we don't need it for our economy. So it's very important the MX planners make supreme efforts to deal with local concerns. con-cerns. I'm quite surprised that BLM sees it the same way, but pleased by the turn," Hatch said. |
