After the plan of action described in an environmental impact statement is officially adopted by the commission, there will be 30 days to challenge the EIS in federal court, according to Craig Smith, an attorney hired by Myton to help stop the project. Smith spoke at the Thursday strategy-planning meeting, along with directors of the Tri-County Department of Health and the Duchesne Mosquito Abatement District.

"The only good way to fight West Nile virus is to reduce habitat," said abatement director Kay West. "If you grow the habitat, you grow the problem. As long as we have habitat, we're going to be dealing with West Nile for the rest of our lives."

According to health director Joseph Shaffer, Myton is already the center for the highest number of West Nile cases in the Uintah Basin.

Among dozens who rose to denounce the project was tribal member Helen Wash, a resident of Fort Duchesne, a reservation town 15 miles from Myton.

"We've had tribal members come down with this virus, but the (business) committee people have been very insensitive about this. It's like we talk to them and talk to them and talk to them, every which way we try to talk to them, and it's like, they don't listen to us."

"The counsel is more (concerned) for money, but if we do tell them maybe some way, somehow we can work together," Wash added. "I'm not giving up on them, even though they don't listen. It's very serious, it's very important ... I say don't give up."

Pike said in discussions with business committee members, he was told the Mitigation Commission is promising $12.5 million over 20 years for the Ute Tribe to manage the wetland.

In October committee member Ron Groves, who also serves as the tribe's liaison with the mitigation commission, said during a Duchesne County Council of Governments meeting, "I don't know why you're worried about this. It (the wetland) probably won't even be here in another 10 or 20 years."

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