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Show 4. I think that a Water Resources Council (or whatever you call it) could serve as the fulcrum which pulls into water issues, the separated environmental efforts in Utah. There is an enterrelatedness between Wilderness, Wildlife, mineral and power and highway developments, watershed management by the Forest Service and BLM, etc. and groups I have worked with in Utah all deal with some of these issues to some degree at some time. But no one has formed a group in Utah to concentrate on water resources specifically. Since the attitudes toward CUP development among existing groups in Utah, vary, from lack of interest to lack of feeling anything can be done, I believe a water oriented group would draw support which the CUP effort has difficulty doing. Please don't misunderstand'. I am not proposing to replace CRCUP - or its importance - or its efforts on the CUP. I think a public informed about water resources and new directions in water management could then be brought to address separate water development issues - such as the CUP. I think I could obtain funding for a Water Resources Group - once such a group is in existence - just as we are trying to do for CRCUP now. I don't know how I could obtain funds from Utah (living in Wisconsin) to start a group in Utah. Put your thinking cap on and see what we can come up with. Maybe we could get some type initial funding from major environmental groups interested in water issues In addition to Audubon Society, Natl Wildlife Federation and possibly Wildlife Management Institute. I met Larry Jahn when we served on an Advisory Field Trip on Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, Montan, Sept. 3-9, 1977. I asked him for Institute Funding for my proposed wildlife proposal in northeast Utah but he said I requested funds too late in the Institute budget procedures. The Institute has staff people already involved in trying to upgrade wildlife management in Region IV, U.S.Forest Service. (Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, Montana) I can see an enormous potential function on water - stemming from such a group. There is a similar need in Idaho, Wyoming, Arizona (Montana and Colorado are innovative and agressive). If we could get water conferences and Interstate meetings held in Salt Lake City through efforts of a Water Resources Council - this would give a tremendous boost to regional efforts - where Utah has been considered hopeless 1 I have contacts on resource sources in Idaho and in New Mexico. Western states need a sense of cohesiveness in their efforts - particularly in the southwestern states. There is already a Northern Rockies Foundation allied with University staffs, State and Federal Agencies and environmental groups. I am acquainted with Directors and personnel of -tL-^p*^j^J <*SAJL a number of environmental groups who could advise and meet " ' with us. Friend, Utah is one of the nation's magnificent treasures. For us to fail to try to bring about the preservation of significant regions of this State is a tragedy. |
