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Show Garkane Comments On GSENM Draft Management PlanlDEIS "The human history of the Grand Staircase is still being written, writ-ten, and management of the Monument must enable new chapters chap-ters to evolve, not provide the epilogue epi-logue for a completed work." Thus Garkane Power Association cap-sulized cap-sulized its hopes for the overall management of the Grand Staircase-Escalante Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Garkane submitted its official comments on the GSENM Draft Management PlanEnvironmental Impact Statement on Mar. 9, just six days before the official deadline of Mar. 15. Garkane has more than 100 miles of power lines and two major substations within the monument boundaries. Many of the lines and stations were originally constructed in the 1940's and 50's time period and form critical components of the company's system. The company's position is that "electricity and telecommunications tele-communications facilities, and continued con-tinued construction, maintenance and growth of said facilities is critical criti-cal to the area." The Garkane document, signed by General Manager Carl Albrecht, and addressed to Planning Team Leader Pete Wilkins states that the Draft Management Plan is inadequate inade-quate in its treatment of utility rights-of-way. Garkane says that restrictions in the plan will restrict or eliminate the use of helicopters for transporting transport-ing crews and equipment. Delays in restoring power or correcting . other critical emergencies would occur oc-cur awaiting the special authorization authoriza-tion required. Garkane anticipates the granting of "Trip Permits" every time they must use one of the many roads or trails commonly used in maintenance mainte-nance and repair. This would create a full time job for the Bureau of Land Management and for Garkane. Albrecht states that in earlier discussions, dis-cussions, Monument Manager Jerry Meredith had said, "Garkane is entitled enti-tled to broad special access not (See GARKANE on Page 6-A) GARKANE From Front Page ; granted to the public." The Management Man-agement Plan, says Garkane, needs to more fully address the needs of ongoing maintenance activities. : Garkane quotes the Management Plan, "all existing and future power, lines must meet non-electrocution, standards for raptors". Garkane arv gues that "many of the existing lines were built long before 'Raptor. Protection' standards existed." The company says it has no documented cases of raptors being injured by its; lines and they have no previous re-; quirements to reconstruct the lines to meet the new standards. Al-brecht Al-brecht wrote that the lines should remain as is unless a raptor prob-; lem is documented. He also wroter that the economic impact of the re? constructing lines is not addressed;, in the Management Plan. ; Garkane also writes, "Any rer strictions which result in increasing-' the cost of construction andor maintenance of the power system; will have a direct economic impact' on all the power users in the area including the BLM, Forest Service and National Park Service. These potential impacts are not addressed in the Draft Management Plan." A series of significant items not addressed in the draft plan include recognition of and maintenance of -a Garkane power line and a Nevada Power line in the Buckskin and Paria areas; maintenance of existing lines in the Alternative B Primitive Area in the Paria-Cottonwood and Escalante-Boulder areas; maintenance mainte-nance of existing lines in the same areas of Alternative C Landscape Research Area; maintenance of existing ex-isting lines in the same areas of Alternative Al-ternative D Rustic andor Remote Areas; maintenance and access of existing lines Alternative E Foot and Hoof andor Primitive Areas in the Paria-Cottonwood and Escalante-Boulder areas. Garkane writes that additional utility corridors should be considered consid-ered in all of the alternatives to accommodate ac-commodate future growth, with the width of existing corridors maximized, maxi-mized, along with consideration of a tap for Garkane at Buckskin Gulch on a proposed line from Glen Canyon to St. George. Addressing President Clinton's Proclamation that started "establishment of this monument is subject to valid existing rights," Garkane writes, "Some rights are established by written contract or agreement. Others, less tangible but just as real, are established ovet time through stewardship and in-; vestment. The communities and people of the monument area, through decades of commitment and caring, have a valid right to advance into the 21st Century with a Management Man-agement Plan that enables their individual in-dividual and collective success, along with the success of the Monument itself. "The Plan does not adequately address continued local input and participation in the ongoing management man-agement of the Monument." Garkane writes, "President Clinton's Clin-ton's Proclamation establishing the Monument acknowledges a 'long and dignified human history: ... a place where one can see how nature shapes human endeavors in the American West.' Note, that the President placed the shaping of hu- . man endeavors in the present tense, not the past. Human endeavors are not limited to the Anasazi and Fremont Fre-mont cultures, nor should the consideration con-sideration of such endeavors end with the settlement of the region in the pioneer era. The human history of the Grand Staircase is still being written, and management of the Monument must enable new chapters chap-ters to evolve, not provide the epilogue epi-logue for a completed work." |
