I saw an interesting article from ETV news that states that Emery County gave the go ahead to close Nuck Woodward road. Yet in the Carbon County commissioners meeting on August 2, 2017, (they said) nothing would be decided until a further meeting was scheduled as they agreed with the safety issues we brought up concerning our town of Clear Creek, Utah.
So obviously I was completely surprised by this news as I was not aware of any such meeting being held that we could attend to voice our concerns?
Nor can I even find one listed on the Emery County website. I am quite concerned by the total disregard and complete lack of respect we are being giving in this issue, as it directly impacts the safety of our home, our property and our families.
I cannot believe that it has been completely forgotten how much this road was depended on protecting our town and in fighting the Seeley fire in June of 2012.
This is not the only threat this town has faced around 1984 we had a mud slide that took the life of one man and crossed the Main road.
I find it reprehensible that not only is our safety being ignored, those with disabilities are being ignored just for a few to have a private hunting area on public lands. Ranger Olsen knows full well this is wrong. We were told, we as in the residents of Clear Creek Utah Home Owners Association, that Nuck Woodward road would remain a secondary escape route in case of emergency. Back in June of 2012 when we where being evacuated, we were told Nuck Woodward would remain open as an escape route.
All the while (the forest service) was talking with groups such as Back Country Horseman Association, and Rocky Mountain Elk foundation. They were collecting money, (camp fees) building parking lots for storing horse trailers, trucks loading and unloading all the while gathering personal, private, non motorized hunting grounds for themselves. They have enjoyed these hunting grounds with the added benefit of the public lands beyond the Nuck Woodward road that has been closed since the fire. So why not just keep this additional 8000 acres.
This is wrong and cannot be allowed at the expense and safety of Clear Creek, or let alone the fact that a state forest representative decided he has the ability to choose who is allowed access to our public lands and forest. Enough. Since when has the forest service the right to choose who is allowed to access our public lands and just how they are to be used and for what purpose.
I would really appreciate an answer as to how this is possible let alone legal?
Sincerely,
Debbie Emmett
Clear Creek
(Editors note: The meeting to which Ms. Emmett refers to which she couldn’t find a record of was the Emery County Commission meeting held on Aug. 1 at 3 p.m. During this regularly scheduled commission meeting, Darren Olsen, district forest ranger presented the premise behind why the Nuck Woodward road was being closed on Sept. 5, the day after Labor Day. He said this was a seasonal closure only in effect from Sept. 5 to Dec. 31 after which it expires and reopens. Any further consideration of closing the road will be put through a formal comment period and environmental assessment. He listed hunting opportunities for hikers and horseman without any motorized vehicles in the vicinity as the major reason for this seasonal closure. Emery County was not in favor of the seasonal road closure and spoke against it. Nuck Woodward road was closed after the Seeley fire in 2012 until last year late summer of 2016. The Carbon County road department, the forest service and Emery County signed an agreement that Carbon County would do the repair work so the road could be re-opened. This spring, 2017, the road again was closed due to the sluffing off of one part of the road. Just recently the Carbon County road department fixed this spot and the road is now open again until the seasonal closure on Sept. 5.