By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Juab County was represented at a recent IPAMS
(Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States)
meeting held to discuss strategies for responding to the
wilderness movement.
Commissioner Robert Steele said he was only one of many
representing groups who were there to formulate ideas.
"Marc W. Smith, Director of Lands and Environment, said
the attendance, in his view, clearly demonstrated how
serious an issue adding additional acreage to the wilderness
study was as well as the collective resolve for finding a
solution," said Steele.
"As a group we also decided that the Utah Association of
Counties (UAC) is the preferred entity to lead this effort,"
said Steele.
Smith sent a letter to Steele which Steele shared with
commissioners.
"In his letter, he (Smith) summarized a few of the
excellent ideas presented and discussed at the meeting,"
said Steele.
"One of those is that we agreed that a collective,
organized effort is needed," he said, " and that we needed a
public relations effort to make people aware of the
trade-offs of wilderness designation."
A central theme, something other than multiple use, was
needed to bond the large a diverse group together. One of
the themes suggested was community-based planning.
A funding effort was also needed. This would indicate to
the UAC that the topic of wilderness was an important issue
that has autonomous baking from affected communities.
"The timing is urgent," said Steele. "Within two years
the Secretary of Interior is planning to revise resource
management plans throughout the state. This would create up
to an additional 2.6 million acres of wilderness study
areas."
It is important, as well, he said, for lessons learned on
the county level to be shared on a statewide and region-wide
basis.
Wm. Boyd Howarth, commission chair, and Joseph Bernini,
commissioner, thanked Steele for the information and for
attending the meeting in behalf of the commission.
"The federal government, state government, and the Bureau
of Land Management already have control of most of the land
in Juab County," said Howarth. "Any more wilderness
designations will further infringe on the rights of the
citizens of Juab County."
Steele agreed. He said mining and ore deposits are
abundant in the land already included in wilderness study
areas. Including more would not only be a detriment to the
county but to the state and the nation.
"There are some rich ore deposits still to be mined,"
said Steele.
Bernini, a resident of Eureka, one of the communities
which was founded by those who flocked to the area to mine
silver from the rich deposits there, said he thought mining
was still a strong state industry and that miners should be
considered.
"Some of the rich bounty available would be locked away
if the wilderness designation is expanded," he said.
The e-mail address for Smith is ipams@netway.net.
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