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Show Governor provides platform for comments on MX project Over 200 were in attendance at the public meeting called by Governor Scott Matheson in Cedar City ' Saturday night to receive input relative to the place of the MX system :i in the great basin area. . The "town meeting" as identified by Governor Matheson, was one of four held throughout the state in which he asked for comments, suggestions and concerns about the ) MX project. At the outset the Governor indicated in-dicated that he had some concerned and that he would be working with officials of the Air Force and the ' Department of Defense specifically as to the possibility of reexamining1 the race track mode. "At this point I have not yet received a response to r the query," the Governor said. Secondly, the Governor suggested that it was necessary that the impact of deployment in Utah and Nevada gravely concerns "both myself and Governor List of Nevada," he said. Alternatives necessary Governor Matheson also suggested to the audience that alternative sites must be determined and En-. En-. vironmental Impact Statements . prepared. "Without alternative sites ,iyr plans we . face . some critical issues," he suggested, "including massive areas of federal lands taken out of productive water impacts, answers to questions of what might happen to the livestock industry on the west desert for both sheep and cattle and the social-economic impacts." im-pacts." The Air Force is in a Narrowing Process and the timetable is being squeezed down. "We thought that the decision on the MX project might not come until September but . judgement now is that it could well come within the next 45 days," he said. We are told that Utah and Nevada could veto the system politically, but it has not yet been determined if we could legally veto the system and there is a difference, he explained. Public Input Following his remarks those in attendance were invited to present statements concerning the MX system. Doran Fox representing the communties of Veyo and Central present a hypothetical "Scottstown", and the impacts that would be faced if the MX project is approved. His hypothetical community could not, he sugested meet the needs of such a development. A petition apposing the MX project was presented by Carl Adams of Modena. Laura Cox, a homemaker from Cedar City suggested the "price of MX is too high". She expressed concerns were for the quality of life that we enjoy in this area and four concerns including water, which is not adequate enough for a sudden doubling or tripling of the population; the inflationary affect that might result; concern for the increase in jobs that might not be available to local residents as there is no commitment to hiring from the area work force and finally what will be left after the construction peirod, suggesting ghost trailer parks, vacated schools and hospitals. "For the sake of the family please don't place the MX system here," she concluded. Further testimony An emotional testimony of concern of a mother who lost a child to lukemia and who herself suffers from cancer, expressed concern that the government place these missies in our area. The spiritual resource of the southwest, south-west, the clean air, the vast amount of desert beauty and what would happen by the establishment of this massive utilization of the land was another concern. A formal statement was presented by former Senator Dixie Leavitt representing an Iron County Interlocal In-terlocal Organization, stated that a decision concerning our national defense has a heavy burden of proof "to demonstrate that MX is the most cost-effective way to meet our defense r. needs and that the mobile race-track method, concentrated in a single geographic area, is the best means of deployment. If the decision is made, however, to deploy such a system in the Great Basin, then it would be supported as a matter of national interest. "This support is accorded with expressions of grave concern regarding both environmental and people-related issues. We are sensitive sen-sitive to the fragile nature of the ecological blaance in the Great Basin and believe that utmost care must be taken to insure only minimum negative impact occurs," the statement read. The state proposed that "every effort should be made to fully integrate in-tegrate the military personnel and services into existing communities.. com-munities.. In essence we believe that those who operate the system should be members of our communities in every ' way." Against System It was suggested by one that they believed the department of defense considered the people in Utah expendable. ex-pendable. The MX system was described by one as "a monumental war toy" and expressed frustration "because I can't see a legal way to stop MX." Scott Thorley, who identified himself as a native of the community related the change in lifestyle that occurred in Rock Springs, Wyoming when that communitie's population doubled. Areas of crime and mental health cases were increased as much as 1000 percent, he suggested. In Support Therol McArthur a Cedar City businessman entered a statement in support of the Governor and confidence con-fidence in him to do what is best for Utah and the nation. In behalf of Iron County James L. Shumate, Iron County Attorney, addressed the tremendous impact on law enforcement and the judicial system to accommodate the MX system. "My major concern lies with the effect upon law enforcement and our general life style in this area by doubling or tripling of our population. It is absolutely imperative im-perative that this area either receive additional outside funds or a substantially sub-stantially broadened tax base in the event thai the MX system is deployed in such a fashion as to increase the population of Iron County," his statement read. In summation the Governor identified that he had heard from 31 individuals and suggested that if there was other information available he would welcome hearing from residents by writing him at 210 State Capitol Building, Salt Lake City. He reaffirmed his belief that a decision would be made soon within a very few short weeks. "Without such additional funding being made available, an increase in population such as has been propossed...our existing law enforcement en-forcement capabilities would soon be overwhelmed," he said. Concern on ecological balance were . expressed and in a straw vote called for by Mayor Sawyers those who stated that they would opposed MX regardless of the conditions were by far in the majority. Logically the AF has thousands of people working on MX every single day deployed in a variety of locations. "We need to get our information together r. and prepared as soon as possible. I pledge to keep you informed in-formed on development," the governor concluded. 'fr.f f if .:. A k- " ' ' : rr", - i y ! ' , v J 1 ,1 GOV. SCOTT MATHESON Addresses public hearing on MX Project deployment. |
