California-based environmental historian Wade Graham, writing in an opinion piece in the Los Angeles Times last month, called the bill a "brazen" land grab that would sell off public land to benefit private developers. The measure's provisions for the Lake Powell Pipeline also could affect water supplies for 25 million people in seven Western states, added Graham, who is a board member of the Glen Canyon Institute, a Colorado River restoration group based in Salt Lake City.

"Washington County's attempted water heist isn't just a local crackpot scheme," he wrote. "A new tap puts everyone's supplies in jeopardy."

A battle ahead

The measure does have some vocal supporters. Zion National Park Superintendent Jock Whitworth said the bill would help protect the Virgin River and thousands of acres of proposed wilderness area in the park.

"It's been 22 years since we first recommended designating those areas as wilderness," said Whitworth. "It would be very exciting to actually see that happen. It would also give us some good management tools to help us preserve and protect resources within the park."

Dale Grange, president of the 200-member Tri-State OHV Club, said he likes the bill with one exception.

"It's a great bill, except they didn't protect RS-2477 roads in the county," said Grange, referring to hundreds of miles of undeveloped back roadways.

But opponents are vowing to continue their fight. The Utah Wilderness Coalition said last week the bill introduced in Congress "needs to be dramatically changed if it is going to effectively balance growth and conservation."

Bennett and Matheson promised that after the legislation is introduced in Congress and before any vote is taken, both the House and Senate would hold public hearings on the bill.

Fitzgerald said members of Citizens for Dixie's Future question the bill's purpose, and she believes it needs revision.

"We want the county commissioners to know of our concerns and to hopefully bring about some changes in the bill," she said. "We have a lot at stake."

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E-mail: nperkins@desnews.com