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Show lQ8QGl)QliaH8880fiii3QQQE Srnd til display Despite the common conception con-ception that It takes years to re-establish vegetation on the desert with only 4-8 4-8 inches of precipitation per year, R. Gilbert Moore told a group at Milford High School Wednesday, February 18, that plant researchers were working with exotic plants and hybrids that could make the desert blossom as never before. He suggested that studies to revegetate the desert after af-ter MX construction could provide the knowledge and mass production of seed to eradicate halogeten, Russian Rus-sian Thistle, Cheat grass, and other poisonous andor obnoxious weeds In a few years, and make desert grazing better than ever for livestock and wildlife. Thursday representatives of Boeing, G.T.E., Martin-Marietta, Martin-Marietta, Thiokol and Hercules Her-cules set up displays In the Senior Citizen Center, and a continuous line of citizens toured the displays while representatives of the major contractors explained why and how MX would work and what could be expected if deployed In the Great Basin Ba-sin of Utah and Nevada as proposed by the Air Force. The display, which was open from 10:00 a.m. to 6 p.m., Included a miniature transporter and missile shelter, as It is expected to be deployed, including an operating missile and launcher which did everything every-thing but fire. Several other displays related the need, and why the shell game method meth-od of deployment was chosen. A handout listed 27 of 35 major alternatives to the shell game, and why they were discarded in favor of the 'shell game.' The Air Force proposes to deploy 200 missiles in the Great Basin of Utah and Nevada In 4,600 horizontal shelters, 23 for each missile. mis-sile. The main Utah operating oper-ating base is proposed to be located at Milford. A final decision is expected from the Reagan Administration by June first. If the decision is to deploy de-ploy MX as proposed, with only ' minor cost cutting modifications expected, construction con-struction could start on the main base InCoyoteSprlngs, Nevada and in several Nevada Nev-ada valleys by 1982. Little construction is expected in Utah until 1985-86. Local Interest was high, and residents were able to take their time, asking questions ques-tions and looking over the displays until their curiosity curiosi-ty was satisfied. 'It is possible, 'Moore said 'with effort, some failure, and a lot of retrying to re -vegetate areas with only 4-8 4-8 Inches of moisture per year and with alkaline and gravelly soils.' Moore, a vice president of Thiokol, and manager of the astro -met division, took an Interest Inter-est in the re -vegetation program pro-gram as local concerns were raised about what MX construction con-struction would do to livestock live-stock grazing and wildlife. He was particularly optimistic opti-mistic about Kochiaprostra-ta, Kochiaprostra-ta, which he says can be hand broadcast into halogeten halo-geten and take over in three years, but will not spread and overtake established annuals. an-nuals. Halogeten is a toxic, hearty plant that was Imported Import-ed from Russia. It tends to take over anywhere the desert des-ert floor is disturbed in the fragile environment. The green, leafy, succulent looking look-ing plant was first thought to be an excellent desert forage and ground cover. But at certain times of the year, may become toxic enough to kill sheep and has been known to kill cattle in a few instances. in-stances. In 1971, 1200 sheep died when they were moved to new range west of Milford, and filled up on halogeten. Kochia prostrata, a woody deeprooted bush, Is also native nat-ive of Russia, but has been tested in the U.S. since 1965 and seems to be free of toxins tox-ins Injurious to livestock and wildlife and is edible right down to a nubbln,Moore said. And best of all it will come right back from the root. Moore was also optimistic about a hybrid being developed develop-ed at Utah State University. A cross between quack grass and blue bunch wheat grass, which retains the heartyness of quack grass with the pal-atability pal-atability of the wheat grass. He felt they would work well together. He described work being done by several individuals and colleagues, and said plans were being made to plant a number of different plants which would be desirable desir-able for livestock and wildlife wild-life on test plots of Hill AFB and Thiokol. Other test plots will be located in the deployment area in Utah and Nevada. The biggest stumbling block will be to change BLM requiements that revegeta-tion revegeta-tion be accomplished with like species. The Air Force will need to get permission to revegetate with these exotic ex-otic species and hybrids which hopefully will improve on the old species. The massive MX re-vegetation re-vegetation project will gear seed raisers up to produce the seed for the Air Force, and could bring the cost down so that ranchers can improve other areas and make the desert bloom. Moore spoke also to the Milford Business Association Associ-ation Thursday. Several questions on MX were raised Wednesday. Clark Smith asked why the Soviets couldn't place a satellite sat-ellite over the Great Basin and monitor which shelters the missiles were in? He also asked for a cost differential dif-ferential between the horizontal hori-zontal shelters and vertical silos. Moore explained that a satellite can only be stationary station-ary over the equator at 2 2, 000 m iles high. A ny place else it just passes over. But a satellite could not detect anything through the several feet of earth and reinforced re-inforced concrete of the shelter. He couldn't estimate the cost differential between silos si-los and horizontal shelters but concluded that the silos (Continued on Page 2) HERE'S MORE ABOUT DESERT BLOSSOM ed, and Its tested better than any other product to date, It would be used to surface the some 8,000 miles of dirt roads, without requiring re-quiring any local water. The group seemed reasonably reas-onably Impressed, and many nagging questions were answered. would be much more expensive, expen-sive, and defeat the mobility and shell game concept of MX. Asked If there was any chance of a warhead exploding, explod-ing, Moore said, "No"! The warheads will not be armed until they are on target. Even a nuclear explosion would not set them off In the shelter. MX is a deterrent not a first strike weapon,Moore said. It does not possess the capability of destroying the Soviet missile fleet,but assures as-sures the U.S. that Russia cannot attack without retail! -ation. And would require Russia to expend up to 9,000 missiles (more than they have) to knock it out. In order for Russia to attempt a first strike, they must be able not only to knock out MX, but Minuteman and Titan, Ti-tan, the B-52 bombers and Trident submarines, plus many other strategic sites. And since MX presents no first strike threat to them, they just won't do that, he said. : Moore also told of Project Oasis, which would put a collector tank at each shelter shel-ter to catch runoff water, and later to be pumped to a Guzzler outside the 2 12 acre fence for livestock and wildlife. This would provide pro-vide 4,600 little oasis in the Great Basin. He also described a magnesium mag-nesium chloride liquid, a by-product of the salt dehydration de-hydration plants on the Great Salt Lake, that can provide a dust free surface for roads at little expense. He said, put on right, with a good base, the road won't washboard, and will maintain a good dust free surface for up to three years without retreating. re-treating. The Air Force is testing this chemical vhich is 65 water, that won't evaporate any more, on a Nevada test road. If approv- |