Show BLAA move criticized by Sen Garn Senator Jake Garn last week took a firm stand against the proposed reorganization of oC the Bureau of Land Management in Utah Garn said that to this point he has not taken a definite stand in the issue because he felt that a sufficient number of oC public hearings had hadnot hadnot hadnot not been held and that a needed economic study had not been completed He lie said he emphasized emphasized emphasized em em- in the past that the burden of proof to show that a reorganization was necessary rested with the and that the people of oC the state should not have to show that the change was not necessary AS FAR FAit as Im I'm concerned Garn said in a letter to the Department of oC the Interior the Bureau of pf Land Management has failed miserably to make its point First the series of meetings held in Monticello Kanab Fillmore and Vernal have failed to generate more than token public support for Cor the reorganization Garn said economic Secondly the overall economic advantages to the taxpayer are not significant and in fact it would be economically detrimental to small cities Finally the priority the has chosen to hang its hat on appears to be administrative efficiency I object to this type of reasoning which in essence is reorganization to give the illusion of oC progress Garn said that in addition no data has been revealed to show the supposed inadequacies of the present organization HE liE SAID that rural areas affected by personnel reductions reductions reductions would suffer significant intangible losses such as the departure of oC a number of oC college graduates from Crom rural communities the depletion of oC voluntary community leadership for Cor religious and civic groups and the departure of oC many school children of oC educated college-educated parents The Utah Republican said the reorganization would also increase increase increase in in- crease the travel phone and mail mall distance between land users IN CONCLUSION CO he said many of the citizens attending the public hearings have made it known to me that they feel Ceel totally helpless They Ce feel l that the has gone through the motions of oC inviting their input but that it has been and will be completely ignored In addition to everything else Im I'm opposed to this reorganization on the grounds that the people of Utah just donot donot do donot not want it it |