By Julie Johansen
The first 2021 meeting of the Emery County Public Lands board on Tuesday welcomed Randall Stilson, a former public lands council member, to open the meeting. Stilson thanked those he had previously worked with on the board. He stated it was hard for him to resign after serving intermittently for several years, speaking of the many things the board has accomplished in those years. Stilson reminded the Forest Service of his desire to have the Olsen Trail reopened as he feels it is a heritage trail.
Chairman Rod Player then recommended that everyone take the opportunity to visit the Swell and see its beauty this time of year. He reported being at the Wedge on New Year’s Day with a temperature of 0 degrees and still seeing campers. Player then announced that he and Leon McElprang have been reappointed to the board.
Dana Truman of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) spoke next, saying that many had mentioned the beauty on the Swell to her as well. She continued to report on how busy they have been cleaning bathrooms and campgrounds. However, her disappointment was voiced about some off-road users leaving large “donut” holes.
Truman said the BLM has a sizable project on Buckhorn Wash with the goal to define campsites as well as add signs and new restrooms. Some new bathrooms have already been placed on the Good Water Rim Trail. She also reported that two new rangers have been added to the BLM staff and they will be in the field with the other rangers.
Truman added that updates are coming to the Jurassic National Monument in the form of trails and improvements. She also reminded all that the San Rafael scoping will begin in February. Other issues addressed included the right of way on Long Street in Green River, power plant land transfer and the wild horse situation on the desert. Meetings are pending on these issues.
Chris Conrad, BLM Director, announced two virtual meetings dealing with travel management, which will take place on Feb. 2 at 3:30 p.m. and Feb. 4 at 6 p.m. He reported that the Lila Canyon lease would be signed Tuesday or Wednesday, and the William’s Draw lease as been paused pending the consideration of land trades with the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA).
The next report was from Mark Stilson, the Utah State Water Engineer. Most of the action his agency is seeing right now is on water banking on the Price River in the Olsen Reservoir in the Marshing Wash, which is in Emery County. He also reported that the Department of Wildlife Resources could use the reservoir to improve the fish habitat down the Price River.
The Department of Oil, Gas, and Mining (DOGM) then reported six lease permit transfers due to the bankruptcy of Murray Corp. and Castle Valley Mining. Giving an industry report, he stated that there were no pending applications for drilling and there were only five in 2020. The last well permit was in 2018 and production is only at 1/3 of 10 years ago. He was questioned if demand is down or if resources are depleted. He replied that it seems to be two things: economic advantages of drilling (horizontal) in the East and low gas prices.
Emery County Commissioner Lynn Sitterud asked that DOGM meet with them about turning Crandall Canyon into a camping destination with the reclamation. He said they had refused to come to the table and only wanted it restored to the original condition, which Commissioner Sitterud said would do no one any good as the sides are so steep.
Chris Wood, Department of Wildlife Resources, said December was slow but if anyone has seen or heard helicopters in the area, it is because they are doing deer and cougar studies. He reported that bison hunting in the Range Creek area is continuing but will end on Jan. 31. Wood also said that the Turtle Canyon and Range Creek roads are still open and private land owners continue to permit hunting. However, the University of Utah Museum road is closed. He also reported on the bounty for hunting coyotes is $50 with ears and jaws.
Bryan Torgersen, SITLA, remarked that they will soon begin to work on the land exchanges in Emery County, stating they are waiting to see what happens with Bears Ears National Monument. He reported a new solar lease application in Drunkard Wash of about 1,000 acres and a gravel permit application from Nielson’s about three miles up Huntington Canyon.
Forest Ranger Darin Olsen reported on fire treatment work in the Manti-La Sal. Lumber companies are still hauling wood off the high tops of the mountains around the Boulger Reservoir. On the north side of Skyline Drive, range improvement work of water improvement and corrals to Highway 6 is being done. He then reported that they need people to serve on a RAC committee to be able to use at least $300,000 in grant funding in Emery, San Juan and Sanpete counties to secure the Rural Schools Act.
Larry Johansen with Utah State Parks reported the retirement of Eugene Swahlberg, who has been serving as the public relations specialist for the state parks. He also reported that camping continues at Huntington North and that the snow cats are ready to groom trails once the snow falls. He also discussed the increase in fee prices for state parks.
Department of Agriculture representative Nathan Roberts announced the new Commissioner of Agriculture for the state of Utah is Craig Buttars from Cache County. He also wanted to remind permittees and producers that they are taking applications for water projects and range improvements.
At the conclusion of the Emery County Public Lands meeting, the Washington Delegation with representatives from most of the Utah Congressional team all voiced their concern about working with a new administration in the coming years. They reported that they had already began strategizing how to protect public lands in Utah. One concern was the new Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, and her apparent desire to restore the boundaries of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase National Monuments. They all praised the public lands board and their work to pass legislation to protect Emery County.