THE ZEPHYR CHRONICLES CONTINUE... The Fork in the Wilderness Road (It was ‘Time to Look in the Mirror’) August/September 2014 Volume 26 Number 3 Celebrating 25 Years THE ZEPHYR/ AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2014 [email protected] this requires would be devastating. I can- dor promoted in the early 90s, which was BOOK CLIFFS HIGHWAY UPDATE not overstate how much destruction would vigorously opposed by many Grand County & SOME THOUGHTS ON occur if this project went forward. It would citizens. “PRODUCTION v CONSUMPTION require the removal of every plant and tree, from one edge of the canyon floor to the Now, Jackson has predicted that the on- other, for 20 miles, to accommodate the going feasibility studies will indeed con- Four months ago, the Grand County scale of the proposal. clude the Sego Canyon route is not viable. I Council presented a proposal to build an hope he’s right, because to build that road, “energy transportation corridor” via Sego Last month, Grand County Council Chair via that route, would prove to be one of the Canyon, through the Book Cliffs, to pos- Lynn Jackson, who helped spearhead the greatest environmental disasters since the sible oil development sites in the northern Sego Canyon plan, suggested that the fea- construction of Glen Canyon Dam. tip of Grand County. The plan included sibility studies being performed for Grand the creation of a paved But if Jackson’s highway, for energy prediction holds transportation and tour- true, that leaves ism, that would have Hay Canyon and linked Vernal, Utah with we’re right back I-70 and other recre- where we were 20 ation destinations in years ago. It should southeast Utah. It also be recalled that the proposed a corridor for Hay Canyon road energy pipelines. proposal was heav- ily scrutinized and Sego Canyon is nar- that the BLM spent row, isolated, and un- years developing developed, accessible its “Draft Envi- only by an unimproved ronmental Impact dirt road. It ends at the Statement: OURAY Ute Indian reservation to INTERSTATE 70 boundary. A gate was HIGHWAY.” The constructed by the Utes EIS was released in the mid-80s and the in September 1992 completion of the pro- and fortunately, be- posed transportation cause I never throw corridor would require anything away, I the construction of at still have my copy. least ten miles of new road, through some of The proposal then the most rugged terrain was to “construct in the American West. an 83 mile-long roadway to Utah I drove the Sego Canyon road twice this and Uintah Counties broaden their focus. Department of Transportation (UDOT) and summer and it was obvious that the con- He wants to include another north-south Federal highway standards...A 200 foot struction of the kind of paved highway route through the Book Cliffs—the Hay ROW (Right-of-Way) would be required and pipeline right-of-way a project like Canyon route. This was the same corri- along the entire route.” The highway would have mostly followed existing dirt roads and jeep tracks, but the terrain would have been dramatically altered by the expanded THE CANYON COUNTRY Z E P H Y R Now, Jackson has predicted Planet Earth Edition that the ongoing feasibility Jim & Tonya Stiles, publishers studies will indeed conclude PO Box 271 Colorado Plateau Bureau Chief DOUG MEYER the Sego Canyon route is not Monticello, UT 84535 Contributing Writers viable. I hope he’s right, www.canyoncountryzephyr.com Martin Murie Ned Mudd [email protected] Scott Thompson Bill Benge Bill Boyle because to build that road, via Amy Brunvand Erica Walz that route, would prove to be All the News that Causes Fits one of the greatest since 1989 The Artists John Depuy Dave Wilder Dan O’Connor environmental disasters since Historic Photographs THE ZEPHYR, copyright 2014 The Zephyr is produced six times the construction of Herb Ringer Paul Vlachos Terry Knouff a year at various global locations and made available free to over & Tom Till Glen Canyon Dam. 7 billion people via the world wide web...The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of its advertisers, Webmaster its Backbone members, or even at times, of its publisher. Rick Richardson highway. The Proposed Route would have All Cartoons are by the publishers Legal Consultant descended the Book Cliffs via Hay Canyon Judge Lewis G. Paisley, retired 2 to its confluence with East and Middle Can- THE ZEPHYR/ AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2014 yons, then south to I-70. “Nine federally-listed candidate plant keeps people alive, and has facilitated a 1% species would potentially be affected by growth rate. Grand County is the 4th slow- The BLM rejected the plan; its “agency construction along the Propose Route.” est growing county in Utah.” preferred alternative” was called “Paving Existing Alignments Alternative.” It called 4.2.1 Wilderness for paving part or all of the existing roads, “The Proposed Route could not be ap- but an expanded ROW was rejected. Any proved or constructed under the BLM’s paving would be required to stay within Wilderness Management Guidelines be- the current rights-of-way and the idea of a cause the quality of wilderness values in tourist highway, built to UDOT and federal both WSAs would be reduced.” standards, between Vernal and Moab was rejected. 