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Show PAGE 3 THE ZEPHYR APRIL 1993 A NOTE TO SUBSCRIBERS More ban a lew of you have called or written to me in the last couple of weeks to complain that your Zephyrs have failed to arrive. A couple of you have also informed me that your January issue never arrived either. Well, I'm mad too...But we're working on it Let me explain how our mailing process works. The Zephyr is always printed on a Tuesday, either the last or first Tuesday of the month, depending on how the calendar falls. On Wednesday, we label the papers, bundle them by state, and place them in canvas bags. Without exception, they have been delivered to the Post Office within 24 hours after they came off the press. And almost without exception, the Moab Post Office places them on a truck to the Processing Center in Provo, Utah that same day. This month, the Zephyrs left here on Wednesday, March 3...just like they are supposed to. And then, What all bis means is that Grand County believes it should dictate policy on federal lands, ranging from cattle allotments to predator control. Imagine be former county commission trying to make an informed and scientific decision m coyotes and sheep. It gets more interesting... something went terribly wrong. According to their records, Salt Lake received the Zephyrs on March 4; yet, it took two weeks for residents just a few blocks away to receive the paper. Subscribers as far away as Vermont, Kentucky, and Illinois waited more than two weeks for delivery, and some are still waiting. What is normal? Past experience indicates that the Zephyrs usually reach their destination in 5 to 6 days. They've reached the East Coast in as little as three days. The P.O. can move it when they want to. When is it my fault and not the post office's? If you have subscribed and you never receive the first issue, I may have failed to enter your subscription into the computer. If you renewed your subscription and I received it after the mailing, I may have deleted your name. Once;, the entire subscription list vanished from the computer and only a hard copy duplicate saved the day. But, if the paper arrives intermittently, if you receive one paper and never receive another one, that is most likely a failure by the Post Office. Once I get you into the computer, it's hard to lose you temporarily. So what can you do? If you miss an issue, call me or write immediately. Our Postmistress here in Moab is putting in a lot of time trying to trade down be missing papers. If I can give her all be names of undelivered subscribers, she has a better chance of pinpointing be problem. You can also write to this guy in Salt Lake. In fact, If you write to me, be sure to send a copy to him as well. Here's be name and address, and the phone number. Kent Walker Yes, bat's right. Federal agencies would consult with the Grand County Commission to determine the criteria and qualifications ten determining Threatened and Endangered Species status. Elsewhere in be document; the General Plan endorses, among other bings, 1) the Book Cliffs I Iighway, 2) the proposed Trough Springs Highway that would connect be Kane Springs Road with Hatch Point, 3) a northern access road through Salt Valley from Thompson for Arches National Park, 4) the reclamation of the Atlas Mill tailings pond by leaving its radioactive contents covered and in place, versus removing the pile to a safer location and, 5) the unrestricted continued use of public lands for the film industry, and encourages the continued bypassing of established BLM regulations bat require a 30 day waiting period. According to the Plan, "Such enforcement would automatically cancel all film production on BLM land in America." Other parts of the document deal wib traditional multiple use activities, such as mining and timber, that reflect, as the Plan drums into the reader's head over and over again, be custom and culture of Grand County citizens. Wib the BLM now soliciting comments from the public on its Grand Resource Management Plan, Grand County's Plan, if approved, could be a powerful influence that could determine how be BLM administers its public lands into be 21st century. So be question is, how can the Grand County Council even consider approving this document when so much of it runs absolutely contrary to what it stands for and believes in? How can bey endorse a Plan bat endorses be Book Cliffs Highway? How can it begin to give credence to an idea as ludicrous as giving county government the right to determine endangered species? I think the answer is, when they take be time to really study bis document, they will not ct least not without maldng major changes and deletions. There are some who have approve it, suggested bat something is better than nothing; that they would be better off approving this Plan, and then making changes later. That would be a mistake. I cannot believe any of the Council members would want to affix their signatures to this political statement, for that is all bat much of it is. They have already won the respect and admiration of Grand County for the thoughtful and deliberate way they have dealt with the problems they inherited. This