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Show BLM to hold Uintah Basin synfuels EIS meetings The first set of public meetings for the Uintah Basin Synfuels Environmental En-vironmental Impact Statement concerning con-cerning Bureau of Land Management energy projects will be held August 4 (Vernal Golden Age Center), August 5 (Rangely - Community College) and August 6 (Salt Lake City, Salt Palace). All meetings to begin at 7 p.m. The purpose of the meetings is to discuss and obtain public input in listing issues and alternatives to be studied in the Environmental Impact Statement. On July 15, Governor Matheson and BLM Acting State Director Stepanek signed a joint Project Management Plan for Synfuels Development in the Uintah Basin Region. The. plan calls for preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement and establishment of an interagency committee. Scheduled for publication in September 1982, the EIS will analyze impacts of five oil shale projects, (Geokinetics, Magic Circle, Paraho, Syntana, and Tosco) and two tar sand projects (Enercor and Sohio) all requiring BLM rights-of-way. (White River Shale Corporation already has an EIS on file). Final BLM clearances would be in the form of right-of-way issuance, presently scheduled for October 1982. Deseret Power Plant Work has now begun on the plant site, access road and water supply line. The Deseret Generation and Transmission Cooperative was given approval to construct two 400 megawatt power units near Bonanza by the BLM June 24, and by the Rural Electrification Administration on July 13. Low Use Grazing Sites This summer the Diamond Mountain Resource Area is establishing a rangeland comparison site study. This ecologically based study will help range managers evaluate possible treatment and other management practices, for grazing allotments. Sites historically having little or no livestock use, will be one type of site incorporated in-corporated into the study. Permittees within the area are asked for help in locating such low use sites. White Pelicans at Pariette The Bureau of Land Management's waterfowl management program at Pariette Wetland Area has attracted unusual birds. On June 15 thirty-eight -large, white birds with black wing tips were seen circling the wetlands which are located about 12 air miles southwest south-west of Pelican Lake. BLM wetland technicians Kenneth Parr and Steven Phillips positively identified the birds as White Pelicans. The last documented sightings of White Pelicans in Uintah County were on May 12, 1937, one-half mile below Jensen by A. C. Twomey, and on May 19, 1963, on Pelican Lake by C. L. Hayward. Recently, a flock of White Pelicans at Pariette has grown from 38 to 51. Pariette is being developed mainly for waterfowl habitat, and is growing in popularity for hunting each fall. In addition, numerous shorebirds, upland game birds, raptors, and mammals utilize the available food, cover, and water. The wetlands are fed by a small tributary to the Green River, Pariette Draw. Road access is from U. S. Highway High-way 40 to Myton via the Green River access road. While the wetlands are open to the public, travelers should be aware that Pariette is located about 25 miles, southeast of Myton over dirt roads, with no facilities available. Mormon Cricket Infestation The Mormon Cricket infestation in the three corners area of Utah, Colorado and Wyoming is a continuing problem for ranchers. Control of Mormon Crickets on federal lands is carried out by the Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), of the U. S. Department Depart-ment of Agriculture. APHIS has worked on the infestation on BLM administered lands of the Vernal District during the last two summers. They have suspended operations on public lands for this year because the crickets have laved their eggs, so further spraying would not solve the problem. APHIS has been requested to continue con-tinue this control program next year. They plan to station a full time person in the area next spring with a spray plane on contract to attack problem areas as they appear. A solution of seven-four oil will be applied at a rate of 20 oz. per acre to infested areas. The crickets come and go in cycles and are now in an increase cycle. This year infestations are larger and more widespread, which has caused considerable con-siderable concern with some range users and others. Control of Mormon Crickets in modern times has limited infestations to relatively small areas and limited damage. Outbreaks of the type which devastated large areas in the historic past have not occurred recently. The control method used most recently is by broadcasting bait which is impregnated with insecticide. Direct application of insecticide to the crickets is another method sometimes used. APHIS will work on private land if ranchers are willing to pay two-thirds of the cost. |