Public lands meeting: reservoirs low

By PATSY STODDARD Editor

Emery County Public Lands Council met in their November meeting. Council member Sherril Ward reported the water in the reservoirs is very low. “The reservoir situation is terrible. They are all basically empty except for storage water; Huntington reservoir is 28 percent; Cleveland Reservoir-22 percent; Miller’s Flat-28 percent; Electric Lake-52 percent; Huntington North- 47 percent full and Millsite Reservoir 59 percent with Joe’s Valley at 49 percent. The water year started over on Oct. 1. We didn’t have much precipitation the month of October. We really need a good winter,” said Ward.
It was reported that Emery Town is worried about their water supply. When flows in the Muddy are down and the water freezes over it could disrupt the town’s drinking water.
Public Lands Director Ray Petersen reported the forest service and the Bureau of Land Management are involved in several planning processes. The BLM is working on the San Rafael desert management plan, the San Rafael master leasing plan for suitable oil and gas leasing; Spanish Trails historical preservation and the Capitol Reef grazing plan. The BLM is also involved in a special recreation management area process involving the greater Goblin Valley area known as the Temple Mountain SERMA. This is a partnership effort with state parks, SITLA and the BLM along with Emery County. There are scoping meetings planned for this effort on Nov. 15 in Green River from 6-8 p.m. and in Castle Dale on Nov. 16 from 6-8 p.m.
The forest service is redoing their forest master plan. They have held several meetings for the public with more in the near future.
Petersen said the county has cooperating status in each of these planning processes.
New council member Leon McElprang said there is a difference between cooperating status and coordinating status with these federal agencies. He thinks the commissioners and elected officials need to be involved and at the table in each of these planning processes. If you are cooperating you can give information, but you have no vote. If you are a coordinator you can sit at the table and get a vote-voice.
Petersen said federal law mandates in all planning processes the county plans, tribal land plans and resource management plans be taken into account in new planning processes.
With the BLM Temple Mountain SERMA, it is dealing with a smaller area and will not need as extensive a process as is sometimes required.
In the commissioner report, Paul Cowley encouraged everyone to get involved in the Temple Mountain SERMA public process. He has attended meetings and the public scoping meetings are the first chance for public involvement in the process.
He expressed appreciation to Wayde Nielson and the road department for their work on fixing desert roads damaged with the flash floods. The road in the Mounds area was washed out and will need extensive gravel brought in to repair it. The materials on hand at the site can’t be used without BLM approval which has to go through a process which could take time, so this project will be put on hold while other projects are completed.
Petersen said the county has to apply for a free use permit to use the materials on hand and it would have to go through NEPA although the situation could qualify for a categorical exclusion and will be looked at. Becky from the BLM said she would check into the Price River road to see if they can move that project along faster.
Cowley said these projects take time. The Temple Jct. road was wiped out during the storm and left an 8-10 foot bank hanging.
The county received a letter from the Hoodoo Rivers and Trails club expressing thanks for fixing the desert roads.
Commissioner Keith Brady said the public lands initiative may be heard by the House after the November recess. Randy Johnson, public lands consultant, said he would be in Washington during that time. After that Congress will be out for two weeks and then back for the first two weeks of December. The senate will be busy during that time working on the budget. Some people still think there will be a last minute Bear’s Ears National Monument. The PLI could possibly go in a public lands bill omnibus bill. There could also be an omnibus bill which includes several bills thrown together. “There’s no way to know exactly, we’ll know more after that first week, Nov. 14, we’ll have a clearer picture,” said Johnson.
Becky said with the Goblin Valley Expansion there has been very little public participation to date. They want the public to let the BLM know what they would like to see out there. Send in your comments if you can’t come to the meetings on Nov. 15-16.
The BLM has approved the Deer Creek Mine pipeline project from Rilda Canyon portal to the Huntington Power Plant. The BLM is working on some easements for Emery Telcom.
Marc Stilson from the Utah Department of Water Rights said they have had a permitting application by Bronco Utah Operations for development of a new portal. (former Consol Mine) This was approved. PacifiCorp filed two applications for changes in points of diversion. One has been approved.
The representative from Utah Oil Gas and Mining said the coal program has been working on a permit for the Emery deep mine and they are in the middle of the review process.
On the Greens Hollow lease, the Wild Earth Guardians had filed an appeal which was denied and the lease will go forward. It was determined they didn’t have enough evidence to stall the lease sale.
