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Show / , -3- The Arizona 'Water Project and the Central Utah Project were on this list. Thinking people in Utah have been trying to stop the C.U.P. for years - without success. However, under tremendous pressure from Utah legislators, (and Arizona), these projects were restored and partially funded. In order to get some handle on the Bureau and its proposed developments, then, the Environmental Defense Fund and several other environmental groups, brought suit on the Bureau on the issue of salinity in the Colorado River. This suit requires the Bureau to prepare a comprehensive environmental impact statement on all impacts ( socio-economic, industrial, recreation, wildlife )from its total water storage projects. In the past, the Bureau has prepared only environmental impact statements (EIS's) on each dam,.this way avoiding showing the public the accumulating impacts from its actions. - accumulating salinity - accumulating losses of wildlife habitat and recreation lands. In construction of Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River for example, water backed up some 20 0 miles in a giant reservoir, inundated forever, magnificent canyon country the equal of the Grand Canyon! Today, people who motorboat on this massive Lake Powell, have no idea of the irreplaceable treasure which was lost beneath them. My Report at Bureau Hearings in October In order to obtain input from the public on what to include in this Comprehensive EIS, the Bureau held hearings throughout the southwest. In preparation for providing my input at the hearings, I spent time in October both on the South Slopes of the Uintas and in federal and state agencies in towns near there, researching the impacts on wildlife and fisheries on the Uintas from existing and proposed Bureau dams, diversion canals, tunnels, etc. (The C.U.P.) I went to the hearings with three pages of questions. I later prepared a report with these questions and other issues, such as defects in constructed dams and earthquake activity (Sep. and Oct. 19 77) in the stream drainage where two dams are proposed. And this report I sent to Secretary of Interior Andrus asking what he was going to do about the issue. In December, I received a letter from BurRec Commissioner, Higginson, Washington, on instruction from Secretary Andrus, informing me that the Utah Bureau staff would meet with me to answer my questions. This meeting is to take place on February 9 - either in Provo or in Salt Lake City. Meanwhile, the Utah Bureau Director has "retired" and President Carter has cut back on funding for the Bonneville Unit of the C.U.P. My appearance with the Bureau, while significant, will have no power" unless we can get sufficient public demand OUTSIDE UTAH, as well as INSIDE, to stop the project. It is your bucks which are being misused! $60,000,000 worth, to date, with more to come. So, I've gone into this detail in the hope that I can call upon some of you for needed letter writing to your Congressmen. If you will do this, please let me know and I'll provide needed information. |