is no time to rubber stamp be actions of be previous commission on a matter as important and as this. OUT-OF-TOW- N Bulk Mail Unit 1760 W. 2100 Soub Salt Lake City, UT 84199 (801) 974-23- 40 One problem I have is sending out replacement copies via first class mail We'll go broke at this rate. In any event, we're trying to get be problem squared away and I appreciate the patience and understanding that you've shown me in be meantime. In December, a draft copy of the "Grand County General Plan for Land Use Development & Management" was released for public examination. The General Plan was compiled by the Grand County Office of Economic & Community Development under be supervision of its director, Bette Stanton. She, in turn, worked wib the then Grand County Commission and the Grand County Planning Commission in preparing the document The Plan has been controversial since its inception. Wib solicited input from the Western Association of Land Users and leadership from a county commission that was described by one of its own members as the Redneck Commission, it came as no surprise that be General Plan , emerged more as a political manifesto than a workable land use plan. The document is an outgrowb of be Wise Use Movement, an updated and slightly more sophisticated version of be Sagebrush Rebellion. Its leaders believe bat rural western counties can usurp the power of the federal government on public lands by claiming aubority over these lands bemselves, by means of land use plans like bis one. Grand County made no effort to disguise be intent of its Plan. In its introduction, the document reads; "Federal and state lands make up a substantial part of Grand County. Moreover, Grand County's economy is dependent on the business activities on federal and state lands...The nature and intent of Grand County government land use planning is to protect the custom and culture of county citizens brough protection of private property rights, be facilitation of a free market economy, and the establishment of a process to ensure by local communities and individuals." : "Any and all federal policies regarding riparian management and federally proposed designation of Wild and Scenic Rivers in Grand County shall be coordinated with the County Commission and the Grand County Water Conservancy District, and shall comply with all water use plans. In addition. Grand County, at its option, shall prepare plans for the protection of all aquatic Threatened and Endangered species within its boundaries. Federal agencies managing waterways and wetlands containing such species shall coordinate their management activities and plans with the Grand County Commission." ng MM As hard as it is for me to believe, this issue marks the beginning of be Zephyr's fifth year of publication. I started this paper with literally no money. I somehow persuaded 100 people to buy a subscription and collected the first monb's ad revenues in advance to pay be printing costs. Bill Benge loaned me the use of his computer, and Ed and Louise Claus gave us access to beir laser printer. On March 14, 1989 we went to press. e I've become computer since then, be paper's changed and grown, and will continue to evolve. And I just want to say thanks to all of you for your support and your honesty. It's never dull in this town.. .Let's see what happens next. semi-literat- While many legal and constitutional scholars consider master plans like this to be absurd at best, and in direct conflict wib be US. Constitution, efforts to approve bem continue. And while bis county has just seen a more progressive and environmentally sensitive County Council take office, there is some talk that be new government might approve the General Plan as written. I doubt bat, and beir decision to table the plan for now is probably a sign of its eventual fate. But it wouldn't hurt for the citizens of Grand County to examine some of its more disturbing aspects. Consider the following taken directly from the draft plan itself... 691 NORTH 500 WEST 259-510- 1 Please write. " Opportunities for grazing livestock on federal and state lands should be continued at levels consistent with proper range management, custom and culture, (emphasis added) "Grand County has an established Grazing Advisory Board to advise the BLM and the county commission of the equitable and feasible animal unit months (AUM) for maximum grazing fees paid to federal and state agencies. "Grand County shall develop, in coordination with federal and state governments., and shall implement procedures and guidelines to account for the allocation and expenditures of range improvement funds. "Grand County shall request the responsible agency to remove from the county, or transfer within the county, excessive numbers of wildlife that damage private or public lands or hove an adverse economic impact to the county or its citizens." subscribe to THE ZEPHYR Come do the daily canoe thing P.O. Box 327 Moab Utah 84532 one year (11 issues)....$15 two years (22 issues)...$28 three years (33 issues)..$40 name Dirk would like to get some letters. Write: POS 6 Tf Moab address owned & operated by renewal new subscription 3-- D River Visions, Inc. HBB |