4.2.14.1 Cultural Resources “Adverse impacts to significant cultural resources may occur as result of several project-related activities.” 4.2.19 Irreversible/Irretrievable Com- mitment of Resources “Construction of the proposed high- way would involve the commitment of a range of natural, physical, human and fiscal resources that could result in the irreversible or irretrievable commitment of these resources. Irreversible is a term that describes the loss of future options. It applies primarily to the effects of use of nonrenewable resources such as cultural or paleontological resources, or to those factors, such as soil productivity, that are With that kind of understanding, even renewable only over long periods of time. from one of its most aggressively anti-en- Irretrievable is a term applied to the loss ergy politicians, Grand County must either of production, harvest, or use of natural submit to more energy development, just to resources...The disturbance of cultural and pay its ever-expanding bills, or learn to live paleontological resources would be an ir- with less. Grand County’s budget last year reversible and irretrievable loss. topped $12 million. In 2013, seven of the top ten taxpayers were tied to energy or the But if Jackson’s prediction These references reflect just a portion holds true, that leaves of the EIS. So today, as Grand and Uintah Hay Canyon and we’re Counties (hopefully) move away from the Sego Canyon option, they must still con- For years, I’ve talked about right back where we were sider that their alternative, Hay Canyon, at 20 years ago the scale they are proposing, was examined the issue of “production vs and studied more than two decades ago, at consumption.” I cannot a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars, offer a better example The BLM considered “Environmental and the conclusion in 1992 was that the than the conflicted and Consequences” of the proposed route in proposal was untenable. sometimes hypocritical Section 4 of its EIS. They were many and I values you see here. include just some of them here... Baird said, “You make it sound like the recreation 4.2.2 Geologic hazards industry in Moab is some “Areas of the proposed route underlain transportation of energy. Their combined by the Douglas Creek Member of the Green kind of unstoppable contribution to the tax base exceeded $2.7 River Formation are considered to have a juggernaut. However, it million—almost a fourth of total tax reve- potential for landsliding if large volumes just barely keeps people nues. If environmentalists and progressives of material are excavated and filled to alive, and has facilitated in Grand County want to oppose energy form road grades.” development in their home county, they a 1% growth rate. should consider ways to downsize their 4.2.5.1 Terrestrial Wildlife Grand County is the 4th expectations for the community. For years, “Adverse impacts to big game following slowest growing county I’ve talked about the issue of “production completion of the highway would include in Utah.” vs consumption.” I cannot offer a better increased traffic and human use resulting example than the conflicted and sometimes in disturbance and displacement...in- hypocritical values you see here. creased hunting pressure and harvest; in- I realize that the intention of the Grand creased poaching mortality; and increased County Council is to find new ways to I hope the Book Cliffs Highway dies—yet mortality from vehicle-animal collisions. generate revenues for its citizens. As the again–and stays down. But I’m predicting population of Grand County expands, so that energy development will expand, and “Following construction, the proposed will demands for services. Tourism and the Moab will continue to grow, dramatically, highway would increase disturbance in the amenities economy will not generate the and local progressives and environmen- bald eagle wintering areas..there is also kinds of revenues required to satisfy its citi- talists will continue to complain about the the potential for bald eagle mortality die to zens’ needs, especially as their demand for destruction. They will strenuously object, increased motor vehicle collisions. services keeps growing. Even former Coun- not realizing or willing to admit the connec- cilman Chris Baird (now running again), tion between energy extraction and a com- “Mule Deer mortality from motor ve- agrees that tourism can’t generate the kind munity that saw the issuance of building hicle collisions can be significant where of revenues needed to sustain its popula- permits valued at $16 million, just in the highways cross important deer ranges..