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Show Pipeline debate should not be used as political vehicle Dear Editor. Recently, as a signee to a petition against the Wasatch Variation of the proposed Kem River natural gas pipeline, I received a letter from Bountiful Council worn an Renee Coon purporting to endorse the candidacy of Kenley Brunsdale for Congress. The letter was actually an extremely ex-tremely negative attack against Congressman Jim Hansen rather than a piece extolling any virtues of Mr. Brunsdale. Further, Ms. Coon's letter is replete with factual inaccuracies inac-curacies and innuendo which merely mere-ly expose her effort to manipulate an important, emotional issue into Mr. Brunsdale's, and perhaps her own, political gain. An an example of Coon's misrepresentations, she accuses Congressman Hansen of telling a nameless individual with the Forest Service that his proposed legislation to stop the Wasatch Variation was only a "bluff." In speaking with the Congressman, he assures me that at no time did he ever tell anyone that his bill was a bluff, and further challenged Coon to identify this unnamed person. Congressman Hansen's goal has been to try and find a route for this pipeline which is generally acceptable accep-table to his constituents and their locally elected officials. For over a year he has worked hand-in-hand in a responsible, good-faith manner with the mayors and other representatives in South Davis County to pursue a beneficial result. When acceptable alternatives were not readily identified, the Congressman introduced legislation to prohibit the unwanted Wasatch Variation. When Coon first publicly launched laun-ched her opposition to the Kem River pipeline, it was a laudable effort. It is unfortunate that she has now apparently turned a worthy cause into a shameless political vehicle for Brunsdale and Coon. In a letter to Congressman Hansen this past February, Brunsdale himself stated, "This issue is too important and the time too short for party politics." Perhaps the pipeline issue is no longer as important to Brunsdale and Coon as the promotion of their own political ambitions. H. Dickson Burton Bountiful |