OCR Text |
Show Burr Trail Gets $2-Milliop From State In last-minute action by the Utah legislature just prior to closing clos-ing its special session Tuesday, legislators voted to award $2-mil-lion to provide the balance of funds needed to pave 50 miles of the 66-mile 66-mile Burr Trail road. In a special report to the Garfield County News late Tuesday night, Rep. James Yardley (R-Panguitch) (R-Panguitch) said that only a concerted effort by supporters moved Senate Bill 4 through the session successfully. Yardley credited efforts by Senator Ivan Matheson, (R-29), the bill's author, in the senate and joint efforts of Rep. Dave Adams (R-Dist. (R-Dist. 74) San Juan County, and himself in the house with its final success. He said that despite an unsuccessful un-successful vote late Monday, a re-vote re-vote within the 24 hour allowable limit brought the bill's final successful suc-cessful passage about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the session's final action. ac-tion. It passed with a 38 to 31 vote in the house and a 15 to 13 vote in the senate, Yardley said. "Tuesday's action honors the stale's commitment of four years ago," said Yardley. "The state promised Garfield County $4 million mil-lion then, but because of a tighten economic pattern, had to shelve the promise. "Legislators see this as an economic eco-nomic boost for all of southern Utah. That's why we were able to get the support we did," he said. Yardley explained that the money will derive from mineral lease funds through the judgment against Utah Power & Light in which the company was ordered to pay the state $25 million. Garfield County commissioners and attorneys met last week in Salt Lake City for a hearing to request a . removal of the injunction against working on the critical link between be-tween Boulder and Bullfrog Marina on Lake Powell. The county's attorneys and those of the protesting environmentalist coalition were asked by U.S. Senior District Judge Aldon Anderson, who imposed the injunction, to file briefs on a proposed order on how work should proceed on the road. They are hopeful a decision by Judge Anderson will be forthcoming in approximately 30 days, meaning, said County Commission Chairman Tom Hatch, that work on the road could commence in November. With Tuesday's decision by the Utah legislature, sufficient funds are now available to the county to complete all work on the 50 miles of the 66-mile road that lie outside Capitol Reef National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The Utah legislature had 30 days in which to complete its special session work. Legislators met Sept, 14, 21 and 23 and Oct 3 and 4. Aiding Yardley and Adams in Salt Lake City was Steve Creamer of Creamer and Noble Engineers, St. George. On Aug. 4, and county was awarded $3 million in grant funds by the Community Impact Board. That award coupled with Tuesday's commitment by the legislature fulfills ful-fills the county's goal to raise the $5 million needed to complete its part of the major link. |