Representatives of Utah's congressional delegation will join local and federal government officials and commercial outfitters this week on a two-day river outing to become familiar with Bureau of Land Management recreational issues.
The whitewater rafting trip Thursday and Friday on the Colorado River will also involve Jim Hughes, deputy assistant secretary of the Interior, and representatives of the BLM National Advisory Council and University of Utah's Moab center for fine arts.The trip was planned mainly to provide Sen. Jake Garn, R-Utah, a firsthand look at a 12-mile stretch along Westwater Canyon that is proposed for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic River System, said Mary Plumb, spokeswoman for the Moab District BLM.
She said the group also planned to discuss proposed designation of the San Rafael Swell as a BLM wilderness, national conservation area or national park; proposed federal appropriations to lessen impacts from tourism along the Colorado River and on public lands in southern Utah; and a proposal for a national park for the performing arts on BLM land east of Moab.
Garn, co-sponsor of the wild rivers legislation with Rep. Howard Nielson, R-Utah, initiated plans for the Westwater Canyon tour but had to cancel at the last minute because of a conflict in his schedule, Plumb said.
"Senator Garn had particularly requested the trip when it would be at its wildest, and it was scheduled for their (congressional) recess. Then something else came up," Plumb said.
"But the canyon definitely speaks for itself. He's heard enough from his constituents that he's convinced (Westwater should be protected)," she said.
Russ von Koch, BLM Grand resource area recreation planner, said Westwater has been singled out for protection because of outstanding geologic features, fish and wildlife values, scenery, and whitewater rafting opportunities.
Garn's amendments to the bill also propose wild rivers designation of 62 miles of the river that includes Cataract Canyon in Canyonlands National Park.
Nielson's version on Westwater was introduced in the House last year. The amended Senate version has to be considered by the Subcommittee on Public Lands and National Parks and pass through the Interior Committee before it goes to the Senate for deliberation.
"It's been a long, drawn-out process - a lot of study and research and discussion and debate by a lot of people," Plumb said. "So it's definitely a well-thought-out bill."
The 23-member group touring Westwater this week is scheduled to launch on six rafts Thursday morning at the BLM ranger station in northeast Grand County. They are expected to disembark late Friday afternoon at the Cisco take-out.
Co-hosts of the trip are commercial outfitters Holiday River Expeditions of Salt Lake City, Adventure River Expeditions of Sandy and Western River Expeditions, Moab.
Local participants will include Grand County Commissioner Merv Lawton; Moab City Councilman Dave Bierschied, a member of the Blue Ribbon Committee on Moab Tourism; Emery County Commissioner Duane Collard; and Geoffrey Panos, director of the University of Utah Knight Studio/Conservatory in Moab.
Garn will be represented by congressional aide Bob Weidner from Washington and Robert Dibblee, a member of his staff in Salt Lake City.