Reader comments
Fight brewing over Bear Lake project

9 comments   |   Read story

Bear Laker | 4:59 a.m. April 20, 2008
This story uses the term environmentalist which has become to be synonymous with radical activist. The people opposing this misuse of Bear Lake hardly fit in that group. It is the families that live around the lake and from all over the state of Utah that know this is a bad idea for such a unique and beautiful lake. It would be more appropriate to couch this story as �environment hysteria threatens jewel of the Rockies � �Citizens in uproar over possible theft of state land and risk to natural beauty� - Bad Story Bad Idea.
Just a Guy | 7:01 a.m. April 20, 2008
Bear Laker....Turn your lights off and take yourself off the grid then!!! And get a couple hundred thousand others to follow suit so we don't need so many new power plants here!!!

I say build it!!!
liberal larry | 7:41 a.m. April 20, 2008
Hey, Bear Laker, environmentalist is good term, you guys have been listening to too much Rush, funny how many people become aware when their little slice of paradise is being threatened.
Anyway, this billion dollar scheme will actually be a net loser of energy! It is just jiggling around energy production to sell it at peak times, to get a net gain in money, but a net loss of energy. I hope the rest of you Bear Lakers don't roll over and let this lunacy happen.
Comments continue below
Geezer | 7:56 a.m. April 20, 2008
This project is an energy-waster, and it would damage values of Bear Lake. Let's treasure the lake and protect it.
K.Cook | 9:03 a.m. April 20, 2008
It just doesn't make sense to risk the Caribbean blue color of Bear Lake or its habitat for Symbiotics LLC to profit from a net loss energy game. This is a bad idea.
There are far better ways to generate electricity. (At a net gain not loss)
veedub | 4:33 p.m. April 20, 2008
It is foolish to count on the continued use of lower cost of night time electricity to make money on selling the higher cost daytime electricity.

Seems like lots of people bought diesel cars/trucks partly because diesel was cheaper than gasoline. Not any more!
The idea works | 5:15 p.m. April 20, 2008
There are several projects similar to this one currently in operation across the U.S. (ex: Tennessee Valley Authority). To veedub: electricity will always be cheaper at night, unless we all start sleeping during the day (and not using AC), and working at night.

This power plant provides an opportunity to run existing power plants more efficiently, by keeping their outputs relatively constant. Although this system does lose some energy, it allows other power plants to run at more constant levels, which makes them more efficient.

For everyone who continues to oppose this system, the eventual alternative is to build another nice, big, coal-fired plant to meet the electricity demand during peak hours. Isn't always interesting that the people who call for everything to be eco-friendly always seem to oppose projects that are the most eco-friendly, such as this one.
casey | 10:05 a.m. April 22, 2008
This is not about some crazy environmentalists that don't want this in their back yard, or whether or not pumped storage is a viable technology. It is about and ill conceived project that most certainly will have definite impacts on Bear Lake and the local community. Dr. Lamarra has said, "All interactions in the environment have their consequences, both positive and negative. The Hook Canyon Project is no exception." It is the unavoidable negative impact of the project that causes the opposition. Bear Lake is in everyone's back yard and is the wrong place for this project. If Symbiotics wants to build a pumped storage project let them build both reservoirs and not try to steal Bear Lake. If Symbiotics tried to put solar panels ( a truly renewable energy source ) on Delicate Arch would we let them? The storage project on Bear Lake is just as ridiculous. There are other options better suited for the Symbiotics proposal. And Dr. Lamarra should quit being appalled or shocked that people who have researched his proposal oppose it for good reason. Local Governing bodies have signed resolutions opposing it and I don�t think they are just crazy uninformed environmentalists.
Nobody's fool | 6:51 a.m. April 23, 2008
Hey "Just a Guy" where do you live? On Bear Lake? Yeah, I thought so, you don't even know where it is do you? You've probably never even been there. You probably work for the power company. You are the kind that doesn't really care where things come from or how damaging they really are as long as they benefit you. Do your due dillegence and research the environmental impacts that similar projects have had on their environments before blindly saying "just build it". A good example - Hoover Dam. Check it out. It produces power but at what expense? If they want to build this project then let them create their own reserviors and use their own power! This project consumes more power than it generates. I know a shady deal when I see it, how about you? Use some common sense dude!

Add your comment

Comments are monitored. Any comments found to be abusive, offensive, off-topic, misrepresentative, more than 200 words or containing URLs will not be posted.

Words Remaining

E-mail address: For internal use only. We may want to contact you to publish your comment (not your e-mail address) in the newspaper or for a separate story idea.

previousnext

Latest comments

Speaking of lights... I like how the LDS Church has a tradition of lighting...

I used to be a student at BYU-H some years ago and worked at the PCC as a...

Utes fall to Seattle U. at home

in the comment section. You can't write something candid and truthful or...

So what party to you think Palin should associate with? Her own GOP has...

BYU has slim shot at BCS

Yeh Go UTS! Win State! Beat that 5A high school! Go UTS.

4 years in the US Navy and I never saw a sidearm anywhere except for those...

Lampropoulos in Senate race

At least he isn't Sen. Bennett. Anyone at this point would be better than...

BYU ties give Utes an edge

Wide struggles to get 50 yards against the BYU run defense, his little...

Nothing sad here at all. I would rather see this noble ship turned into a...

"RE: MormonDem | 4:27 p.m." said "it does NOT matter how many believe in...

Advertisements