By Julie Johansen
Emery County Public Lands Council chairman Rod Player opened Tuesday’s meeting by remarking about the great resources of the county that bring tourists from throughout of the world. He visited with tourists on the desert that come every year from Germany. Committeeman Loren Huntsman also voiced the same type of remarks, remarking on visits with guests that have been coming from Maryland every year since the 1980s.
Next up, Randy Johnson reported on the Emery County Public Lands Bill. The bill has now passed both the House and Senate mark-up voice votes. He stated that a few changes had been made in order to get it through the Senate, but these changes will be considered when negotiating the bill between the Senate and House. He continued that the land bill is in the strongest position it can be and he is confident that it will be passed this year.
Ray Peterson, Emery County Public Lands Coordinator, reported that the Public Lands Council worked on the state request for a county plan for Inventory on the Utah Roadless Forest Service areas. This plan will be passed on to the planning commission to be added to the General Plan as an appendix if approved and then presented to the county commission for approval.
Chris Conrad from the Price BLM Office reported on the wild horse gather recently conducted on the Muddy River allotment area. Approximately 146 horses were gathered and removed. On the Tavaputs range, 92 head were also removed. A new sterilization drug has been approved to be administered to the mares by rifle shots, much the same as tranquilizers, and will be used on the wild horse herds in these areas.
Chris Wood of the Division of Wildlife Resources announced several upcoming activities. On Oct. 12, a youth pheasant hunt at Desert Lake will take place as well as on Oct. 27 at the Hatt Ranch. In these hunts, applications are taken and then five names are drawn for the permits. The youth must be accompanied by an adult. Wood also reported about the salmon spawning at Electric Lake and Bolger Reservoir streams. The DWR will be stocking several hundred mature pheasants in the area for the annual general hunt again this year.
Forest ranger Daren Olsen introduced a new ranger for the Price Office, Ryan Neal. Neal has recently transferred from Oregon. Ranger Olsen also noted that applications for summer jobs with the Forest Service are now being accepted. These are for individuals 18 and above, but some younger jobs are also available through the youth corps.
The council then gave the bleak report on the storage of the area reservoirs and lakes.
Josh Emfield, from congressman John Curtis’ office, reported that a Rural Business Summit will be at USU Eastern on Nov. 9 to promote rural hiring and relocating of businesses from urban to rural areas.
Finally, chairman Player reminded the audience of the Joe’s Valley Fest being hosted in Emery County Oct. 6 and 7.