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Show , L " I Our Readers Write i m Reality of issue is that county has no bargaining power Dear Editor, Several weeks ago, a "Clipper" editorial stated Davis County should "get tough" on the proposed propos-ed Wasatch variation natural gas pipeline that is planned to come through our area. It was suggested the county should bargain with the pipeline companies in hopes of gaining something out of this fiasco, such as a new park or a roadway linking south Davis County Coun-ty with the Capitol Hill area in Salt Lake. These are nice ideas, but the reality real-ity of the issue lies in the fact that the county really has no bargaining power. The pipeline company who wins the bid to build would be granted the right of eminent domain by the federal government; this is not a county or state decision. If you were in the pipeline company's shoes, would you bargain if you had nothing to gain by it? If the county really wants to get tough, why doesn't it fight this battle tooth and nail in order to keep the pipeline out of Davis County on a permanent basis? We are fooling ourselves if we think we can possibly gain something out of this. I feel it is time to really look at the hard facts. A pipeline, route snaking across the mountains east of Bountiful will leave a visible scar that will last for years. The pipeline companies claim they will re-seed the route and afterwards the scar will be barely bare-ly noticeable. The Mountain Fuel pipeline that was completed in 1975 is still plainly visible on Pettingill Ridge east of Bountiful after nearly a decade and a half. The erosion caused by subsequent illegal off-road off-road vehicle activity has inhibited plant regrowth. " This erosion problem is exacerbated exacer-bated with heavy precipitation. The canyons and slopes crossed by the proposed Wasatch route are proven to be unstable. Remember the floods of 1983 and 1984? By Utah law, municipalities are required to protect their . watersheds. Pipeline construction would necessitate costly improvements to existing water treatment facilities in Mill Creek Canyon, and new facilities will have to be built in Holbrook Canyon. These increased costs will be passed along to you, the water-users. water-users. ' Mueller Park, which actually comprises 1,000 acres of natural unspoiled beauty in Mill Creek Canyon, Ca-nyon, will suffer long-term negative impacts if the pipeline goes through, the line is slated to pass just east o the picnic areas. Think of all that mqy be destroyed, not to mention all the heavy equipment and noise that, would likely necessitate closing of the park during dur-ing the construction process. More importantly, consider the tremendous safety hazard created with a large volume gas line crossing cross-ing the Wasatch Fault in North Salt Lake. Seismologists warn the chance for a significant seismic event along the Wasatch Front is imminent. Building codes have been enacted to minimize damage and prevent loss of life. How does a pipeline carrying over 700 million cubic feet of natural gas per day at 1200 psi fit into the earthquake building code? This whole boondoggle presents nothing but problems for Davis County. Ironically, the proposed route traverses fewer miles in Davis County than anywhere else in the state, but we stand to lose the most. To make matters worse, word has just surfaced that a coal-slurry pipeline that would utilize the Wasatch Wa-satch Front Variation route is now in the proposal stages, and if constructed con-structed would be on line by 1995. We live in a very sparsely populated state. It seems logical to utilize isolated areas for these types of utility corridors. Our elected officials should recognize this and lobby for rerouting. In February, Congressman Jim Hansen vowed to "get tough" and not let his constituents consti-tuents be kicked around by promising promis-ing legislation that would force the pipeline back to the original Eastern Utah route. What happened to the bill? We're still waiting to hear from you, Jim. Promising action then not following through does not reflect favorably on anyone in the political limelight. We must not stand back and let this happen. We are running out of time. Bargaining for roads and parks implies we are conceding defeat. The Bountiful Hills Residents and Concerned Citizens Association has not given up. Our organization has filed a motion to intervene in the U.S. Court of Appeals Ap-peals in an attempt to overturn the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Com-mission decision to let the pipeline come through Davis County. But, we cannot win this fight without citizen involvement Congressman Wayne Owens has offered to help. Let him know you are concerned. By letting one pipeline come through our community, it paves the way for future projects that fly in the face of good common sense. If built, this pipeline will lessen the quality of our community. It will create impacts that' will last for years and years and present unreasonable un-reasonable safety risks to area residents. Should the people of Davis County be willing to lie down without a fight? I say no. No road or park is worth the tradeoff for all the problems this pipeline could create. DaveSoutter Vice President Bountiful Hills Residents . and Concerned Citizens Association, Inc. |