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Show THE ZEPHYR/ APRIL-MAY 2008 He added, “You think of what the implications are, and it’s pretty scary.” With both the Powell and. Meade reservoirs currently sitting at 50% capacity, it may well be that the only way to keep Lake Meade operational is to dramatically lower Powell. So what influence can Patty Mulroy leverage anyway? None. I hope that environmental groups, both in Utah and Nevada, will use the power of their organizations (and all that money) to help Cecil Garland and other courageous souls out there who are fighting to protect their lives and the land they've loved and respected for so long. Remember the Owens Valley. We can’t let that happen again. SAVING THE ABAJOS!??? Last month, while many miles from home, I found a letter to the Moab Times-Independent on their web site that proves once again, I can run but I can’t hide. It was from Mr. Harold Shepherd, the issues director for Moab’s Red Rock Forests. Here are some excerpts: Last October I spent a weekend in the Abajo Mountains not far from Blanding, where Red Rock Forests hosted a small group of regional environmental activists to discusspressing issues for these forestlands...The threats to the Abajos are numerous... What should conservationists do to address the old and new threats to the Abajos? At the risk of violating the preservationists code of conduct, by revealing the secrets of the few remaining natural wonders of the West, when it comes to the Abajo Mountains, I believe we should. Most of the Abajos, it would appear, for example, have been overlooked by recreationists who are still cramming into meccas like Moab just 60 miles to the north. We need to change all that, but in a “politically correct” way, by encouraging hikers, cross-country skiers, backpackers, birders, his- tory buffs, archeologists, mountain bikers and, (yes) guidebook writers to come to these mountains. Perhaps my flirting with environmental heresy is out of the fear that the Abajos are headed down the road that places like Alaska have already covered. Or perhaps, in this 21st century, idealism just no longer applies. Indeed, due to roads and mining in the Abajo Mountains they only recently lost their status as one of the largest roadless areas in the country. If we, therefore, decide to keep the secret of the Abajos to ourselves, we'll soon discover that the extraction industry and motorized recreationists have beaten us to it. : I-groaned to myself...here we go again. In order to: “save” the Abajo Mountains, Mr. Shepherd and his ilk want to promote the hell out of them. The only surprise here was and blow away. And it’s true, there doesn’t seem to be any real opposition to Wal-Mart, though some have proposed a smaller version as an acceptable alternative. Chris Baird, a leader of the “Buy Local First” move- ment in Moab and currently a candidate for Grand County Council, urged the city council and Moab residents to support a proposed Big Box city ordinance change. The he thought this compromise was in order. Baird explained that it is “a way in which polarized communities can face challenges and still move forward and grow.” He noted that 75,000 square feet is too small for a WalMart Supercenter. That means It escapes me how Mr. Shepherd and the mainstream drinks, snack foods, coffee, film, film developing, bicycles, bicycle supplies, cameras, iPods, calendars, computer supplies and accessories, sun glasses, toys, shoes, men’s and women’s casual and recreational clothing, camping gear, climbing gear, rafting and canoeing accessories, children’s clothing, hardware items, paint, paint brushes...should I go on? Is there anything about supporting a 75,000 square foot Wal-Mart that would make anyone feel, “genuine, unique and above all, authentic?” Or “fiercely independent?” If a mini-Wal-Mart sold all these items, and they would, and at greatly reduced prices, would that adversely affect many of the Buy Local First businesses? Is there anything about supporting a 75,000 square foot Harold Shepherd they promote and encourage, am economy that demands the massive consumption of oil just to get here, and the search for and development of oil and gas reserves, both here and across the North American continent. An industry they blatantly condemn. Who do they think uses part of that oil? Do they stubbornly believe it’s only consumed by fat Republicans waiting for the Rapture? Is it still lost on you guys? I will at least give Harold credit for sounding as if he’s not totally sold on the plan himself when he writes, “...perhaps, in this 21st century, idealism just no longer applies.” Indeed. Thanks Harold, for saying it out loud. In these early years of the 21st Century, idealism and mainstream corporate environmentalism stand at odds with each other. Mr. Shepherd’s honesty is appreciated, if ~ not exactly admired. LI'L