Show 75 www nn t'acco USPS com 0 Vol 93 No 21 December 3 2003 Westerners Claim Victory on Federal Land Grab Bill Western Business Rvundloble applauds Allies jar standing firm Congressional Lame Ihu k Congressional t onsideralum of the Omnibus Lands Bill The Western US CO Lakewood came out a w inner as the U S Congress was unable to pass a massive Lands bill tins week that would have placed millions of acres of federal lands under enhanced federal control Some Congressional leaders had sought to ram the bill through this past week’s But “lame duck” session of Congress rallied in part by the public opposition Roundtable and other Western groups as well as the opposition ol key Members of Congress - blocked the land grab bill from being brought up leaders vowed to try Congressional to pass the bill when the Congress reconvenes in January 2009 The massive measure included more than $0 bills that would Create or e pand a number o w Ida ness against - Delta Drug bought in on the Miss Millard County Royalty's dream Tree Festival raises $1800 The 2008 Delta Tree Festival proved a HUGE success All of the trees were beautifully decorated Admirers Dot only said as with much but they soted beastly their wallets paying great sums for the ornamented beauties 1 he Saturday after 1 hanksgit tng had to be one of the busiest da)s of the year at the Millard County Fair Building Decorators w ere arm ing just after Ham to decorate their trees with a few still work uig hard on the finishing touches at Ham When the doors opened at 1230 p m many were lining up to admire the gingerbread houses quilts and ChnsUnas trees TTvere were 31 trees displayed this year each one bringing the Christmas spirit to all spectators Successful'' Absolutely Our community helped to raise SI 8000 for our Central Utah food Shaie and programs The community voting results were quite dose in a few categories w uh a See Trees on page 2 areas lstabhsh Create7 new conservation areas add to wiki and scenic designations Designate new national scenic trails Add new na tonal and histone paik units and nearly a docn new national heritage areas Of greatest concern to the Roundtable is the inclusion within the package of language that would statutorily establish the National landscape Conservation System (MCS) within the Bureau of and Management (Bl M) “Skipping this huge package from being rammed through the Congress said BriU is a big win for Westerners" I xeculive Director of the Weygandt Roundtable In particular Weygandt lauded effort of Representative Rob Bishop (UT) and Senator Torn Cobum (OK) who led the fight u put the brakes on the package "Postponing consideration is the right thing to do It is our hope that Congress w ill use the additional tunc to reconsider some of the package’s more troubling prov tsions" Weygandt added noting the with Roundtable's particular concerns provisions seeking to codify M CS The US Department of Interior's Inspector General recently initiated an investigation for possible violations of law by federal employees related to the N'LCS provisions The NlCS is comprised of 27 million acres of federal lands administered by the BLM including National Monuments National Conservation Areas Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas Wild and Scenic Rivers and National Scenic and Historic Trails The vast majority of these lands are located in 2 W estern states 1 he bill would give federal land managers the multiple ability to alter the use management philosophy of the BLM by elevating the conservation purposev above other purposes for N’LCS units 1 he Roundtable had taken a lead role in rallying Westerners to oppose this huge federal land grab spearheading efforts w ith dozens of other Western business and conservative fiscally county who were concerned the organizations bill would curtail the development of Light Parades kick off the Holiday Season Mobile ChnsUnas lights trundled down Main Streets in Fillmore on Saturday ev entng Families that had gathered for Thank sgiv tng were rew arded w ith a visual treat They gathered in crowds lining the Luminous streets to watch the modern miracles celebrate the coming Christmas holiday lere are a few linages from the show energy resources and public access for recreation on w tde swathsol federal lands Chef the past several months numerous letters from the Roundtable have been Member calling sent to Congressional on them to postpone consideration of this massive package While some of die provisions in this there omnibus bill are were key sections that raised serious use for Western concerns multiple recreation business access agricultural county energy and fiscal groups "This ol would give opponents legislation llie ability to limit recreational access and restrict economic activity areas" noted to vast "landscape-widWey gandt T his could mean agriculture and and production exploration energy uses could become other economic imperiled on huge swadies of Western " public lands for Westerners diere ait "Certainly involved always very real We with any public laidv designation believe such bills need to be considered so each can evaluated individually "Bulk said Weygandt carefully" packaging ol legislation has a chcclacd It doesn't wrk record for Congress bills It certainly well on Appropriations work on land designations doesn't can mean the where such designations difference between economic health and Wc hoje peril for Western tommumties th Congress w ill do tins the right the way letting each of these measures rise or lall on their indn idual merits The Western Business Roundtable and Butt Weygandt can be reached at NLCSA - a Hard Act to Swallow The National i and sc ape Conservation System Act was an cflort to put into law a management approach to public lands tewed by many as a federal land grab The National I landscape Conservation Sy stem (NL(S)iscornprisedof27 million acres ol federal lands administered by the National Monuments Bl M including National Conservation Areas Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas Wild and Scenic Rivers and National Scenic and The vast majority of Historic Trails these lands are located in 12 Western slates The Act would have given federal land managers the ability to alter the multiple use management of the Bl M by elevating philosophy above other the conservation purpose for Nl CS unit accoiding to purpose the Western Huskies Roundtable On June 26 Senator JcfT Bingaman introduced S 3213 the Omnibu Public Land Management Act of 2008 Oil which included 96 individual bill Sept II an additional package of $3 On Sept public lands bill wa added 26 US Senator Bingaman filed the and Management Act Omnibus Public of 2008 It mirrored House Bill HR H R 5151 5151 passed the House of tn April but the Senate Representatives Bill failed in November Congressional said they intend have leaders to reintroduce the Act in the new 2009 Congress The Bl M describes the NIL'S as “a 27 million acre collection of Uic lands consideted to be the “crow n jew els" of the American west” These lands represent 10 of the 258 million acres managed by the Bureau ol Land Management (BLM) The Bl M is responsible for over 40 of all the fedeia) public land in the nation Over the ycais the Bl M has adjusted its approach to public land management TTie Bl M historically has managed lands for uses such as under its jurisdiction mining logging gramg and oil and gas In 1006 President Clinton production sbilted this role when he significantly established the first national monument to be admimstcicd by the Bl (hand National Monument totaling I 870 00 BLM acres m southern This new focus's Utah overriding objective emerged as the protection of and special areas where lonseivation of the landscape and its restoration Utah cultural or rcsoutces biological also lias four Wilderness Arcas totaling 120120 Bl M acres and OH Wilderness Study Areas totaling 3207364 BLM 'tali also contains tlncc National acres Historic Trails totaling 560 BLM miles our Wilderness Study Arcas at located in Millard County’s west desert They include the Conger King Top Swascy See NLCS on page 2 Motorcycle wreck in Fool Creek A large Honda motorcycle left the road on the curve at fool Creek resulting in serious harm to the driver An ambulance was sent w ith M Us ki aid the driver at about 3pm on Monday afternoon The dnver was driving from When Oak City toward teamingkm it reached the curve at fool Creek the motorcycle apparently left the highway crossed the borrow pit crashed through a baibcd wire fence and came to rest near a power pole The driver wa found on the west side of the fence in serious condition M I and other fust responder found the victim partially responsive They sent turn to the Delta hospital Details as to his condition and the cause of the wreck were riot available at the time the paper went to press deer scurry to greet Santa in Delta 1 I! On Henrie s in the - tubbing in December is a true joy Fillmore Courthouse displays holiday 0 finery Santa has ndden in ) sleighs Tin Lizzies and fire engines for years |