| OCR Text |
Show 1445 N. 10 St. Manitowoc, Wis. 54220 May 16, 1980 Nelle Tobias - Our Citizens for a Responsible Central Utah Project group in Utah is "scaling back" (whatever that means). The national organizations helping us in Washington have stated flatly that unless this group on Utah gets on the buggy, raises funds, and hires a full time Director and develops a constituency to fight the CUP, Washington will not continue to help. They are right. Our group was formed by me and Utah fly fishermen but the opposition has concentrated on preserving some stream flows - nine.wild and scenic rivers are to be dammed on the south slopes of the Uinta Mountains. Because Dick Carter, Utah Wilderness Coalition Director was fighting to preserve the High Uintas Wilderness (with boundaries which excluded the Uinta Rivers to be dammed) in an anti-wilderness State - he refused to let us present the CUP issue in coordination with wilderness preservation activities. He feared - in the politics of anti-wilderness positions - he couldn't be associated with CUP - a wholly State supported project. However, it is my contention that - a. the IMAGE we are projecting - that of saving some wild rivers - is not substantial enough in view of the magnitude of the CUP Water Project. Wild rivers in Utah have had no value for fish and recreation. State policy is to develop them all! b. Fly fishermen are inadequate a constituency to oppose this State supported project, partly because many fishermen don't challenge the State's decisions, in Utah, and partly because it is too limited a constituency. c. Utah conservation groups - which are increasing and are becoming more effective - need to coordinate activities - not each go separate ways. Washington water project groups fight these enormous water development entities, the Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation, on grounds of their inadequate cost/benefit ratios, cost overruns, exceeding authorizations, and politics of support. However, this approach doesn't or hasn't gotten off the ground in Utah. The Utah public will be taxed to death to pay for CUP, taxed inequitably, taxed for federally developed water supply when cheaper alternatives exist by State water management - yet they won't oppose CUP. Anyway, I refuse to accept this "scaling back" position - too much ground lost - and am trying to assist in reorganizing a leadership group in Utah*- but on a broader base; this would be one of protecting rivers, lakes and wetlands in the State. This could have obvious benefits and help override the sense of futility in opposing CUP. |
