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Show A2 Wednesday, May 10, 2006 " Vernal Express, Construction begins for Internet center in Randlett Ground was broken Thursday on an 840 foot addition to the Randlett Community Center which will house a computer center. Completion of the project will introduce the rural community to Broadband Internet which has not been available in the area. Construction on the building is expected to be complete com-plete by Sept. 1, 2006. The project proj-ect will provide 10 computers with Internet access and will also make high speed Internet available to residents in the Randlett, Four Corners and Pelican Lake areas. Funding for the project was provided through a grant from the Rural Utilities Service, which is a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The project is parent of the USDA Broadband Community Connection program, now in its third year. Oil and An oil and gas lease sale scheduled for May 16 by the Utah Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will open to oil and gas development 18 parcels of land near Capitol Reef National Park and 5 parcels par-cels of land in a historic district near Nine Mile Canyon, an area that is world-renowned for its fragile Native American rock art. The BLM will also auction land near a section of the San Juan River that is being considered consid-ered for Wild and Scenic River designation. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, conservation and environmental environmen-tal groups, and river outfitters are all submitting formal protests pro-tests objecting to the inclusion of numerous parcels that are slated for oil and gas leasing by the BLM. The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, the Wilderness Society, NRDC, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation have submitted a formal protest to BLM over the inclusion of sale parcels, such as the lands in Labyrinth Canyon, near the San Rafael and Green rivers, and numerous numer-ous parcels of land that are proposed pro-posed for designation as "areas of critical environmental concern." con-cern." "Nine Mile Canyon is home to one of the most significant collections of Native American petroglyphs in the United States, as well as other historic histor-ic resources representing the lives of early settlers and ranchers ranch-ers in Utah," said Richard Moe, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. "Oil and gas development would severely threaten or destroy the fragile and irreplaceable Oil Shale The Vernal Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) - United States Department of the Interior, announces an Oil Shale Research Development & Demonstration (RD&D) Lease Application public information session on May 17, 2006, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Western Park in Vernal. The Oil Shale Exploration (ISSN 0892-1091) Published every Wednesday for $26 per yeax In the shopping area and $38 per year out out of the shopping area within the state and $42 per year out of state within the USA by the Vernal Express Publishing Company, 54 North Vernal Avenue, Vernal, Utah 84078. Periodical postage paid at Vernal, Utah, 84078 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to VERNAL EXPRESS, P.O Box 1000, Vernal, Utah 84078. Steven R. Wallis Editor and Publisher Jen Petty Writer Janine Shannon Feature Writer Brenden Eden Sports Writer Patty John .Proofreader Zack Dearing .AdsLayout JacqueHobbs Advertising Mary Hernandez Advertising Harriet Harding Circulation & Billing Phone: 435-789-3511 FAX: 453-789-8680 Website: www.vernal.com email: editorvernal.com DEADLINES News Friday 5 p.m. Display Advertising Friday 5 p.m. Classified Advertising Friday 12 Noon Public Notices Friday 12 Noon The Randlett computer center cen-ter will be similar to the community com-munity centers in Myton and Altamont "Community residents are welcome to come to the center and use the computer to get on the Internet," said Dennie Mecham, UBTA-UBET Special Projects supervisor. "Community residents are welcome wel-come to come to the center and use the computers or get on the Internet. Our computer centers in Myton and Altamont are getting get-ting quite popular and I expect more activity this summer." The center will be staffed with an on-site facilitator who will be available at all times during hours of operation. Users will check in with the site facilitator and will be allowed computer access as long as they follow the site rules. Center hours may vary depending upon the day, but will be open gas lease raises concerns cultural resources in the Nine Mile Canyon area. For that reason, BLM must comply with federal preservation laws and take into account cultural cultur-al resources before deciding whether or not to issue these leases." In 2004, the National Trust listed Nine Mile Canyon as one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places, in part to raise concerns about the harmful effects of energy development in the Nine Mile Canyon area. BLM has also received protests from several river outfitters, including: Red River Canoe Co., Inc.. (Moab, Utah), Wild River Expeditions (Bluff, Utah), Moki Mac River Expeditions, Inc. (Salt Lake City), and Centennial Canoe ' Outfitters, Inc. (Centennial, Colo.). The lease sale includes publio-lands-near the Green and San Rafael rivers, areas that are highly popular among families and river runners alike. Although the BLM is not leasing within one-quarter mile of the actual rivers, outfitters say that the industrial impact of the drill pads could be significant sig-nificant and would adversely impact their business. "I have a number of clients cli-ents who return each year to experience this same unique stretch of Green River, primarily primar-ily because of its solitude, wild character, and peacefulness," said Theresa Butler of Red River Canoe Company, who submitted a protest with the BLM over the lease sale. "The leases directly threaten the interests of these clients and this aspect of my