WAL-MART....or BIG WAL-MART? Is Wal-Mart in Moab an inevitability now? The city council fears that rejecting a Big Box store would only drive the giant retailer into San Juan County, where all the tax revenues would flow. Moab, they figure, would dry up 3 12...GHOSTS FROM THE OWENS VALLEY A century after Mulholland's water grab for LA, is Vegas trying to do it again? By Cecil Garland 15...AACROSS AMERICA The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, the Weird 16...Albert Christensen's heartbreak THE UNITY MONUMENT By Jim Stiles And is the City of Moab prepared to abandon the many small businesses that make a living in Moab, for the sake of base-wise, it will also cost them dearly in infrastructure What's needed here are twin Big Box referendums in both Grand and San Juan Counties. San Juan County people don’t give a hoot in hell for a Moab Wal-Mart—they go to the one in Cortez. So instead of beginning the debate by capitulating, why not play for broke? Issues Director, Redrock Forests wy 16, 1952, & chlate os Jal Wal-Mart that would make anyone feel, “genuine, unique Perhaps my flirting with environmental heresy is out of the fear that the Abajos are headed down the road that places like Or perhaps, in this 21st century, idealism just no longer applies. 8...LOSING SOLITUDE By Martin Murie How would a Wal-Mart, big or small, affect small businesses in Moab that sell the following items: books, CDs, DVDs, T-shirts, souvenirs, garden nursery items, soft improvements. That’s a cost to be borne by all San Juan County residents. We should remember that an increased tax base rarely reduces the individual’s tax burden. Just the Alaska have already covered. 7...ED ABBEYS'S FBI FOIA FILES....Volume 1 fiercely independent, in love with being genuine, unique, to grasp the connection between the amenities economy enviropreneurial movement in Utah can still, even now, fail OF DOOM and above all authentic. These characteristics not only define us but they drive our economy.” The city council, however, was not impressed. It rejected the smaller version and has now approved a 200,000 square foot maximum. But does it really matter? and above all, authentic?” Or “fiercely independent?” to the south. BOARD Yes...MORE good news the grocery giant Kroger, preserving the tax base? How about this? Instead of throwing in the towel, why not try to fight Wal-Mart on two fronts? While San Juan County would surely benefit from a Wal-Mart, tax- doing exactly what you propose now for your neighbors 4...THE BULLETIN aka City Market in Moab, will be spared the risk of being squeezed out by a fellow corporate giant. Baird wrote to fellow Buy Local Firsters,, “If you know Moab, you know that we are a community of small locally owned businesses, we are a community of volunteers, you are looking at, Harold, as you complain about Moab’s “crammed meccas,” is your com/patriots’ stunning success, What NUMBER1 APRIL/MAY 2008 sion would have allowed Big Box stores like Wal-Mart to build retail structures in Moab up to 75,000 square feet. Rather than wage a campaign to defeat the ordinance, ZEPHYR VOLUME 20 revi- Harold’s notion that this was “ervironmental heresy.” Where have you been Harold? What do you think your peers have been doing in Moab the last 15 years? IN THIS ISSUE OF THE opposite is true. Because if, by chance, the smaller ordinance had pre- vailed, Ican see in my mind’s eye, its proponents lining up 16...DO WE REALLY NEED WILDERNESS? It depends on your definition. By Loch Wade to cut the ribbon for the new, mini-Wal-Mart. And I’d bet that everyone standing in that dummy line, would have re- 23...FROM THE CRAWLSPACE OF HISTORY | ally thought they’d done something noble. Even “authen- Notes from the desk of tie: And it would have been a lie. Beginning the debate with a 75,000 square foot concession could only have led to the result we have now. NED MUDD STILES FOR PREZ??? WHAT WOULD YOU DO??? And finally...yes...it’s true. I stand before you today, my fellow Americans, to announce that I am a candidate for the office of President of the United States. Over the next few issues, I hope to convince you that a vote for any of the mainstream candidates is a waste of your time and an insult to your intelligence. In fact, I think many of you might make good candidates as well. So...here’s what I'd like you to do. Tell me what you'd do if you were President. What would your priorities be? Send them to me, in maybe 200-500 words. I will collect them over the next few months and will print them in the October/November issue. Like me...what have you got to lose? Send them to: cczephyr@frontiernetnet and a cc to moabzephyr@yahoo.com AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT... This is the beginning of The Zephyr’s 20th year. Then what? : 28...SILVER BULLETS with SCOTT SILVER wildwilderness.org 30..FEEDBACK The Readers Respond |