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Show Deadlines: Friday, September 27, 1985 News: Thursday 10:00 A.M. Vernal, Utah 34078 93rd Year No. 78 Advertising: Thursday 2:00 P.M. Phone 789-351- 1 c 12 Pages Single copy Seep IRidlg! project set back l&y ralirag The U.S. Synthetic Fuel Corporation delayed action, Tuesday, on the Seep Ridge Oil Shale Project in southeastern Uintah County until the implications of a recent U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeal ruling in favor of the Ute Tribe can be assessed. The Seep Ridge Project along with other energy projects, White River Shale and Bonanza Power Plant, are within the boundaries of the Uncom-praghr- e Ute Indian Reservation. The recent court ruling contends that the boundaries of the reservation, which was given to the Utes in the 1880s when their Colorado reservation was closed, were never diminished when the area was opened to settlement in 1905. In opening remarks to the SFC board, Chairman Edward Noble recommended that action on the Seep Ridge Project be delayed until the ef non-India- n fect of the court ruling on environmental permitting and monitoring requirements is determined Court would cause no change to the Seep Ridge Project Other county officials contend that the potential impact of the ruling could allow the Tribe to attach a business license or severance tax to such projects. Tuesday Tribal officials indicated no intention of imposing such a tax. The Seep Ridge Project is the only Utah Project to receive a letter of intent and other nods of approval from the SFC board The SFC staff had completed their reports on the project and were ready to make a representation to the board Tuesday, said Karen Hutchison, SFC director of media relations. "We were not aware of the ruling Noble recommended that these assessments be included in the reports to board before closing the project. The Seep Ridge Project, a joint effort by Geokinetics Inc. and The Gilbert Shale Oil Company, a subsidiary of Peter Kiewit Sons, Inc., was one of three synfuel projects in line for a contract signing by Sept. 13. The board has already awarded $60 million in loan and price guarantee assistance to the Forest Hill heavy oil project in Texas. The Seep Ridge oil shale project is seeking up to $184.34 million in loan and price guarantee assistance. In a press conference Tuesday, Ute Tribe attorney Martin Seneca said the recent ruling by the 10th Circuit Continued on page 2 Biologists use explosives to develop forest habitat Biologists turned demolitionists on the Ashley National Forest are using explosives to improve wildlife habitat. Six potholes near Sheep Creek Reservoir on the Flaming Gorge Ranger District were created using bags of explosive material. Explosives are an economical relatively easy method for said Rick creating potholes, Brazell, forest wildlife biologist who has conducted similar projects on two other forests. Heavy machinery such as cats and backhoes are more expensive and and Homecoming continues MUD SHOOTS some 600 feet into the air by blast from 500 pounds of ammonium nitrate ex- plosive being used by the U.S. Forest Service to improve waterfowl habitat in the Sheep Creek Lake area on the Flaming Gorge District, Annual homecoming events will continue Friday and Saturday with an FAA barbecue, parade, game and dance. Thursday night the U was white washed in preparation for its lighting Friday. At 1:30 pm. Friday, the Homecoming Parade will trail down Main Street. A Future Farmers of America barbecue will begin at 5 p m. at the The Colton Pavilion, Friday. Homecoming football game will begin at 7:30 p m. with the Utes fac- overage rate. .The amendment will only affect water and commercial sewer rates. The amended water rate, which will become effective Sept. 30, is based on the theory that water customers should pay according to the amount of water they use. The base rate for residential, commercial and duplex establishments for water is $14.20. The base rate includes 8,000 gallons water use each month. Any usage over 8,000 gallons per month will be charged $1.10 for each 1,000 gallons. The new amended rate puts to rest concerns from residential water users who have a meter larger then s an inch. The new rate which was used to calculate water users bills last month, charged a higher base rate for larger meter sizes. Because of this increase, water rates for some residential and apartment owners doubled. The amended new rate, approved three-fourth- hard-foug- g 12-- After determining that ducks no longer nested on the shores of the reservoir because of high recreation use, Martinez sought to improve the outlying marsh areas where recrea- - The Homecoming Dance will be Saturday, 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p m. at the high school. Thursday there was an Open House for all alumni. The seniors won the mud bowl, Continued on page 2 ing Timpview. water rate to An amendment to the new Vernal City utility rates will do away with billing users for the size of water or sewer meter and will charge a flat alumni football In a game Wednesday, the police and friends won on a run up the middle by Sam Arbgast and a run around the end by Kay Smuin Robert T Downard and Rich Hawkins were police coaches and Ed Johnson was the alumni coach. time consuming and are often ineffective in boggy areas, he said. The primary explosive used for the project was ammonium nitrate of prell in bags. Properly placed in the mud, one bag of prell has potential to blow a hole 5 to 10 feet deep and 10 to 20 feet across. Most potholes were created using three to five bags of prell along with some gel explosives to set them off. Watching the blast is imBrazell said. "Mud is pressive, thrown over 600 feet in the air. Going back to the hole and realizing you were standing on that much exexplosives is also an perience The project at Sheep Creek Reservoir was spearheaded by Steve Martinez, district wildlife biologist on the Flaming Gorge Ranger District by the city council Wednesday, will charge every user, no matter what the meter size, the same base rate. The amended new rate will charge a flat overage fee to every customer. The new rate, approved for last an months charged billing, escalating rate for usage over 8,000 gallon: 90 cents per 1,000 gallons for 8,000 to 16,000 gallons, $1.10 per 1,000 gallons for 16,000 to 24,000 and $1.10, and 90 cents for the next 24,000 to turbidity or muddy water in the city's culinary water system during spring runoff. It is projected that the city will using the new treatment facility frreatt all eqpally Single Family Water Rate in Vernal City be by Oct. 1. Amended New Rate Old Rate Councilman Karl Migilori said that if the amended new rate generates more than the needed $300,000 after a years time, the council will consider lowering the base rate to $12. $58 20 $49 40 $40 60 Xl$4 0 50 $31 80 32,000. The amended new rate will bring an to all users on the overage charge. Also the amended rate eliminates any discount for large water users which has been built into the last two city water increase rates. The water rate increase was adopted grudgingly by the city council to offset $300,000 in additional loan payoffs and treated water costs. The cost will make the necessary improvements for Vernal City to use the new Ashley Valley Water Treatment Plant built by the Central Utah Water Conservancy District. The treatment facility will clear up the The amended rate is $10 to $20 more than what water users have been accustomed to paying before the rate changes. The base rate up until a month ago has been $6.50 with an 8,000 gallon minimum and an escalating overage charge: 65 cents per 1,000 for 8,000 to 16,000, 75 cents per 1,000 for 16,000 to 24,000 and an additional 10 cents per 1,000 for each addition block of 8,000 up to 1.05 per $23 00 $24 50 $14 20 $11 70 $b 50 1,000. residents on the city water system will be charged $15.20 base rate with a minimum 8,000 Usage in Gallons Non-cit- y Continued on page 3 $17.70 8,000 16,000 AMENDED NEW water rate will charge all users a $14.20 base rate and $1.10 for each 1,000 gallons of water use over 8,000 gallons. 24,000 32,000 40,000 48,000 The dotted line shows the old rate with a $6.50 base and escalating overage rate. v!v Inside r ... - Runners Fashions in 85 net first Xvl Families adopt shelter animals :: Uintah Cross Country team competes in two meets. See page 8. v.y X I Students strutt their stuff. See page 4. Care Association concerned about pet population. See page 3, tv |