Show i Enter the Annual Sweetheart Sweepstakes! Details on Page 8 & 9!j Vol 80 Number 06 I"- Don f just stu the entry box! Take time to " shop! r But mixing wells bring real numbers into compliance by Nate Thompson Staff writer The February 2 issue of the Salt Lake Tribune has been raising concerns for Gunnison and Redmond residents Blackhawk! i Annual Valentine's Bullride The Blackhawk Arena wifi be the site of the 2001 Version of the Valentine's Massacre as the Cowboy's Rodeo Commis sion presents the annual Battle Of The Bulls on Fete J rua ry 9 and 10 f‘ The fun begins at S pan with some of the roughest stock in the West working 1 hard to buck off someof the 1 toughest cowboys in the 1 West' The weekend event j will also feature Mutton' 1 Shist' Battle of the Bulls and Cowboy Foker: A dance with li Ye band I'wfll follow’ tihe rodeo I’vIMets axe $8fbt adults j$5 kids five years old and foyer Children under 4 years old are allowed In free Tickets are available at Burns Saddlery Salina) IFA Tack Shak Thejhiri: and Stopf Richfield Anderson's Tack In Redmond Formore information call or jPy L j Sign of the Times "i sources to obtain a lower con- centration years Eiker then sends the samples to a certified lab and reports the findings to the EPA and State Division of Drinking Water "We'll be sampling again" he said "but my numbers show after mixing that we have arsenic levels at 85 ppb" So why the new standard? Before the EPA was an entity arsenic standards were arbitrarily set in 1942 In 1975 the EPA continued the 50 ppb as an "interim" standard Environmental groups specifically Clean Water Action have been pushing for a new standard for over two years Clean Water Action wanted the Feds to set a standard of 3 to 5 ppb based on al999 National Academy of Sciences (NAS) study The NAS concluded that the current standard of 50 ppb could represent Gunnison's one Ironically well that is contaminated with arsenic is added to the system to help improve taste "It'sa verysmall source coming from a shallow well" explained Gunnison City manager Ray Limb "We have five years to comply so we are just taking it one step at a time" But Ecker wants to know where the Tribune is getting their numbers As mentioned Redmond City was quoted in the Tribune as having 374 ppb arsenic But in an article published March 5 2000 when arsenic was' first gaining attention the Tribune reported a significant risk of cancer The Redmond in the top five comreport states that the total canmunities with a level of 178 cer risk for individuals who drink water with arsenic at 50 ppb "I called the Tribune after ppb is 1 out of 100 if exposed the story ran in March" he over a lifetime "The NAS report also mencontinued "but they said they got their numbers from the tioned that at a standard of 5 state when I called the state ppb arsenic could cause a faall they said is that we were tal cancer risk of 1 in 1000" compliant at that time This said Carmi McLean Program ofmorning the State said they Director of CWA's Denver had the same numbers we did fice "that is a much higher "You really have to wonder risk than the EPA usually acwhere these numbers are com- cepts for other contaminants in drinking water" ing from I tested our sources and we actually have 44 ppb Despite CW Vs pressure to in a well that produces the set the standard below 5 ppb the EPA set the standard at 10 least amount of water" Redmond City tests their ppb The new guideline should water for arsenic and be effective in June Because of The newspaper reported that a new drinking water standard for arsenic will be set at 10 parts per billion (or 10 per liter) However the article also reported that Gunnison and Redmond water systems are two of the top ten cities that would need to comply to the new standard There is more to the story "They reported us at 374 parts per billion last Friday and 178 ppb a year ago" remarked Redmond City's Water System Operator Dave Ecker "where are the number's coming from? They're not real" Gunnison City had similar complaints with the Tribune's report "The paper's story is kind of right" said Gunnison Mayor Steve Buchanan "One of our wells is at 29 3 but it comes out of the tap at 56 parts per billion" The Tribune used numbers from the State that recorded arsenic at well heads not as it actually comes out of the tap To help curtail high amounts of arsenic contaminated wells drinking are diluted with unpolluted other heavy metals every (See Arsenic on Page three 2) AVV Valley": £ 'W ( Builders ayyarded several X v contracts Valley Builders was 6 lected as the contractor for the Fountain Green Fish Hatchery project in the amount of $540000000 The project consists of a hatchery building vehicle feed storage building filtering building degassing structure fish run two residences piping and utilities site concrete! arid new asphalt road There were nine bidders on the project including some of the larger contractors in the State Valley Buildwas selected on a selection process In! ers addition to considering the amount of the bid each con- tractor was required to submit a comprehensive for review The construction team for each genera! contractor was in- temewed by a committee from the Department of Facilities Construction and Management References! and recommendations from owners representatives and architects of previous projects were considered and evaluated Valley Builders was also’ awarded a contract for foe1 Central Utah Counseling’ Career in Richfield cents 75 water raises concern your local merchants! ojf 2001 Arsenic level in Gunnison Support is site 7 Wednesday February Obscured by dust Jason and Bryse Haas have opened Supply between Fayette and Gunnison B&H Stone 4 TfZ saw with a blade to cut initial slab and then use a GDM airsaw and coping saw for further preparation" con"We use a wire For two years brother's Jason and Bryce Haas have been digging around in Gunnison's backyard Or is it front yard? Either way 3 miles north of Gunnison just before you get to Fayette B & H Stone Supply has started a limestone quarry Prior to this quarry they had an operation near Mayfield "We have a seam located on School Trust Lands" explained Jason B & H's operations are centered out of Lindon in Utah County