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Show "i.:k i-j-f i: UTAH FKKSri ASSOC! AT ION i 52 i K 390u s SI.C. UT rt4i4 Single Copy 50 Vernal, Utah 84078 113th Year No. 29 VVetli July 20, 2005 ACTIVE RE-ENTRY Preparing for that is ahead , , -www.vernal.com , f j WEATHER BY ASPEN BROOK REALTY INC. See Alt See B1 Wed I Thu - Ffl 720 7721 722 t .- . - 10161 10263 I 9864 BLM proposes fee hiCie Oil and gas operators frustrated By Steven R. Wallis Express Editor The Bureau of Land Management published in this week's Federal Register a proposed pro-posed set of regulation changes that would enable the agency to recover more of its cost to process pro-cess documents related to mineral min-eral operations on public lands. The fee increase has some oil consultants frustrated. The regulatory proposal would authorize the BLM to increase existing or set new fees for environmental impact studies, monitoring activities and other processing-related actions. "Our proposal is aimed at setting set-ting fair fees so our agency can recover reasonable costs resulting result-ing from the processing of minerals-related permit applications," appli-cations," said Thomas Lonnie, BLM Assistant Director in Minerals Realty and Resource Protection. The BLM had published a cost-recovery cost-recovery proposal in December 2000 that would have covered processing costs related only to solid minerals, such as gold, copper, coal, phosphate, sodium and sand gravel. This week's proposal, which supersedes the earlier one, adds fluid minerals such as oil to the type of documents docu-ments that would be affected by the cost-recovery provisions. More specifically, the new regulatory reg-ulatory proposal would cover oil and gas Applications for Permits to Drill (APDs) geother-mal geother-mal permits to drill (DFP), and geophysical exploration permits. per-mits. The new fees pursuant to these changes would be phased in over a period of up to five years. The first-year fees would be $1,600 for APDCs and OPIs and $500 for geophysical exploration explo-ration permits. Second-year and following year rates would increase by $500 until the full fee is met. In the case of APDs, the full fee would be $4,000, for GPDs the full fee would be $3,500 and for geophysical exploration permits, the fees would rise to $2,500. Currently there are no fees for geophysical permits. The BLM published its proposal, pro-posal, which is a re-proposal of the December 2000 version, in the Federal Register this week, opening up a 30-day public comment period that will close on August 18. The BLM is taking tak-ing this action because of the amount of time that has elapsed since the Bureau published its original proposal. Since December 2000, the BLM has further reviewed the data on which it is basing its cost recovery recov-ery proposal and gives the public pub-lic an opportunity for additional input before the BLM develops a final rule. "Considering the amount of work it takes for a permit," said Bill Johnson, Uintah County Economic Development, "it doesn't surprise me that they are increasing the permits." "It is a political decision which we probably won't have a lot of say about whether it is implemented," imple-mented," said Bill Ryan, Rocky Mountain Consulting, Vernal oil consultant. "It is frustrating frustrat-ing to be charged more and still have to wait 6 months to a year for a permit to be approved." "In a way we are shooting ourselves in the foot," said Ryan. "Because permits take so long to be approved, companies apply for many permits and if one is dry, the others go on a low priority list." The BLM for this fiscal year will likely approve 700 permits to drill. "Companies would like per-See per-See New fees on A11 fit Helicopter protects boundary of Dry Dry Forh IFire corttaes By Steven R. Wallis Express Editor The Dry Fork 'Fire, discovered discov-ered Sunday afternoon, has burned about 650 acres in the hills north of the Dry Fork settlement. It threatened four homes that were saved due to the efforts of fire fighters. The fire started as the results of a hold over lightning strike from the thunderstorm that passed through the area Saturday night. Sunday evening fire crews Chamber sees needs at By Virginia Harrington Express Writer Members of the Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce were the first in the county to receive a presentation from the steering committee for Uintah School District's efforts to pass a capital capi-tal voted leeway of nearly $50 million. The committee is co-chaired by Bob Foley and JoAnn Cowan. Human Resources Director Dr. Larry Klein opened the presentation pre-sentation by saying the Board of Education is not allowed to take a political stand on any issue but that it is obligated to present pres-ent facts to the public. The purpose pur-pose of the steering committee is to gather facts on the needs of the buildings within the district and to present these facts to parents par-ents of students and the public at large. Cowan, who gave the main presentation, said the main concern con-cern of the steering committee is the health and safety of the students who are housed in the school buildings. A secondary concern is the expected growth in the number of students. Cowan stressed the fact that a voted capital leeway cannot be used for administrative purposes, purpos-es, wages or salaries, supplies or any other purpose other than the construction or renovation of buildings. A report issued by Deputy State Fire Marshal Kim Passey to