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Show Page A8 Dhe Salt LakeTribune OPINION SATURDAY, OCTOBER9, 1999 OUR VIEW The Salt Lake Tribune’s Editorial Position Control ORV Use Call them OHVs(off-highway vehicles), ORVs (off-road vehicles), or ATVs (all-terrain vehicles), but by any name off-trail use of these vehicles is prohib- theyare creating an alphabet soup of problemsfor the BLM (Bureau of Land ness study areas and onthe 2.6 million must get a handle on these machines and provide better guidance fortheir those 5.8 million acres, if not the 9.1 million that SUWA seeks. The BLMclaims, with somejustifi cation, that it has limited resources to establish and enforce these restrictions. Butit did decree limited ORVuseinits management plan for the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monu Management).For the sakeofall users of its 23.5 millionacresin Utah, the BLM use. Ise The droning sounds of ORVs have become increasingly noticeable on Utah's public lands, andthey obviously weren't going to escapetheattentionof the environmentalists at the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. Last month, ited. Also,it should rule out ORV use on the 3.2 million acres of existing wilderacres that have wilderness characteris: tics, as deemed bythe BLM reinventory releasedlast February. At least protect ment. Thatplan prohibits cross-country SUWA issued a report on the damage use of ORVs in the 1.9-million-acre monument and limits their access to lands, andits plea to the federal agency for greater attention to this matter only 543 milesof designatedroutes. that ORV use has causedon Utah’s BLM should be heeded. ‘The SUWAreport documents someof this damage with figures and, more compellingly, with pictures of wild places that have been carved up bythe increased use of ORVs. The environmentalists cite federaldirectives dating back to 1972 aimedat controlling the use of ORVson public lands byrestr! them to designatedtrails. The: are merelyasking BLMofficialsin Utah to follow theseexisting orders. At the very least, the BLM adhere to a couple of SUWA’s rec mendations. It should designate roads andtrails for ORV use, and, more importantly, declare that cross-country, Whetheror notthatis enough access (ATV enthusiasts think it isn’t), the point is the BLMrecognizes, through its monument management plan, the dam age that ORVs can cause to vegetation, machinescreate.So,it should be able to apply that cognizance to othersensitive lands under its purview. By devoting more resources to the ORV problem, the BLM would be doing much more than just responding to SU- mobile Insurance Co. sends several important messages involving everything from excessive, sock it-to-the-evil- corporate-giant Sadements popular in America’s civil courtrooms to thefact that shoddy auto bodyparts dominate the market, thanks largely to the insur anceindustry. Onething is certain. Thejurors and the Williamson County Circuit Court in Mat on, Ill. did not do con: rs vors. Due mostlyto acap. that state governments created over the years, ‘armandtherest of the autoin surance industry will be able to palm these andother litigation costs onto their customers. The verdict and the sizable assess ment should come asno surprise. This is an era in which too many civil suits against businesses are, in fact, lucrative business affairs themselves for trial So now State Farm finds itself e1 Joined to cough upnearly half a billion dollars. Welcome to the club. Toba companiesare there, auto manufactur. ers have been or arethere, and an in creasing coterie ofcity officials want to THE PUBLIC FORUM WA. It would be offering needed guidance to those many responsible ATV enthusiasts who want to stay on desig- natedtrails and keep Utah's wild lands Letters from The Tribune’s readers “untrammeled.” Dry and Safe AnotherBig Jury Award An Illinois jury’s $456 million judg: ment against State Farm Mutual Auto- force firearms manufacturersinto this corporate boat, too. State Farm, naturally, will appeal. It should. No self-respecting entity at the butt endofthis sort of avaricious litiga: tion shouldoverlook any redress availle to it. On the otherhand, the classction lawsuit against State Farm was over a legitimate issue: its alleged or- dering of auto-repair shops tobase re- The Draperinitiative to reduce the numberof alcohol outlets should be widely applauded,notcriticized. In com munities wherethe citizens choseto decrease alcohol availability, the numbes of alcohol-related health and sues, such as death andinjuries from ac- cidents, medicalillnesses, domestic disruptive behavior andviolent crimes, are all significantly reduced. Thecitizens of Draperare choosing i reducetherisk andliability assoc with the sale and service of ales ‘oholic beverages within their community. A pair estimates on after-market body parts, often of shoddy manufacture, and to use themin effecting repairs of cus- numberof recent studies have shown that by decreasingthedensity of alcohol tomers’vehicles. Thecar insurance industryso domi nates the auto body business that even driving rates are experienced, and sub: individuals getting a vehicle restored and paying for body work themselves