but the Sanpete op- eration is a big investment that produces a bulk of their stone The Haas have constructed a building where they use various saws to pre- pare limestone for market poor copy an tinued Jason B&H products include giant landscaping boulders slabs for walkways flagstone (a higher grade of limestone) and various types of tile including larger sizes for swimming pools A bulk of what they quarry is shipped to California and other places in the west "Quarries like this one are hard to come by" said Jason "You don't always see laborers digging out material by hand with traditional chiseling methods" Because of the uniqueness of their quarry many of B & H's 46 employees come from Salt Lake and other areas Not only do they t work by hand workers suffer through all four seasons void shelter Regardless-Jasoexplained that they "have very loyal workers" One would think a job such as rock mining would be dangerous But Jason explained that they have been "accident free for nine years" It appears as though they are soft on the environment as well Like most Federal mines B & H is bonded for plant and soil remediation once the project is done "We're in the running for an Earth Day award" said Jason "Once we are gone you will never know we existed" The Haas boys have tried to be a good neighbor to Gunnison They use local businesses for tires mechanic and electrical work and lumber supplies witich they use to build pallets lit V rtri&i -- g§ i " &ks--- ry - t t' y v - sign along Highway 89 at Satterwhite's Mill in Gunnison pretty much speaks for Sanpete County Commissioners urge area residents to write a letter to representatives in Washington DC See Page 2 for details This itself CUMUC given $100000 grant to improve trails by Nate Thompson Staff writer ATV riders and the environment may be $100 thousand richer in the near future The Central Utah Multiple-Us- e Club CUMUC is one of many clubs that will receive e grant money from the Utah State Division of Parks and Rec The grant is given for improving trail maintenance marking and access "The idea is to get some- 'Hopefully there will be less people going where they aren't supposed to go Many times people are in the wrong areas because of the lack of signs and maps" Not only will the grant fund a Level 2 law enforcement person but groups like CUMUC will continue to help patrol local trails "This is very exciting" said CUMUC Paula Brewer "for the longest time we would go to meetings and nothing was getting done now we have the blessing to exnow" thing going right plained Forest Service Recre- move forward" To aid in the implement of ation Specialist Rob "There are many opportunities for the new program CUMUC recreating but trails and leadership designated a comroutes need to be more clearly mittee of club members that will work with the Forest Sermarked" The paper work for the grant vice organize volunteers and last If was mailed week ultimately oversee the trail approved some of the money will program "We appointed be designated for a seasonal Gerry Madsen of Centerfield aschair-matrail ranger purchase of signs Gene Eisenbrandt pf and other marking materials Hansen of and Jeff and funding seasonal help for Mayfield Centerfield as committee memtrail maintenance said Brewer "We delibbers" of Perrin Regardless money said "a bulk of the work will erately made it a small group be done by volunteers from so they would be more effecvarious groups who will work tive and timely in their deciwith the Forest Service to com- sion making" exGene Eisenbrandt plete projects" For recreationists with a plained that the committee is of more a with concern envifor the growing ronment and access multiple use groups on the trails and improved Emery side of the mountain maintenance means better Alternate members of the committee were designated at the compliance "This grant is not a CUMUC's Thurday meeting e thing" continued Perrin as well Brothers working quarry between Gunnison and Fayette by Nate Thompson Staff writer ”! Gunnison City & Centerfield CUMUC hopes to take four existing trails above Manti and Mayfield and map out a giant loop By using existing Forest Service roads and trails riders will have a route that will mean less roads that lead to trouble spots "We will construct kiosks at trails heads that will show the route and place signs along the way" explained Brewer adding that "these are going to be great trails with scenic stops overviews of the valley and routes past beautiful lakes" The cooperative effort hopes the work they do will make traveling easier for visiting families and other recreationists that come to the valley However there will be some parts of the trail system that won't be as exciting "Whoever we hire to patrol the trails will have a tough job" said Perrin "They will require very good communication skills because they will be doing some law enforcement and writing tickets They will also keep records so we can catch repeat offenders" But if the multiple use clubs can educate and organize like they hope to law enforcement will be much easier There will be added protection to the forest as well "I've been looking for a tangible way to help people that don't know where to ride keep from doing what they shouldn't" commented Eisenbrandt County Agent Town Dog Clinic leaving of February Gunniion City and Centerfield their dog will again hold io February 9 Gunniton noon 60 Gunnhon rabies shots will Dot at Valley mal Ginic Main 2001 from li am to tagi are: South The be $io for aneuteredipayeddog $i$ for payed dog There will be a repre- sentative from to sell tags each town clinic Town on io 2001 Sanpete Extension Agent Gary Anderson is going to be "on loan" to the Heritage Highway 89 Council Anderson helped obtain a grant which in essence created a temporary job to help the Heritage Highway promotion The corridor expands from North Sanpete on down US 89 to the Arizona border Gov Leavitt made the designation to promote new businesses including tourism and technology "I'm going to help coordinate some of the planning" said Anderson "this will include educational needs for the Council and doing some of the training" In addition to helping the Heritage Highway Council he (See USU on Page 2) |