business." In protesting the inclusion of the San Juan River area research Company (OSEC), applicant for a 160 acre oil shale RD&D lease, is planning to orient the public regarding their operational opera-tional plans should a lease be issued. Representatives of both OSEC and the BLM will be in attendance to answer questions the public may have regarding three proposed phases of foreseeable fore-seeable RD&D operations. The application area is in approximately four or five hours Monday through Friday and eight hours on Saturdays. The center will not be open on Sundays. The grant will staff the facility facil-ity and pay for its operation for two years. "The Uintah County Library is interested in staffing the faciities after two years and operate it as a pilot out-reach library," said Ed Peterson, deputy dep-uty Uintah County attorney. "In today's world, it is critical criti-cal to connect basic community services to high speed telelcom-munication," telelcom-munication," said Bruce Todd, UBTA-UBET General Manager. "We are pleased to be a part of this project and foster growth in the communities we serve and enhnce technology infrastructure." infra-structure." The next facility could be in Lapoint. parcels, Taylor McKinnon, co-owner co-owner of Bluffs Wild Rivers Expeditions, cited the "potential "poten-tial for rig-related water pollu-tion...that pollu-tion...that could jeopardize the river's ecology, its value to recreational rec-reational users, and again, our business." "People love these rivers because they are so peaceful," peace-ful," said Stephen Bloch, staff attorney for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance "Rafters, hikers, and campers will still hear the racket and see the lights at night, even if the leases leas-es are a quarter-mile from the river. The solitude, natural quiet, and unforgettable night skies will be gone forever." The 18 parcels that BLM will auction near Capitol Reef National Park include two parcels that the National Park" Service asked BLM to offer for - sale only, if -all, snrfaao disturbance distur-bance was prohibited because of their proximity to the Park; BLM ignored this request. Also on the auction block are thousands of acres that BLM itself determined to be "wilderness "wilder-ness quality" because of their unspoiled nature, 110 parcels in proposed "areas of critical environmental concern," and many that BLM was specifically specifi-cally told not to lease in 2005 by the Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA), BLM's oversight over-sight board. "It is mind-boggling that the BLM and the Department of the Interior are rushing to lease and develop sensitive lands, ignoring its own oversight board and a request from the National Park Service," said Bloch. "With each lease sale, it seems that BLM is upping the ante on selling off public trea to be examined eastern Uintah County, about 2 miles south of the White River and 7.5 miles west of the Utah-Colorado Utah-Colorado border on the old White River oil shale mine site. An environmental assessment Ute Indians take journey to South Dakota for 100 year commemoration of trek On April 20, 2006, 30 Ute tribe members traveled by car and van to South Dakota to meet with the Sioux tribe and visit the graves of their ancestors. This journey, which lasted four days, was in commemoration of the trek members of the Ute tribe made 100 years ago. In 1906, under the leadership leader-ship of an Indian named Red Cap, a band of 300-600 Utes left the Uintah Valley reservation. reserva-tion. The group journeyed to South Dakota with the purpose of forming a league with the Sioux to resist further white encroachment and fight against oppression. The Sioux had been friendly in the past, but when the Utes arrived in South Dakota, they found the Sioux Indians unwilling to join them in their fight. The Sioux, they discovered, were in a situation similar to what the Ute Indians had left, and suffering from their own hardships, the Sioux would not or could not help the Officals break ground on new Internet center in Randlett. Left to right- Dennie Mecham, Ed Peterson, Donna Richens, Bill Kremins, Mike Wilkins, Marcy Joanne Winn, Jerry Goodrich, Craig Zobel, Bruce Todd sures that are of great historical histori-cal and natural significance." Like most Western states, Utah has a surplus of BLM lands that have been leased for oil and gas development but are not in production, as well as a surplus of applications for permission per-mission to drill. Between 2001 and 2005, the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining approved 5,077 permits to drill new oil and gas wells in Utah. At the end of 2005, there were 2,044 approved drill permits from that five-year period that had not yet been drilled. According to Bloch, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance has challenged chal-lenged only a handful of drill projects - fewer than half of one percent. The Utah sale will come on the heels of another highly controversial con-troversial BLM oil and gas sale on May lkin Colorado. That sale is already drawing fire because it is slated to include habitat for the endangered black-footed ferret, wilderness quality land, and tens of thousands thou-sands of acres of public lands currently undergoing Resource Management Plan (RMP) revisions. revi-sions. "Because the industry is saddled sad-dled with a backlog of permits, it seems reasonable to ask both the industry and BLM to take a more prudent approach to drilling," said Suzanne Jones of The Wilderness Society. "In Colorado and Utah, the BLM is consistently putting sensitive lands up for sale. As the country coun-try becomes increasingly aware that we can't drill our way out of our energy problems, the 'drill everything' approach seems extraordinarily shortsighted." short-sighted." (EA) will be written on the matter mat-ter of the proposed leasing and operations and that EA will be released for a public comment period. Ute travelers. The Utes found their new home unfriendly and even more difficult than the home they had left. The federal government gov-ernment wanted to control the Utes and arranged for employment employ-ment for the tribe. They were forced to work on railroads or build fences, but the Ute people were not happy. In addition, the federal government withheld with-held rations and payments from them to persuade them to return to Utah. In 1908, the discourage dis-courage Utes asked to return to the Uintah Reservation and the government was happy to help escort them back home. Some members of the Ute tribe spent over two years in South Dakota on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. Some of the Ute tribe members even died in South Dakota and were buried there. As the centennial anniversary approached last month, many of the Ute Indians on the Uintah and Ouray - 3 , y - -,. . ........ , ,. , , t-t UBTA-UBET to hold election, district meetings The 2006 UBTA-UBET Annual Meeting is expected to be bigger than ever this year. With the merger of UBTA Communications and UBET Telecom now complete, membership mem-bership in the UBTA-UBET coop co-op has increased. The company is looking forward to welcoming welcom-ing all the new members at this year's annual meeting. The UBTA-UBET Cooperative Coop-erative now includes the Altamont, Duchesne, Flattop, Fruitland, Lapoint, Neola, Randlett, Roosevelt, Tabiona, and Vernal districts. The purpose pur-pose of this year's meeting will be to elect directors from the Altamont, Neola and Roosevelt districts and to conduct any business that may come before the meeting. The meeting will be held Thursday, June 5, ,at , 6:30 p.m. at Union High School in Roosevelt. Three of the 10 posi-" tions on the UBTA-UBET Communications board of directors are up for election and interest is high. Ten individuals indi-viduals have filed to run for the three open positions. The seats available include the Neola, Altamont and Roosevelt districts. dis-tricts. District meetings, or primary pri-mary elections, will take place in Altamont and Roosevelt to narrow the field of candidates before the June 15 Annual Meeting. Lynn Haslem has filed to keep his directorship seat in the Altamont district and is being challenged by Ashley Shiner and Rodger Ames. A district meeting will be held at Altamont High School on Wednesday, May 16, 2006 at 7 p.m. so co-op members can determine who will make it on the June ballot in that district. dis-trict. The votes will be taken by secret ballot. The two individuals individu-als receiving the highest number num-ber of votes will then be listed on the ballot for the annual meeting on June 15. Only two individuals have Reservation wanted to uncover their past, so decided to make the journey their ancestors had made 100 years earlier. When the group arrived in South Dakota, they visited the Cheyenne River Reservation, Ft. Meade, and Thunder Butte. They discovered that nine Ute graves had been found two days before they arrived and other Ute burial sites had also been discovered in the area using modern GPS technology. The burial sites had been enclosed in a small fence built by the youth program. Loya Arrum, who had ancestors ances-tors travel to South Dakota said, "The trip was overwhelming. overwhelm-ing. There are no words to describe how I feel. There is a lot of heartache and sadness. A lot of people said they felt a weight lifted because some of the unknown and uncertainty is gone, but the tribe needs to go through a healing process." History records that the filed to run in Neola. Kim Bastian, the incumbent, and Jeff Crozier will appear on the ballot in June from the Neola district. The Roosevelt director seat is up for election for the first time ever. Five individuals from the Roosevelt district have filed to run for this position. Kirk Bostick, who has held the seat through appointment prior to this year, has filed to retain his seat on the board. Joe Fieldsted, Arthur McKee, Mikel Swain, and Hyrum Winterton have also filed to run. A district meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 17, 2006 at 7 p.m. at the UBTA-UBET UBTA-UBET building where co-op members will decide which two hopefuls make it on the final ballot. . In order to participate in the district and annual meeting meet-ing voting process customers "must eiecf to become a Class A member of the cooperative. Customers that haven't signed up for membership may become members of the cooperative any time prior to the district's meetings and up until the close of business on those days, which are May 16 for those in Altamont and May 17 for those in Roosevelt. Customers may also sign up and pay for membership up until the close of business on the day of the Annual Meeting, which is June 15, 2006. The fee to join the co-op is $200 and full voting rights are established once an initial $50 cash contribution is met. Class A members can opt to have the remaining $150 fee paid through future patronage patron-age which has been retired and credited toward the $200 fee in lieu of cash payment, or they may make a cash payment of the entire $150 balance. For further information regarding membership or Annual Meeting, please contact UBTA-UBET Communications at 622-5007. Sioux tribe was unfriendly to the Ute travelers, but after reading Sioux records, Ute tribe members felt like the truth was beginning to be unveiled. Maria Cuch, one of the Ute Indians who took the trip said, "I knew that these people cared for ours, not just by historical times, but in this day. The care they took, they provided us with food, sage that had been cared for, blankets, and their company." The Ute members have returned from South Dakota, but their journey is not over. "Some things take time to see, and there is much more to come," said Cuch. There are other burial sites that the tribe members would like to see. "Those of us that went are glad," said Arrum, "We are happy because we didn't know what had become of our people. We are still in the discovery stage, but we know where they had been and where they are." |