Dr. Klein said that Utah law requires smoke detectors in all hallways in all schools and heat detectors are required in all classrooms. A sprinkler system is required in all schools that See Leeway on A12 Fork Fire by dumping water on near worked fast and furiously to protect four Dry Fork residential residen-tial structures threatened by the wind-driven fire. At about 6 p.m. Sunday the winds shifted from an easterly direction to southeast which put homes in danger. Winds reached up to 30 miles per hour. Local fire fighters were able to keep the damage to a minimum, with one home receiving minor roof damage resulting from a fire ember landing on the wooden shingles. "If it hadn't been for Vernal City - Uintah County fire fighters, fight-ers, emergency personnel, BLM Principal Dennis Atkin shows chamber New equipment boosts county television reception Residents in Uintah County and surrounding areas have started receiving highly improved county television service due to improvements at Blue Mountain. The new equipment will eventually pickup television signals by microwave and retransmit re-transmit them to residents at 250 watts. Service before the new equipment was installed was 10 watts. "The quality of television available with the new equipment equip-ment is over 25 times what it was," said Alfred Stringham, Uintah County telelvision specialist. spe-cialist. Currently the channels benefiting the most from the hot spots. fire fighters and crews, there would have been some lost homes," said Jim Abegglen, Uintah County Commissioner. "They did an outstanding job and deserve a pat on the back." Vernal - Uintah County fire crews arrived at the fire Sunday afternoon and stayed on the scene until early Monday. Tuesday there were three Type I and two Type II fire crews coming in to work the fire, along with a Type I and Type II helicopter. With over 200 firefighters on the fire, man member where roof leaks at Maeser new equipment are Channel 4, Channel 5, Channel 2 and KUED in Salt Lake City. In some areas of Uintah County the signal can be picked up only with rabbit ear antennas anten-nas on top of the television set. The new equipment, valued at over $130,000, was provided as a Community Impact Board grant to Uintah County. The old equipment was demolished and new antennas, towers and translators were installed. The new equipment will pave the way for digital High Density television in 2007. Uintah County is a partici- See Television on All I lif il ffe il No iltp it So burn agers are hoping to have a line around the fire by Thursday night or Friday morning. Troy Suwyn, Incident Commander, states priorities for the fire are 1) firefighter and public safety, 2) structure protection, and 3) keeping the fire west of the Ashley Creek drainage. The BLM is encouraging sightseers to stay at a distance or to avoid the area completely if possible. Dry Fork Road is experiencing abnormal congestion conges-tion due to added fire traffic on top of the current road construction. con-struction. schools School. New television equipment is installed on Blue Mountain by Ron Titcom, Jason Ja-son Nickel), Terry Stringham and Matthew Stringham. 'Here to rescue me?' Victim found Monday last week the Uintah County Sheriff's Department responded to a 911 call in the Ballard area rpnnrtinc a kidnapping Maurice Lamont of a 3-year W,mbley old-girl and a vehicle theft. Deputies with the Uintah County Sheriffs Department responded along with assistance assis-tance from Roosevelt Police Department, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Duchesne County Sheriffs Department and the F.B.I. Upon arrival deputies discovered dis-covered that the suspect in the case had came to the residence in White Rocks to allegedly pay some money to them. The suspect sus-pect claimed he didn't have the correct amount, ran out of gas and needed a ride to town to get gas. An adult male from the White Rocks home drove the suspect toward the Roosevelt area to obtain fuel. Also in the vehicle as a passenger was a 3-year-old female who was in the custody of the driver. While on the way the passenger pas-senger requested to stop at a residence stating that he had to talk to some people there. Upon arrival at this residence, resi-dence, the suspect instructed the driver to take a bandana to the door of the residence, and to tie the bandana to the doorknob. door-knob. The driver believed this to be a strange request, but the suspect advised him that this was how he normally contacted these people. The driver complied, com-plied, and after he exited the vehicle, the suspect drove off with the 3-year-old child still in the vehicle. Quick action by investigators investiga-tors at the scene learned that the suspect had been staying at the Western Hills Motel in Roosevelt. Officers responded to the motel and observed a man and a child matching the description in a motel room. Deputies from the Sheriffs Department and a Roosevelt City Police Officer made contact con-tact with the occupants. As the door was opened and a male suspect was taken into custody the 3-year-old girl approached the deputies and asked them, "Are you here to rescue me?" Maurice Lamont Wimbley, age 34, of Ft. Duchesne, was booked into the Uintah County Jail for Vehicle Theft, and Child Kidnap. Uintah County Sheriff Rick Hawkins praised the quick efforts of all officers' involved. Said Sheriff Rick Hawkins, "Given more time it is unknown what the outcome for this little girl may have been." 7 f mJtf1 ii . i |