San Juan County's request for $850,000 to expand and renovate the Edge of The Cedars Museum in Blanding has been rejected by the state Community Impact Board.
Rick Bailey, administrative assistant to the San Juan County Commission, said the improvements were required by federal law if the museum retains Anasazi artifacts and other archaeological finds from southern Utah.Unless temperature controls, display cases and curatorial techniques are improved, the museum could lose artifacts to a federally accredited repository, such as one in Dolores, Colo., he said.
Board members said the county should seek the money from the Legislature, rather than from the board's limited funds from mineral-lease revenues.
Chairwoman Alice Shearer said the request was an issue of importance, and she argued for allocating some money to the county.
"Our part is the carrot (for the county) to go to the Legislature," she said. "The county thinks they can sell the Legislature on this in a package."
The board voted against motions to appropriate $500,000 or $850,000 for the museum.
In other action, it did approve $162,000 to Green River to complete financing for the John Wesley Powell River History Museum.
The money was part of a previously approved $1.6 million grant.
The board also agreed to loan $750,000 to the Fruitland Water Improvement District, on the condition that the district agree to pay 3 percent interest. The district had requested an interest-free loan.