The Bureau of Land Management issued their Record of Decision on seven right-of-way applications from Enefit American Oil on their proposed utility corridor project in Uintah County. The decision, announced on Wednesday, approved the applications following the BLM’s review of comments and public feedback received during a 60-day comment period.
Month: September 2018
Multiple Planning Efforts Continue in Daggett County
Work continues on multiple planning efforts in Daggett County. According to the Commissioner’s monthly update, the Master Trails Plan remains in process in Daggett County. The creation of the plan is funded through a Utah State Parks and PCIB grant. “There will be more to come as this process develops,” shares the Daggett County Commission.
USU-Uintah Basin Student Works Summer for USDA Wildlife Service
The combination of job experience with a University degree can give a new graduate a leg up when applying for jobs. One USU-Uintah Basin student is counting his blessing for the internship he was able to experience this summer. Morgan Larsen worked for the United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Service as part of the Berryman Institute Scholarship he had received. “The internship was my first job in wildlife management,” shares Larsen.
Main Threat of ‘Boone Draw Fire’ Subsides
The main threat of the Boone Draw Fire has subsided. According to the Northwest Colorado Fire Management Unit, BLM and county officials decided to reduce the size of the area closure last week to only include the area most immediately impacted by the fire, heavy equipment traffic, and fire management activities.
Missouri Sex Offender Arrested at Rock Springs Area Playground
A Missouri man wanted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was arrested at a Rock Springs area playground last week. According to Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office, 23-year-old Cody Lynn Cotter was taken into custody by deputies after residents reported a suspicious person in the area around the playground. When approached by deputies, Cotter reported he had come into the area that day by bus seeking work. A routine check showed that Cotter was wanted in Missouri for Failure to Register on the Missouri sex offender registry. Sheriff Mike Lowell clarified that there were no children playing at the playground at the time of Cotter’s arrest. His return to Missouri to face charges there is pending.
Local Search and Rescue Volunteers Participate in Two-Day Training Event
Local search and rescue volunteers attended a two-day training event in southern Utah over the weekend. The 2018 Search and Rescue State Training Conference was held at Sand Hollow State Park in Hurricane and included first responders from Utah and Arizona.
Roosevelt City Seeking to Fill Chairs on Economic Development Committee
Economic development is a crucial part of any municipality and Roosevelt City is doing their part to have a successful Economic Development Committee. The City announced last week the need for volunteer local businessmen and women interested in serving with the group of community members whose focus is on helping the economy thrive.
Wild Sandhill Cranes Abundant in the Uintah Basin
Sandhill cranes are a sight to behold and they are in abundance in the Uintah Basin this year. The Division of Wildlife Resources held a successful day long viewing event on Saturday. The event started at the Jensen Nature Park, made a stop at the Uintah County Library for activities, and then an auto tour to the crane’s roosting grounds at Pelican Lake and the Ouray National Wildlife Refuge. The sandhill cranes are among the world’s largest migratory birds standing around 4 feet tall and with a wingspan of 6 to 7 feet across. Their cries can be heard over 2 miles away. Biologists estimate that currently there are around 1,200 sandhill cranes in the Uintah Basin and by the time the birds peak in November there will be as many as 5,000 cranes to have stopped by the Uintah Basin during migration this year.
Highway 40 Construction Causing Delays for BTA Routes
Construction on Highway 40 is causing expected delays for travelers and this does not exclude the transit system. BTA, Basin Transit Association, reported Monday that road construction from Myton to Bridgeland on Highway 40 is causing delays for the bus system.
State Forester on Costly Wildfire Season and Need to Focus on Prevention
The lives of Uintah Basin residents have been affected by the extreme wildfire season and unfortunately, it isn’t over yet. State Forester Brian Cottam made a report last week and offered some sobering information. The Herald Journal reports that according to Cottam, on average each season, wildfire suppression in Utah burns around 125,000 acres and carries a price tag of $50 million dollars but this season in Utah 245,000 acres have burned and it has cost the state $100 million dollars and the season isn’t even over.