Natural gas exploration in the area has been very low. Because DOGM employees haven’t been busy with permitting activity they have been working a lot on reclamation efforts which take time. Bart asked what type of information the lands council is interested in for his report. Updates, reports on activities was what the council requested. Bart didn’t have any information about the pipeline between Uintah and Carbon counties. Becky from the BLM reported it is in a very preliminary stage at this time.
Chris Wood from the Division of Wildlife Resources reported the deer hunt ended Sunday and it was very successful with a lot of bigger bucks taken. Surveys will be sent out soon.
The gillnet surveys at Joe’s Valley saw a lot of larger splake, large tiger muskies and a lower number of chubs. The muzzleloader elk season runs from Nov. 2-10. The Pheasant Hunt begins Nov. 5 with 10,000 birds being planted throughout the state. If water levels at Millsite Reservoir drop due to the construction of the dam then they might rotenone the reservoir and restock with Colorado cutthroat and sterile fish varieties in the future.
Bryan Torgerson from SITLA reported they haven’t heard any more on the Bears Ears monument and are waiting to see like everyone else. He said they have received calls about the constitutional amendment. When SITLA was formed in 1994 and separated from the state their mandate was to make money for schools. This money would go into the permanent fund and when that fund was grown to $2 billion the dividends would be put back into the schools. The schools receive trust lands monies each school year to use as the individual schools see fit. To date they have received a portion of the dividends, and the other portion went back in to grow the trust, with the goal of $2 billion being reached; now all the dividends can be put into the schools. The permanent fund itself isn’t touched.
Torgerson reported the land auction was held and 10 of 11 properties sold for a good price. Only properties that are land locked or have low economic development potential are sold. Lands with oil and gas potential aren’t sold.
McElprang reported SITLA grazing fees go up each year. Torgerson said they try to be competitive with grazing fees on private lands. They aren’t trying to gouge grazers.
Bill Broadbear from the forest service reported on the upcoming forest plan revision meeting on Nov. 4 in Price. Christmas tree permits go on sale on Nov. 16th; they will be at Castle Valley Supply in Huntington, Main Street Market in Ferron and Sutherlands in Price and also at the forest service office in Ferron.
Culverts will be replaced in the Fly Canyon fire area to handle any runoff the burn area. So far there hasn’t been any flooding in the area. There were some improvements made to the road during the fire. There’s a sage grouse habitat improvement project on South Horn.
The scenic byway signs have been replaced by new signs. Broadbear said to watch for them. The forest service is involved in permitting for the extension of the boat ramp at Joe’s Valley. They are also looking at putting a new group use pavilion in the area. Ward asked Broadbear to include the Emery Water Conservancy District in their meetings on the boat ramp. Broadbear said there are also plans for a cleaning station for boats.
Broadbear said the forest service is looking at widening some 50 inch trails to 60 inches to accommodate larger ATVs. They have looked at several trails and found 78 miles of trails suitable for conversion to a wider trail with minimal impacts. They are looking at these trails with a specialist.
A question was asked if Olsen Canyon could be reopened. Broadbear said at the current time they are busy with the forest service plan revision and won’t have time to go through any transportation plans at this time.
Broadbear said there were five crews on the forest this season that helped clear thistle from the forest. Since the Seeley fire the thistle has thrived.
Jordan Leonard, county economic development director said the bouldering festival was a success and brought in 150 climbers and their families. The area used for bouldering is a combination of BLM, forest service and SITLA land. There is a cooperative effort between these groups to bring some amenities to the area. There are plans for pit toilets up there. Porta potties are put up there during the climbing season. The bouldering festival is held in part to let the community know what the boulderers do. They are coming here, so it’s a good idea to welcome them into our communities. They can contribute to the county financially. The boulderers participated in a jerky making workshop, rodeo, lectures and climbing activities throughout the festival. Leonard said bouldering attracts people to our area that sometimes want to stay. Jared Anderson, current business chamber president and Emery Telcom employee came to the area because of the bouldering. “These are educated people who come here and contribute to our community,” said Leonard.
Commissioner Brady said the economic benefit to the county for the bouldering festival was $25,000.
The BLM had a crew spraying knap weed in the El Rancho not so grande area.
Ward asked about the county litigation against the EPA; Commissioner Brady reported the county is partnering with the state of Utah, Carbon County, and PacifiCorp to bring a lawsuit against the EPA on the regional haze rulings.