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Show PAGE 17 THE ZEPHYR AUGUST 1993 Worst Grazing Allotment of the Month Cows have moved up from BLM ground onto the National Forest and this month's worst grazing allotment is the Brnmley Ridge allotment which covers the area bisected by the road up to Geyser Pass from Moab. Streams are trampled and the grass has been mowed down. AiUl AiMlaEflftg&fi Much of the place looks and smells awful. The USES should recognize changing public attitudes and needs around Grand County and the current outdated Forest plan, as BLM currently is rewriting its land management plan. The new plan should change the management emphasis of the Forest which now, at least according to the agency, dictates that there will be cows practically everywhere. A new plan should reflect that grazing conflicts with many other uses, inducting wildlife, water quality, scenic beauty and recreation, and accordingly limit grazing. Instead, the USFS continues to try to spread livestock by tearing down pinyon juniper forest to create more forage, although this practice is increasingly attacked by the public Three Grand County residents recently appealed the USFS' Castle Valley allotment management plan which induded destroying J forest and the USFS was forced to withdraw its decision in July. re-wri- te 3831NORTHIMAIN, IMbihw fiftmiiit P-- jjlifc) Bierschied Atlas Mill As this is written it appears that the Nudear Regulatory Commission intends to issue within a few days a draft environmental assessment and draft dedsion to leave the Atlas Mill tailings pile leaking into the Colorado River, rather than move it to a safer location. Moving the pile would create jobs, free the Atlas site for other uses, and protect the health of Moab and downstream citizens. Capping the pile in place would save Adas a bundle of money. Whopwhopwhopwhopwhopwhopwhopwhopwhopwhopwhopwhopwhopwhopwhopwwhop A SLC paper recently quoted one of the local helicopter operators after a run-i- n with a Canyonlands National Park ranger that "Helicopters don't defecate. They don't leave tracks." No they don't. Instead, they destroy the peace and solitude of southeastern Utah for everyone but the few rich tourists who can pay to fly over National Parks and wilderness areas. A National Park Service study may be released at the end of this summer which will consider the effects of helicopter overflights and could lead to new minimum-altitud- e requirements over sensitive areas. Industry representatives are whining almost as bud as their machines about proposals to restrict their protits in order to protect wildlife and citizen use of our Parks. If you are buzzed while out in the canyons, please direct your complaints to the federal agencies and members of the Grand County Council. BLM Employees Say Agency Grazing Management Sucks. A paper written by employees of the Bureau of Land Management released this summer charges that the agency has mismanaged grazing, leading to the destruction of a million of acres of publidy owned rangeland, wildlife threatened with extinction, and retaliation against staff committed to protecting the environment, according to PEER (pubic Employees for Environmental Responsibility), a new national group dedicated to protecting the integrity of federal agency employees. The report, written by over a dozen current anonymous BLM employees, found that western livestock industry maintains enormous political clout through the use of lawyers and allies on many university range staffs and range extension personnel. According to the report BLM managers often lack the "psychological fortitude" to handle the socially unpleasant or intimidating task of reducing livestock numbers for ranchers influential within the local community. The report includes a discussion of both the problems with BLM grazing management and suggested solutions, including: hiring "inspectors with authority to evaluate and investigate grazing allotments; mandating grazing reductions for any albtment lacking a minimum of 6" of stubble in riparian areas at the end of each grazing seasons; placing a moratorium on water projects for livestock grazing and instead spending money rehabilitating springsreservoirs already developed for livestock grazing; increasing penalties for livestock trespass; eliminating grazing advisory boards; and requiring all NEPA documents to consider a alternative. Good luck and thanks to those BLM employees willing to speak up to protect the (fjj)ggD!SD Fabulous new custom built home with 5 large bedrooms and 3 baths. Many exclusive features such as French doors leading on to the patio and beautiful redwood deck. Dream kitchen with island for mom and 2 car garage for dad. All of this and more, nestled in a secluded quiet location in town. For more information on this special offering of $155,000 call Julie for your appointment today. Price reduction motivated sellers. Most scenic turnkey operation in the Canyonlands. "Needles Outpost" Kampark. Air strip. Convenience store and grill. Fuel pumps and potential cave house. 640 state lease once in a lifetime opportunity. Newly remodeled with country atmosphere, in this 3 bedroom 1400 sq. feet home. This home offers a very open floor plan. New double roof. Small basement with sauna. 20 X 30 workshop. Beautiful stone courtyard, beautiful views, many more exclusive features. Must see to appreciate. $77,000. Beautifully decorated like new 3 bedroom, family room home with storage basement. Adjoining BLM. Arbor leads to well landscaped private back yard. Vine covered 25 X 13 covered patio captures view of canyons and spires. 2 story playhouse for the children, and brand new storage building for dad. Mom will love the spacious oak kitchen. $76,000. Give me land, lots of land!! 112 acres in La Sal. Power and shared well available. Great for mobile home. $8,900 with owner 93-41- 9: 92-36- 5: 2-- 93-39- 6: 93-41- 5: 93-41- 6: financing. One acre in country. Approx. 113 acre in the countiy suitable for mobile, has great views of the La Sals. This one won't last long. $9,800. 93-39- 9: no-grazi- land. PEER can be reached at (503) 484-715- 8, PO Box 428, Eugene, Oregon 97440. Norma and I are friendly , helpful , Wild Willy Rides Again Congressional Representative Bill Orton has been doing a real swell job for us here in Grand County. First he tried to jam the boondoggle Book Cliffs highway down our throats, dedaring that it was a certainty that it would be built, so our only choice was the location. Fortunately that project was killed by our newly elected county council who were familiar with the tenet that elected representatives should listen to their constituents. Since then Mr. Orton has refused to assist the Grand County Counril efforts to force NRC to fully study the consequences and darn cute . of leaving the Atlas mess leaking into the Colorado River. When Representative Shepherd from SLC stepped in to stop the military's efforts to send missiles flying over (they promise) our heads, Mr. Orton was again no where to be seen. Make Pen Pals: Write these People Animal Damage Control, the branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that to protect domestic livestock grazing on public land, has been stopped from wildlife destroys BLM land as the result of an appeal tiled by the Humane Society (although it operating on appears ADC is still killing, perhaps illegally, under the guise of "emergency" actions). The Utah BLM is writing an environmental assessment for ADC operations in the Moab area in order that the federal agency can start killing again. Contact Daryl Trotter, Moab BLM, P.O. Box 970, Moab, 84532, Grand Resource Area Management Plan: The BLM is still accepting scoping comments on the proposed new BLM management plan for lands surrounding Moab, including the Book Cliffs: Contact: Mike (yDonnel, BLM, Moab District Office, PO 970, Moab, Utah 84532, The Park Service is trying to cope with rapidly Canyonlands Backcountiy Plan Park with a backcountry management plan National use in recreational Canyonlands increasing Contact Canyonlands National Park, summer. of the end the be released will which by probably 200 125 West South, Moab, Utah 84532. Backcountry Management Plan, 259-611- 1. CASTLE CANYON NURSERY 259-611- 1. Scott Groene works in the Moab office of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. Plants for the Canyon Country Landscaping Design Drip Irrigation Headquarters Sprinkler Irrigation Parts Automatic Irrigation Parts System Design & Consultation 259-827- 4 |