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Show (Protests softest seSlirag Eied Fleet weater to CUP The selling of 6,000 acre feet of Red Fleet water to the Central Utah Project (CUP) was met with opposition as about 15 valley residents were present at last Friday's public hearing for protests to the sale. According to Lawrence Siddoway, executive secretary of the Uintah Water Conservancy District (UWCD) which proposes the sale, the reason for the district's intention to sell the 6,000 acre feet of water is to comply with a policy which will not allow the CUP to build a Vernal water treatment plant unless it "has an interest in the project." "The reason for the proposed sale of 6,000 acre feet," Siddoway said at the hearing, "is to comply with Vernal City's intent to install a treatment plant." The policy says that for the CUP to finance a treatment plant in an area, the CUP must have in interest in the project. Presently, the Uintah Water Conservancy District is the contractor for both Steinaker and Red Fleet water. Last May the city's request for the CUP to finance the treatment was tabled while attorneys reviewed the policy which stopped the CUP from financing a treatment plant in Provo. Most people present at Friday's meeting objected to the UWCD selling the 6,000 acre feet of water to CUP because of the loss of local control of the water and the threat that the water "may be used outside of the Uintah Basin." "It is not the intent of the CUP to deliver the water outside the area," Siddoway told those present. "It is absolutely stupid to think so," he later said. The first 6,000 acre feet of Red Fleet water has been contracted for by Vernal city and the second 6,000 acre feet, the city has the first option to refuse. The third and last 6,000 acre feet of municipality and industrial water, up for sale from Red Fleet, will be available when it is needed. The Burns pumping station which will pump the water out of the Green River to Red Fleet comes on line, Siddoway said. Gene Anfinson, Vernal city councilman coun-cilman who was at the hearing, said he wondered if Vernal City hadn't already optioned for the last 6,000 acre feet although it wasn't written in the contract con-tract with the city. He also said that the council hadn't agreed on whether they want a treatment plant from the CUP or not. According to Shane Luck, city manager, the city has passed a resolution to have the CUP work with the city to study the possibilities of a treatment plant. "Engineering date show that the spring (Ashley Springs) has large numbers of surface sources and it can be treated in a cost effective way," Luck said. Studies done by CH2Mhill and Horrocks Engineering conclude that the spring can be treated, it is a surface source, it needs to be treated and direct filtration can be used to treat spring water, Luck said. Although Vernal City hasn't ap proved a treatment plant financed by CUP, the location, and type of treatment treat-ment plant have been determined, Luck said. Vernal City resolved to study possibilities of a treatment plant and apply for funds from CUP last summer when the State Health Department gave an "unapproved" rating to Vernal's water system. Since that time CUP has spent $20,000-$25,000 studying the possibility. Rep. Gayle F. McKeachnie, who was present at the meeting, filed a letter of protest of the petition allowing the Central Utah Water Conservancy District to purchase the 6,000 acre feet. "Repercussions will jeopardize the ratification of the Ute Compact," McKeachnie said. McKeachnie has been working two years on the ratification of the Ute Compact, which will maintain state control of water rights. "In my judgment, the sale of Red Fleet water by the Uintah Water Conservance District to the CUP runs contrary to the basic philosophy underlying un-derlying the efforts of the State in working so hard on the Ute Indian Compact and general State water policy. That is the policy supporting local control of water rights and use," Rep. McKeachnie said, in his protest. "Maybe we are jumping too far for this treatment plant. ..maybe there are some interim things we can do," Rep. McKeachnie added. Also protesting the petition to sell the 6,000 acre feet of water to the CUP were Roland Merkley and Merrell (Continued on Page 16) Red Fleet water (Continued from Page 1) Mecham, Uintah County Commissioners. Com-missioners. Their objecitons were that the notice of the petition was not properly published, granting the petition is not in the best interest of the residents of Uintah County, the public hasn't received sufficient information, local government entities for purchase should be considered, legal procedures were not complied with and the CUP lacks the power and authority to grant the petition. "We don't want to work through a third party," said Lyle McKeachnie, chairman of the Ashley Valley Water Improvement District, in opposition to the petition. "A treatment plant isn't worth that." The meeting adjourned with no decision made, except the promise that the protests would be considered at the next board meeting of the Uintah Water Conservancy District. |
