Show CUP Resolution Passed By Vernal Chamber A Water Waler Conservation committee report report re- re port was presented to the Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce directors meeting Tuesday by Hugh W W. Colton Collon chairman of committee MR COLTON read a resolution drafted by his committee to be presented at the Bonneville hearing in Orem Friday and Saturday stating the Vernal Area Chambel Chamber Cham ber bel of stand on this pro pro- After the resolution was read a length- length ly discussion of the Central Utah Project Project Project Pro Pro- took place ANDREW MCCONKIE supervisor of the Ashley National Forest was asked if he had any comments concerning the Bureau of Reclamations CUP plans and he presented the following summary of the project as he saw it The Central Utah Project is the concept concept con con- of a vast and comprehensive plan to move streams on the South face of the by gravity flow into Donneville Donne- Donne Bonneville ville Basin and to replace this intercepted water by major diversions from the tile Green River and by smaller water waler developments deve in Uintah Basin TH THE E TOTAL Central Utah Project is made up of oC six units or diversions 1 Jensen unit 2 Vernal Unit 3 Upalco Unit 4 Bonneville Unit 5 Uintah Unit and 6 G the Ute Indian Unit The first four units listed have been approved by Congress the Uintah and Ute Indian Units are arc still under study Of OC those units approved the Bonneville Unit Is the most complex and extensive costing n nearly one half billion dollars At present some of its features are arc under construction or has been completed This unit is estimated ed cd to be about 14 percent complete The major objective of the Bonneville Unit Isto is isto isto to intercept the South Slope streams and divert them into Strawberry and thence to Wasatch Front and Central Utah In order to make water available for forthe forthe forthe the Bonneville Unit an agreement was made with the Indian Tribe to tJ defer irrigation ir- ir irrigation ir of some acres of land in Uintah Basin and allow this water to be diverted to Bonneville Basin This agreement agreement agree agree- ment specified that the water will be re- re Continued on page 8 7 f l a i CUP Resolution r Continued from page pago 1 placed to the Indians not later that the sear 2005 The J Protection Act of or 1969 Public Law 91 requires that an environmental study be he made of or all Federal actions plans and programs that have or arc are likely to have a significant effect rUed on the environment of or man This study must Hoist utilize c a systematic Interdisciplinary Inter dL disciplinary approach which will insure the Integrated use of or the natural and social social so cial clat sciences and environmental design arts in planning and decision making which may have ha a impact on mans man's en en- THE DETAILED environmental statement state state- ment must include the following The environmental Impact of or the proposed pro pro- posed action Any adverse environmental effects cUrds which cannot be avoided should the proposal proposal pro he be implemented Alternatives to the proposed action The relationship between local short term lI uses ties rs of or mans man's environment and the maintenance and enhancement of or long term productivity Any irreversible ine and irretrievable commitments of fir resources which would be involved in the proposed action should hould it be Implemented IN RESPONSE to the above requirement require ment the Bureau of has prepared pre pared and circulated a Draft Statement for the Bonneville Unit of the Central Utah Project which details the various features The law provides al also o that when a project pro pro- project such as the Central Utah Project is going on-going with a number of or pi ogres ogres- sive live features that the total impact of the completed project must be analyzed At the present time lime such an analysis has not been completed THE BONNEVILLE Unit as would naturally na be the case depending on the point of view of each individual and his knowledge know ledge and understanding of the project and antl interests has both good and bad features so far as mans man's environment Is concerned For example Storage of water for our year long use is on the plus side as is the increase in our lakes for recreation and fishing pleasure Naturally Naturally Naturally Na Na- the Wasatch Front and Central Utah fully support the project as they see cc additional high quality water to be made available to them The production of power will also be of considerable i value aloe On the other hand some Uintah Basin Dasin residents arc concerned that eventual di diversion di version from all of the South Slope stream may have serious environmental effects on the underground water supply and the springs of the Basin Dasin that adequate water may nay not be available for development of newly discovered resources such as ns gas oil and oil shale and population growth of the Basin Dasin that trading high ugh quality South Slope water for Green River that has 30 20 times the amount soil salts may have serious consequences to our agriculture and people and that our stream fisheries will be lost or ed cd OTHER CONCERNS are related to the location and design of the numerous pro pro- I jed feature required to Insure that the best possible alternatives is use used In each case an and that our resources In fisheries 1 and recreation are arc preserved The Bureau of Reclamation must provide pro pro- 4 vide vibe the Council of Environmental Quail Quail- 1 ty their environmental statement together er with appropriate expressions from the r public and other State Slate local and Federal agencies MR stated his department Was neither for lor or against the project but hut we want to develop the area with re re- to the best of our ability and knowledge for the future benefit of all people The public should not be polar polar- ti i iced to take lake sides either cither for or against the CUP CUI but should Instead try to Improve Im prove the bad parts and make It even a better project concluded Mr McConkle McConkie After further discussion the directors voted unanimously to accept the following resolution the Vernal Chamber of Commerce has since il its ils organization been becu deeply interested in the development develop ment of the Colorado River Storage Project Pro and WHEREAS AS the Vernal Chamber of Commerce had as one of its first projects pro after its organization the promotion promotion promo promo- tion lion and passage of or the bill by he Congress Congress Con Con- gress of the U. U S S. S which bill provided for the authorization authorisation and construction of the Vernal Glen Canyon Flaming Gorge Bonneville Jensen and Upalco projects all of which have been or arenow are arenow t now under the process of construction and K u WHEREAS the economy of Vernal and S the surrounding area has been beneficially beneficial beneficial- OJ ly Iy Improved each ench year by reason of or the benefits derived from these projects in inthis inthis this area and WHEREAS there is a serious threat to the continuation and completion of many many u projects authorized by the Upper Colorado Colorado Colorado Colo Colo- rado Storage Project by the Sierra Club and other like organizations which have I expressed opposition to the continuation f of the above named and other water conservation conservation con con- I i projects and water development programs and WHEREAS on September 22 and 23 1972 an Environmental Hearing has been set to hear the pros and cons for forthe forthe forthe the Bonneville Unit and its completion NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED RESOLVED RESOL VED t that lat the Vernal Chamber hamber of Commerce Commerce Com Com- merce fierce docs does hereby support the continuation continuation continuation con con- of the tile construction and completion completion completion com com- of the Donneville Bonneville Unit of the Central Utah Project and all other Units of the Colorado River Project and hereby hereby hereby here here- by authorize that this Resolution be presented at the Bonneville Donneville Unit Environmental Environmental En En- Hearing on the dates abovementioned above abovementioned abovementioned mentioned by the I President or other representative of the Vernal Chamber of Commerce DATED at Vernal Utah this day of September 1972 WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE Il OF TIlE THE VERNAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Il |