are faced with the situation that, in most cases, the only replacement auto body parts available are substandard, the products of after-market makers ca tering to the insurance industry's pen: chant for cheapness over quality, Regardless of these issues, the onus of this decision most likely will fall on the insurance companies’ customers te laws mandate that auto owners carry insurance, in effect a captive cus- tomer base, but offer no escape clauses whenpremiums rise. availability, considerably lower drunksequently the number of injuries and deaths causedby alcohol-impaired driv Many states have entire counties wherethe citizens have voted to not allow any alcohol sales within their communities. One such state, Kentucky, has overtwo-thirdsofall its countiestotally without any alcohol sales, even though Kentuckyproduces two-thirds ofall the whiskey produced in our country. The inhabitants ofthese counties have chosen to maketheir communit fer 1 Alcohol Policy Coalition com- h citizen of Draper who is working towards promoting improved health, safety and welfare within their community throughtightening down on the numberof alcoholic-beverage out lets. Our coalition fully supports there- correlates directly with a decrease in the numberof alcohol-related problems imes GEORGEJ. VAN KOMEN Chairman Alcohol Policy Coalition Salt Lake City Bush Burns the Right ‘The conventional wisdom in politics is or at le used to be that a Re publican hoping to become president had to appeal to the right to get nomi nated and then woo the center to get Q out this gene alization Bush has some. times come remarkably close to sound ing lik Democrat, accusing House Republicans, for example, of trying to balance the budget on the backs of the Questionable Venue get votes in November. Bill Clinton, de reckless politician or a supremely con: the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, Let fining himself as a New Democrat in fident one. Bush is not reckless. He be me start with the former, The Tribune is party's Shrewdly, Bush isn't waiting until next year to burnish his claim to be a news was the mascots were named at the Brigham Young University football game. However, one would never learn that from the article, as you elected to left to get nominating convention dele gates, then move toward the center to 1992 and 1996, broke that pattern by sharply distancing himself from hi far left. Now Texas Gov. George W. Bush seems to be pulling a Clinton separating himself from his part more immoderate partisans via some intriguing comments Twice recently Bush has bemoaned what he called his party’s “gloom-and doomscenario,” its tendency to speak ‘a sterile language of rates bers,” its and num “disdain for government self.’ His proposed alte making sure people unde we care lot about people.” In fl lieves the polls that place him miles ahead of other Republic spirant ompassionate conservative.” John W. Gallivan (1960-198 Jerry O'Brien ( 1983-1994 Utah’s West Desert as wilderness.It is encouraging that decision-makersfinally have responded to public sentiment favoring the protection of someof Utah's remaining wild lands. Missing from the plan, however, is one small yet signifi- cantparce! in the West Desert called Bull Grass Knoll, which is as deserving of wilderness designation as nearby units that are included in the wilderness proposal. Separated only by Highway 50, Bull Grass Knoll is a continuation of, and contains the same majestic physical characteristics and excellent opportunity for solitude as, the King Top Unit, which has been designated a wilderness studyarea. Consideringthisfact, it is puzzling the Utah 84110 @ Ourfax numberis (801) 257-8950. Motorcycle Week BLM did not include Bull Grass Knoll The recent Park City Motorcycle Week mayhavebeenan inconvenience for some Park City residents. I hopethis along with King Topasa part ofthe wilderness plan. Upon visiting this rocky protrusion in theheart of the Confusion Range, most would no doubtagree that letter will make them feel better about the events. The National Championship Motorcycle Races held at the county irgroundsin HeberCity andthe streets of Park City, as well as the trials events, brought motocross and racers and enthu- Bull Grass Knoll serves as a modelof a true wilderness experience. Bull Grass Knoll is clearly a candidate for wilderness protection. Further, adding this pristine desert plot to the wil- ts from all parts of the country. This washeld in Utahfor the first time. Thebigproblemis that we don't have permanent race-track facility in our derness proposal shoul not be viewed as an attempt by conservationists to arbi. trarily increase wilderness acreage half-miledirt track. It is not that Utahns arelacking in enthusiasm for this sport, but in the financial resources to build a ness now and shouldbe protectedas such in thefuture. Before thefinal decision is made, offishould take another look at Bull state to race accommodate road races and for motorcycles. The Park City Motorcycle Club workedveryhardto bring theraces here, an incredible amount of effort to prepare the tracks and courses for racing. ! numbers. Bull Grass Knoll deserves preservation because it