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Show r HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER FOR SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH Volume 88 Number 10 50 cents SINCE 1915 December 8, 2004 y DOE expresses concern over Monticello millsite restoration by Anna Thayn While some are excited to visit Santa; others arent quite as anxious. Staff photo More wet weather adds to November precipitation totals Weather conditions in San Juan County continued wetter than normal through the month below zero. Monticello also received 22 inches of snow for the of November, leading to higher month, dramatically higher than the average of less than mountains and increased confidence that the drought which has impacted the area for the past six years may be on the way seven inches. While there was no snow in Bluff in the month of November, precipitation of 1.85 inches for the month is more than three than average snowpack in area out. Precipitation in November was more than twice historic average levels in Monticello, Blanding and Bluff, adding to an already wetter than normal weather pattern. Snow and rain over the previ- ous three weekends has resulted in snow pack which totals 150 percent of normal in the La Sal mountains and 138 percent of normal in the Abajo mountains. Monticello recorded one of the coldest November days on record on November 30, when the temperature dropped to six times the average amount. Snow arrived in Bluff on December 5 with a small storm. Blanding had four separate storms in November, with a storm on November 21 dropping 1.15 inches of precipitation in the five inches of snow. The snowpack totals on December 6, 2004 is the most snowpack on the date since December 6, 1997. The National Weather Service is predicting that precipitation will be at near normal levels over the next 30 days. November Weather Report Gregory Friedman, Inspector General of the U. S. Department of Energy Department, recently visited Monticello to inspect the millsite restoration project and perform an audit of the work done there. The inspection was a surprise to the City until they received the report. An article on the issue in the December 3 Salt Lake Tribune shined a not so flattering light on the work the city has done on the millsite. City Manager Trent Schafer said that Friedman didnt visit any of the City staff or governing body about the site or the work done there. Schafer pointed out to the Tribune that there is a significant struggle involved with the restoration due to the drought and was quoted in the lYibune as saying, Were in the sixth year of a drought, and if anybody can show us how to grow vegetation in a drought wed like to see it. The Tribune states that Friedman reported 12 inch deep gu Hies in the topsoil. Schafer said that the City has done work on the millsite according to the time line set by the DOE. He agrees that there is some erosion. It is our intent to take care of it and we dont want to forever have the DOE and EPA looking over our shoulder, said Source Weather Almanac That amount was determined to be $6.8 million. That amount included topsoil, wetlands and vegetation costs. So far, the cost to the city for restoration has been $2.1 million. The city also believes that they helped the DOE out and saved the Federal Government a large sum of money by entering into supplemental standards from having to dig up and replace every street in town in addition to other city properties. Schafer told the San Juan Record that the City has reseeded areas of the site several times and tried to deal with the circumstances. That doesnt mean we shouldnt do anything about it. it just means that is erosion issues as best as possible during the extended drought. "It is starting to come along, said Schafer. But its very hard to grow vegetation in the sixth year of a drought. Schafer said that the audit refers mostly to the Department of Energy lack of requiring the City to meet specific requirements and setting a long term maintenance plan. Schafer said that the audit was driven by the what happened. Environmental Juan County Commission Schafer. Protection New look for CEU-SJ- C campus - See page 3 Report on Reading First program - See page 4 Omnibus Bill includes $ millions - See page 7 Basketball previews - See page 10 Shopping for him - See Caveman, pg. 20 Ryder Kodah & Chad Palmer November 23 boy Chelsie girl Hannah Anne Marcella & Brian Rich November 29 Monticello had 4" of snow Dec. 5 and a trace Nov. 29. Blanding had a trace Nov. 29, 1" Dec. 4 and 3 Dec. 5. health care controversy rage again? Will Health care controversies may boil to the surface again, if the December 6 meeting of the San is any Agency and their complaints indication. about the site. He said the EPA Although no action was taken Hideout at the had wanted the meeting, nearly 90 minGolf Course built on the millsite utes of heated discussion adproperty rather than at its evendressed a host of health care istual location across the highway. sues facing the county and the Schafer reports that the agenSan Juan Health Service Discies were aware, up front, that trict. the city intended to use some of Issues addressed at the meetthe money to build a golf course. ing include strategic plans for At that time the City was under the health care district, the pothe impression that the DOE ssibility of new hospitals in was fine with either a restoraBlanding, Red Mesa, and tion or a golf course on the Kayenta, the quality of care at millsite property. San Juan Hospital, and open poThe money given to the city sitions on the health care board. le - See page 2 agreements that saved them Schafer was upset over the Tribune statement that federal taxpayers could continue paying the bill since the southeastern Utah city (Monticello) may not be able to afford it. We have the funds and the means to take care of this problem in house, said Schafer. Schafer added that representatives from the DOE met with the Monticello City Council on November 10 and had a positive discussion on the need to address future plans for the site and plans to stop the erosion. Art Kleinrath, DOE Program Manager, has said that he does not think the City is incapable of restoring the millsite, nor are they trying to get out of their obligation to the government. He told the Tribune , Its just a terrible, unfortunate chain of 18-ho- Lewis Black Lunilv. .Monticello Port of Lmry. Jim Hook. Lluh's Comprehensive was based on the estimated cost for the DOE to restore the site. Felony court report of water in 20.6 of snow 3.2 is multi-yea- r average 8.1 in 1986 is multi-yehigh lows 0.0 in 90, '96 multi-yea- r Current snow is 1 38 of normal La Sal snow is 150 of normal 4.4 ar News Roundup Letters to Editor Society Sports Community news Legals Classified Real Estate 2 6 8 0 13 6 18 19 |