From Deseret News archives:
Eco-groups might prefer new Dixie bill
The once controversial bill has been revived, with the changes, by Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, and Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah. The Washington County Growth & Conservation Act of 2008, as it is called, would allow a little more than 9,000 acres of non-environmentally sensitive public land to be sold under local guidelines developed through a smart growth initiative called Vision Dixie, Bennett said.
This is a decrease from the 24,300 acres proposed in the 2006 version of the bill, but "that number was always a cap and not a goal," Bennett said. That bill received committee hearings but never was voted on in either the House or Senate.
Bennett said he hopes to have a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on the bill before the end of the month. There is still plenty of time to get the bill through this year.
"So many previous antagonists are now on board," Bennett said. "I found people on all sides were getting sick of the controversy."
The highlights of the bill include:
• 264,394 acres of land would be added to the National Wilderness Preservation System, increasing the amount of wilderness acreage in the county from 3.5 percent to 20.5 percent.
• The creation of two National Conservation Areas to provide 140,000 acres for the protected desert tortoise, as well as recreational uses.
• 123,000 more acres of permanently protected land than was included in the previous bill.
• 9,000 acres of public land would be sold to private developers, with all of the money either going to the county or being used locally by the Bureau of Land Management.
• A proposed utility corridor for the Lake Powell pipeline and a northern transportation corridor are not included, although Bennett said these changes could be made through the administration.
• Designation of 165 miles of the Virgin River as a Wild and Scenic River, the first one in Utah.
Recent comments
Let's not forget, this started out as a sweetheart deal to SW Utah...
sundog | April 11, 2008 at 8:47 a.m.
I don't see how this was a compromise. It just seems that more...
Anonymous | April 10, 2008 at 9:25 a.m.
Where are the added wilderness areas? Let's look at the map. Each...
Geezer | April 10, 2008 at 7:23 a.m.
- Cougars beat Utes in overtime 1:11 a.m.
- UVU beats SUU; USU wins big 12:57 a.m.
- BYU spikers end season with a loss 12:55 a.m.
- Iverson may be headed to 76ers 12:34 a.m.
- Credit Coug defense for win 12:33 a.m.
- Aggies blow away T-birds 12:32 a.m.
- Mo steals show in Cavaliers' victory 12:31 a.m.
- Editorial: Facilitate Big Brother? 12:22 a.m.
- Mom befriends wife of PTSD vet 12:21 a.m.
- Political clash over U.S. debt 12:21 a.m.
- Cave to be sealed with body inside
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
- Predicting the unpredictable: BYU wins
- Cougars beat Utes in overtime
- BYU is champion of the state
- Vegas, Poinsettia bowls or bust
- Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
- BYU football: 5 keys to victory
- Glover gives Utes last-second upset
- Idaho woman dies after fall
- Cougars beat Utes in overtime
396 - Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
150 - Thunder rolls by Jazz
136 - Cave to be sealed with body inside
115 - Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
115 - Editorial: Poor welcome for Palin
113 - Rivalry Week is highly profane
88 - Hall's legacy measured today
75 - Y. focused on 10-win season
73 - Letters: C02 causes warming
70
I wanted to tell them not to go. I dropped subtle hints. "My money is on...
When I was a kid, I worshipped my grandpa. He was undoubtedly my hero....
watch out for next year for sure, the negatives are just closet (and...
And something else, I generally follow players from the state schools when...
I could care less that Max Hall said what he did. The feeling is mutual BYU...
Dear Max, probably could have done without that comment. Probably would've...
As a Utah fan, let me first say congratulations to Max Hall, the Cougars, and...
Geno's and Pat's are good.. but, they are mostly for tourists, the real...
(You even got a middle initial... how's that for 'ya Max) It's nice to see...
Even today, I still cannot get enough of this movie or Charles Gitonga Maina....
...disappointed with Max Hall's comments that he hates everything about UofU....
Over the last few days I read comments of people complaining about tasteless...