exists as wilder- Grass Knoll. In doing so, they will reach the same indisputable conclusion artic: ulated in this letter. Bull Grass Knoll should be included in the final West Desert wilderness proposal Having just read the naming “article” on the of the Olympic mascots to be more disgusted with your paper or supposed to report the news, And the For me, it was a dreamcome true to take part and to havethese races in our area. Thanks to everyone, family and friends, all the individuals who contributed theirtime and resources, sponsors, and clubs that made this Motorcycle Weekpossible. Q efforts in reducing unintended pregnan. cies. Congress seems to be considering reducing this proven program's funding, Why? Provo on Saturday,” while mentioning Wantonly Spurned Utah (66 percent) agree that our federal voters for the game.” Whi never pecifies BYL game? The article the location. very much disappointed that my 1 stion for an Olympic mascot was ignored by the Salt Lake Organizing family-planning services. Do our con gressional representatives reflect this cided by th e approximately 80 percent of who are c¢ st »yal to one or the other major party but by the 20 percent in the broad center of the polit Bush’s comments have ome Republicans his but are quest for the White in BRENT CLARK Provo Support FamilyPlanning Title X, America’s family-planning program, for 25 years hasledthenation's report the names were “revealed the presence of large sporting crowd And that point is not only news but also an | Your paper should have reported that SLOC decided to announce the names on the grounds of a privately »wned, religiously based university UTAH'S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1871 PAST PUBLISHERS City, began deliberations on the possibility of setting aside over 1 million acres of knows, as the ideologues in both parties tend to forget, that elections aren't de. The SaltLakeTribune John F. Fitzpatrick (1924-1960 He Public Forum,pleaseinclude your full name, signature, address and daytime telephone numbers. Information other thanyour nameand the city in which youliveare kept confidential @ Keep it short. Cor developing a single theme likelyto be published & Please type anddoublespace. @ Letters are condensed andedited. @ Because of the volumeof mail received, not all submissions are published @ Mail to Public Forum, TheSalt Lake Tribune, P.O. Box 867, Salt Lake a wonderful experience. (Tribune, Sept. 26), | don't know whether other A Democrat had to work the side of the compass: move to the Recently state and federal officials competed in both thedirt track and road races and re: appreciate what was done to make safe and well-organized events. 2 other riders and enthusiasts 1 talked to were very supportive and had poor This intraparty chastising well in advance of the first pr ial prima ries bespeaks either astonishingly wd. Good Wilderness Parcel Whereto Write @ When submitting letters to the ers declines. searchthat showsthat a decreasedden: sity of alcohol outlets in a community ANOTHERVIEW From The Los Angeles MEMORIAL TO THE FORGOTTEN MEMORIAL TO THE FORGOTTEN WAR wildlife and cryptobiotic soil, not to mentionthe rutting and noise that the PUBLISHER Dominic Welch EDITOR James E. Shelledy KEARNS-TRIBUNE CORPORATION, 14S. MAIN ST. SALT LAKE CITY, M11 Consideringthe ongoingsensitivity over whether the 2002 Games are “the Mor mon Olympics” (this sensitivity was ac nowledged by Jon M. Huntsman in a ecent interview in The Tr beyond me why SLOC would » lect such A venue, f it just servesto re nforce that perception. (Or should that be oality?) If SLOC ¢ truly of a large w id have/should have nted to have “the ting crowd,” the 1 “public” university's The University of Utah elected to do it at footh comes to mind MARK ARNOLD Salt Lake City A substantial majority of voters in government should provide fundingfor Committee brass. | amparticularly upset by the dopey names they selected for even moredopey critters. y couldn't they see the merits of my original suggestion? “Pukey” the f cull was the perfect Olympic mascot ah connections were obvious, As a California seagull it had national appeal. The clever mechanical innards I de opinion? We voters need to ensure that they do. Title X assists couples considering parenthood to make responsible choices. This in turn enables themto wait until they are ready to be the best parents th can be before having a child. For e publicdollar spent on family planr taxpayers canrealize at least threedol signed gave it the necessary interna lars in savings onhealth-care costs. This is clearly a win-win situation tated commemorative SLOC gold coins whenever it sensed an IOC official If you are undecided on this issue, | urge you to carefully think about it and near what it means to individual couples as Now we will have to endure two and a half years of Coal, Copper and Powder while the “Pukey” prototype sits on the helf in my garage. What an injustice! sentiment to your congressional representative ROBERT B. KING Salt Lake City STEVEN PURHONEN Salt Lake City tional flavor: It automatically regurgi well as society. If you support Title X and the good it does, | urge you to convey that |
