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Show 1445 N. 10 St. Manitowoc, Wisconsin 54220 November 2, 1978 Mr. Vern Hamre, Regional Director, Region IV Mr. John McGuire, Chief U.S.Forest Service Rupert Cutler Assistant for Conservation and Research Department of Agriculture Robert Bergland Secretary of Agriculture Gentlemen: I am forwarding to you copies of my comment on the Uinta Range South Slopes Land Management Planning and High Uintas Wilderness proposals. My comments were made under "two hats" - that of Co-Chairman of the Citizens for a Responsible Central Utah Project based in Salt Lake City, Utah and that of member of the High Uintas Wilderness Coalition. My primary reason for this letter and this manner of presenting it is to inform you, as I have in my comment, on the fact that the Forest Service is in violation of the law. As explained in my comment, there is no indication in the released South Slopes Plan and Draft EIS of compliance with the Carter Administration Water Policy program, Administration Directives for implementing it in Utah, with Executive Orders to protect wetlands and floodplains, and with laws and EPA interpretations of Amendments to the Water Pollution Act and Corps of Engineers 404 permits - all of which are specifically directed at protecting instream flows and associated wildlife and fisheries resources. Since a primary aim of our Citizens for a Responsible CUP group is one of protecting and/or preserving instream flows sufficient to protect stream ecosystems on the Uinta Range National Forest lands, it is of utmost importance to our group and supporters that the Forest Service defend in every possible way, the irreplaceable stream and wildlife resources on the Uinta Range. I have arranged to have sent each of you copies of our Issues Paper #1 dealing with costs and cost/benefit ratios and Bureau of Reclamation calculations for the Bonneville Unit as well as reports by Salt Lake County Attorney, Paul Van Dam, prepared for the Salt Lake CountyCommission, which indicate that with efficient State management of available surface and ground water supplies, with dual water systems and recycling and other conservation measures, that CUP developed water is not needed at least until the year 2,000, if at all. It is not the intent of our concerned Utah citizens and CRCUP supporters, that the answer to Utahfs development will be predicated on utilizing new, high quality trout stream water from the Uinta Range for all its irrigation, and industrial purposes as well as for municipal use. Alternatives exist and we are determined to see them used. |
