Nuclear plants planned in Utah

The uranium boom is beginning to mature in Western Colorado and Eastern Utah. Plans for not one, but two new nuclear power plants are now on the books in Utah, and the nearby town of Green River is being considered as the ideal location for the plants.

Utah State Reps. Aaron Tilton and Mike Noel are currently pushing the new plants through the State Legislature. The pair has drafted legislation that would rewrite Utah’s energy rules to tilt the playing field in favor of nuclear power over other alternatives. It would also eliminate competitive bidding processes for plants, which would be the first of their kind in the Beehive State.

Curiously, Rep. Tilton is somehow managing to play both sides of the field – advocating for the legislation on the one hand and serving as CEO of Transition Power, the company proposing the plants, on the other.

Last month Tilton signed a contract to secure the rights to nearly 10 billion gallons of water per year, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. That water would be used for cooling in the power plants that Tilton and Transition Power would like to see located in Green River, just north of Moab.

Green River, a small community located off of I-70, has accepted Transition Power with open arms. Green River Mayor Ed Bentley told the Tribune he had only heard of the plan second hand, but still favored it. “Anything that would provide good-paying jobs would be excellent for our community,” he said.

Tilton disputed that there is a firm plan to build the facilities in Green River, saying the plants remain in the conceptual phases. However, he did confirm that the company hopes to build two nuclear power plants, side-by-side. “One unit doesn’t give you the scale of economy to give the best competitive advantages,” he told the paper.

He added that his company was set up with the goal of locating a site, acquiring water rights and land, and doing the preliminary studies necessary to get an Early Site Permit from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The company would then sell the permit to a power company or consortium of companies.

On the flip side, the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah (HEAL Utah) is an alliance of citizens and organizations working to protect the health of Utahns from nuclear waste. The group is arguing that the State Legislature is deliberately rewriting law to pave the way for the plants and exclude public involvement or examination of alternatives. The conservation group added that the new legislation would eliminate the competitive bidding process, which would mean that a utility could pull the plug at any time on a nuclear construction project and Utahns would have to foot the bill.

Opponents also contend that if a nuclear plant is built in Utah, there are no guarantees the electricity produced would stay in the state. There is a guarantee, however, that the nuclear waste would remain on-site for decades.

Uncompahgre recreation faces cuts

Recreation has gone on the chopping block on the other side of the San Juan Mountains. The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests recently released a long-awaited plan that dramatically cuts developed recreation across the three forests over the next five years.

Under the plan, 37 campgrounds, picnic areas and trailheads will be fully or partially “decommissioned” and have their facilities such as toilets, picnic tables, water systems and fire rings removed. At least 12 sites will have most facilities removed and be downgraded from developed to dispersed use. An additional eight sites are threatened with a similar fate unless they can attract a concessionaire to take over their management. Five new gates will be installed to limit access.

Close to home, the plan, entitled Recreation Facility Analysis Proposed Program of Work, will decommission the Lizard Head Interpretive Site and the East Naturita Winter Trailhead and partially decommission the Silver Jack campground near Ouray, among other things. At the same time, the GMUG plans to build two entirely new recreation sites and perform major reconstruction at 14, adding electric hookups at two campgrounds.

However, the Durango-based Western Slope No Fee Coalition is crying foul. The group contends that the Forest Service kept the changes secret until just last week. The coalition alleges that the federal budget made $1 million available for recreation for the GMUG forest and yet the plan lists less than $250,000 as available.

“The money allocated by Congress is being siphoned off into agency overhead and never making it to the ground,” said Kitty

Benzar, WSNFC President. “Local managers need look no further than their own bureaucracy for the source of the shortages.”

Benzar also questions whether major upgrades, electric hookups and other expensive improvements are appropriate when the Forest Service cannot afford its most basic facilities.  

“The mission of the Forest Service should be to make outdoor recreation available and affordable for everyone,” she said. “That doesn’t require a lot of amenities, just simple things like picnic tables and toilets, exactly the type of amenities that are being removed.”

Network picks up local race series

Durango is once again going out over the national airwaves this week. Altitude Sports Network will broadcast coverage of the Adventure Xstream Race Series and Xstream Expedition Adventure Race this Sat., Nov. 10, at 3:30 p.m. MST. The hour-long program will show on Saturday and another 13 times this fall.

The locally-based Adventure Xstream Race Series includes adventure races in Durango, Buena Vista, Breckenridge, Vail and Moab. In the races, solo and team racers are challenged in a number of disciplines including mountain biking, trekking, trail running, kayaking, ropes work and navigation. Doug Ballmer, director of programming for Altitude, said the races are a perfect fit for the network.

“The Adventure Xstream Adventure Race Series is a great programming acquisition,” he said. “The race series is located in the Rocky Mountain region and the multi-sport racing family has a loyal fan base within our telecast territory. We are excited to bring the fast growing sport of adventure racing to Altitude.”

Durango’s Trousdale Productions produced the broadcast and a DVD, which features music from local bands Formula 151 and the Lawn Chair Kings. Altitude Sports & Entertainment is a regional sports and entertainment network available to 5.2 million subscribers and is home to the Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets, in addition to other sports and entertainment.

D&SNGRR aimss for the high end

Though ridership was flat this year on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, revenues managed to climb by 7 percent.

“More riders were paying for luxury on the train,” Al Harper, owner of the local tourist train since 1998, said at a recent Chamber of Commerce function in Silverton. “The market is telling us there is an insatiable appetite for first-class service.”

Harper, theSilverton Standard reported, also said special events, such as the Polar Express-themed train that is expected to draw 17,000 customers, are a growing portion of the railroad business.

He also encouraged Silverton to develop more first-class hotel rooms, to draw customers willing to stay overnight. Currently, nearly all passengers arrive shortly before noon and depart by mid-afternoon. “Most rooms now are decent, but not first class,” he said. “This needs to be a $500-a-night per person package.” First-class overnight rail packages could “revolutionize” businesses in Silverton’s business district, Harper added.

– Will Sands