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Show Governor Submits First R.S.2477 Application To BLM SALT LAKE CITY. - On Jan. 14, Gov. Olene Walker and Lt. Gov. Gayle McKeachnie passed a significant milestone on the path to resolving decades-old rural road disputes by submitting an application to the Utah office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for a recordable disclaimer of interest regarding the right of way for the Weiss Highway located in Juab County. "With this application, Utah formally begins a process whose outcome will have national significance," sig-nificance," Walker said. "Utah has long been a poster child for public lands issues, and the R.S. 2477 roads are no exception. We are confident we have found a practical, factbased method for resolving these long-disputed issues relating to many of the rural roads. Our aim is to protect Utah's natural, scenic areas while maintaining the state's vital rural transportation infrastructure." infra-structure." The Weiss Highway has existed since the 1930s and has been used for ranching, farming, recreation, search and rescue, law enforcement and land management. man-agement. This road is the main and in most places the only east-west route traversing Juab County. In preparing this first application, applica-tion, the state strictly followed the methods laid out in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the U.S. Department of the Interior and the State of Utah, formalized Apr. 9, 2003. Included in that MOU were seven "touchstones" that would be used to determine which roads would merit application. appli-cation. To be initially considered, consid-ered, a road must meet the following fol-lowing minimum criteria: Existed prior to 1976 Can be traveled by cars and trucks Is not in a national park Is not in a wilderness area Is not in a wilderness study area Is not in a fish and wildlife refuge Can not undergo expansion "As is, where is." In addition to meeting these requirements, the MOU pro (See RS2477 on page 3A) R.S. 2477 From Front Page vides for an open, administrative process whereby each road considered con-sidered for application will include readily available information infor-mation so that anyone can comment com-ment throughout the process. "The wheels are in motion," McKeachnie said. "This first application process becomes a great opportunity for learning. What we learn this time around will help us refine the next applications we prepare. Along with the governor, I want to thank those who have invested countless hours in preparing this application and who continue to support these efforts." With the application formally submitted, the BLM will evaluate evalu-ate the application materials and determine if the state has met the criteria outlined in the MOU. If the application is approved and a recordable disclaimer of interest is issued, the state will gain legal right of way to the highway. For more information regarding regard-ing R.S. 2477 issues, visit www.rs2477.utah.gov. |
