Public lands hears agency reports/deer release

By PATSY STODDARD Editor

Emery County Public Lands Council met for their January meeting. Rod Player was elected as chairman for 2016 with Ed Geary as the vice chairman. Board members include: Player and Geary along with Sherrel Ward, Bruce Wilson, Mistie Christiansen, JR Nelson and Mark H. Williams.
Player encouraged everyone to check out the website NatureRX. This site tells the benefits of spending time in nature and the importance of getting outside along with scientific studies to support the concept.
On Jan. 22 field hearings were held in Washington County to see if the BLM has followed the guidelines in the Washington County bill. There are those in Washington County that feel the BLM hasn’t adhered to the Washington County bill.
Johnson said, “The fact that the BLM is reviewing anything taken care of in the bill (Washington County) is an affront to the process.”
Ray Petersen said he has taken the recommendations from the work meeting the council had in December and has contacted the various organizations to keep them informed on what Emery County is doing. He talked to Andrew Reynolds from PEW and Paul from the Wilderness Society. The environmental groups are anxiously awaiting the draft language for the PLI as well as Emery County.
Johnson said a quick trip to Washington DC may be in order when the draft language comes out.
Ahmed Mohsen from the BLM said they are working on the San Rafael Master leasing plan. This planning effort is between SR-24, I-70 and Green River. It includes Emery County and a small portion of Wayne County. There has been contentious litigation concerning leasing in these areas, Mohsen said the leases are known as the Kimball Leases and there has been a moratorium on these leases until the issues are resolved.
They are called the Kimball Leases, because Judge Kimball required the BLM to take another look. The Moab BLM office has completed their survey on their side of the river, they also have potash to consider as well as recreation needs. On the Emery County side, potash isn’t involved. The BLM is looking at the cancelled leases which have been in limbo. When they are resolved, it will be an amendment to the current resource management plan. In March there will be a series of public meetings, one in Green River and one in Castle Dale.
Mohsen said the BLM is sending out bids for a contractor to do the NEPA on these lease areas. “Oil and gas leasing is a contentious program and this has not been a smooth process. It needs to be resolved. We are also working on Trail management too. We need to be consistent in regards to travel and oil and gas leasing so they can co-exist. It’s not been pretty.
“Last year we held meetings on the travel management effort. We are putting together the environmental assessment. We want to engage our partners with the EA. We are working with Ray (Petersen) on how to engage the public before the document comes out. So they can see the document before it’s published. That would be helpful so there’s no surprises. The BLM looks at alternatives before a decision is made,” said Mohsen.
The EA for the trail management is being done in house, but the leasing is being done by a contractor. The Price office needs to finish this process faster than the Moab office did. The National Parks Service is also involved with the air quality for the National Parks. Mohsen said the BLM doesn’t have the expertise in air quality that is needed, the BLM only has one air quality person statewide. Mohsen will make the final decision on the leasing of these parcels after all the research is complete.
Johnson wondered what class the archaeological survey would be in the leasing area. Mohsen said there are three classes of arch surveys. One is a review of what is known to exist in an area, class two is a sampling of the area, and class three is field work on a grid. In this planning effort, class two is adequate and when the leases are ready to be activated on an individual lease basis, a class three arch survey would be needed.
There has been some vandalism at the Black Dragon Rock Art site. “I don’t know if there is more vandalism, or more reporting. We need to engage the public to take pictures of the rock art sites, so if vandalism occurs we have a time line on when it happened. We need education as well as enforcement. It’s an important resource. There needs to be a stigma to vandalism. Vandals steal our history and heritage by vandalism. We need to reach out and keep an eye on it,” said Mohsen.
Nelson said maybe the OHV clubs can get involved in the prevention of vandalism. Jonathon Bailey is preparing a book on the rock art sites. Mohsen said he is the one that reports 50 percent of the vandalism.
Player wondered what was the vandalism to the Black Dragon? Mohsen said it was reported the head of the dragon was taken off, but that hasn’t been confirmed.
Player gave two complaints to the BLM that there is never any toilet paper in the BLM facilities out on the Swell and there aren’t supposed to be cattle in the Buckhorn Draw. Mohsen said he would check into these complaints.
Marc Stilson from the Division of Water Rights said the Tusher Diversion in Green River is being worked upon this winter. The contractor is working on it to keep it in operation another 100 years.
Ward wondered if Rep. Kay McIff is running his water bill again. This bill concerns Ward because if passed water could be sold out of the drainage. It would give the water rights to the individuals and not the water companies.
The council will stay informed on the water bill. Johnson said if needed he could take some of the lands council to the legislature to speak against the bill.
Stilson said some water users are seeking more efficient means of saving water and saved water could be used in California. Lake Mead is requesting help in keeping the water levels there full enough to produce power. The Paradise Ranch in Ferron is working with more efficient use of water.
Stilson said better data reporting for water users is also being worked on. Ward wondered if any other reservoirs besides Millsite are on the dam repair list. Stilson said Rolfson Reservoir is moving up on the list.
Darren Olsen said the forest service is working on the forest plan and extra help has been hired to help with that effort. The old plan dates back to 1986. He expects the process will last six-seven years.
Ongoing projects include water development, range projects, recreation and fuels projects. They are also working on permit renewals for allotments.
The forest plan will cover all activities on the forest. Their office will address the issues on the Manti-LaSal. The work on the new plan will be done in accordance with the forest planning rule. Emery County will be a cooperating agency on the new plan. Olsen said he doesn’t expect any specific changes in regards to water rights on the forest.
The forest service is beginning recruitment for seasonal workers through USA jobs.
Olsen said some of the campgrounds within the burn scar area of Huntington Canyon will be reopened this season. Left Fork Campground will remain closed to overnight camping, but open for day use, due to the proximity of the campsites to the river and the giant log jams up the Left Fork. Once the decisions are made as to which campgrounds will reopen a new closure order will be issued. Bill Broadbear with the forest service has been working to evaluate which campgrounds could reopen. Right now, it looks like Old Folks Flat and Big Rock could reopen. Chutes, Bridges and South Hughes were damaged and will not reopen. A fence may need to be constructed along the ravine at Old Folks Flat. Olsen said there is some repair work the forest service will need to do so the campgrounds can reopen and so reservations can be made for summer camping.
In the water report, basin wide the precipitation is 111 percent of average.
Ward said a coal gasification plant is being considered near Wellington, he suggested the council voice their support for the plant.
Player said the plant would turn coal into petroleum products including jet fuel.
The Division of Wildlife Resources, in partnership with the Mule Deer Foundation and Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife, are transplanting as many as 100 deer from Bountiful to the mountains in southeastern Utah.
The deer that are being moved have taken up permanent residence in town, where they’ve damaged fruit trees and landscaping. They’ve also become a traffic hazard.
As many as 25 deer-sized “clover traps” are baited to catch the deer without inflicting any harm or injury to the animals. Sportsmen monitor the traps and then, with the help of DWR biologists, move trapped deer into horse trailers for their trip to the southeast side of the Manti-La Sal National Forest. The areas where the deer are being released have enough forage to support the newcomers until plants in the areas green-up in the spring.
Many of the deer are being radio-collared to allow biologists to follow their movements and habitat use. The remaining deer are being fitted with colored ear tags, allowing biologists to identify them as transplanted deer. “Deer herds on the southeast portion of the Manti deer unit have struggled from years of drought,” says Brent Stettler, DWR conservation outreach manager in southeastern Utah. “We’re hoping bringing deer in from Davis County will help these populations rebound.”