Rep. Chaffetz expresses sadness over closing of Deer Creek mine

By PATSY STODDARD Editor

Rep. Jason Chaffetz gave an update on Congress and his hopes for the New Year.
Rep. Chaffetz expressed his sadness at the announcement of the closing of the Deer Creek Mine in Huntington Canyon. “The war on coal is taking its toll. It’s sad and frustrating. I feel for those people who will lose their jobs. Those are good jobs.”
He said the Payment in Lieu of Tax payments aren’t easy to get funded. The Eastern senators and congressmen don’t understand PILT. Bills passed before Congress recessed for the holidays included the PILT payments. PILT was funded $442 million. “Payments in Lieu of Taxes” are Federal payments to local governments that help offset losses in property taxes due to non-taxable Federal lands within their boundaries. Rep. Chaffetz wanted Emery County to know they will receive their PILT payment in 2015. Another program that will remain intact is the Secure Rural Schools. Rep. Chaffetz said they were able to keep the sage grouse from being listed. It’s been pushed back to Sept. 2015.
Rep. Chaffetz said Rep. Rob Bishop’s public lands initiative is making progress. Rep. Bishop will be the chairman of the natural resources committee and Rep. Chaffetz will chair the oversight and government reform committee. He believes that doing nothing with our public lands is the biggest threat. He expects a bill will be ready and introduced early this year. Rep. Chaffetz gives credit to the grass roots process by the counties involved. There are still issues to work out but the process is proceeding. Hopefully while this process is being worked through it will delay and stall any talk of designating a monument in the San Rafael Swell area. Rep. Chaffetz hopes all seven Eastern Utah counties will participate but the process won’t be forced upon them. “Doing nothing is a bigger threat, if we can bring together all the sides, we can bring certainty, (to the public lands issues).”
Rep. Chaffetz said he is optimistic for the future with Congress and the Senate as things move into Republican hands. He hopes they will make more progress than they have in the past.
Rep. Chaffetz said as the chairman of the oversight committee he is forming a subcommittee that will look at the EPA, forest service and other agencies. Hearings will be held to investigate if the EPA is overstepping its bounds as it creates more and more regulations. Cynthia Lummis from Wyoming will chair the subcommittee.
Rep. Chaffetz said, “We’ve got a lot happening right now and we’re moving forward with the committees.”