Washington County elected officials proclaimed their defense of the proposed Lake Powell Pipeline, objecting to people, especially outsiders, presenting “misinformation” and challenging the public to research the facts. Their statements are ironic, as they resist an open review of the facts, data and logic used to support their conclusions.
They employ “outsiders” to lobby our legislature using public funds. They are concerned that those outside of Washington County are voicing concerns, even as the LPP will push the state’s bonding limit, robbing many worthy projects of funding. All Utahns have the right and the duty to weigh in on the LPP.
Our elected officials know that we, their constituents, have been studying the facts for years. Suggesting we have not, just because we reach different conclusions, is condescending. We have presented a fact-based position on the LPP and have asked them to review it in detail with us many times, with no response. It’s disingenuous to complain about misinformation while refusing scrutiny of their own position.
Our position is that Washington County should first focus on water conservation, becoming exemplary users of our local water supply, and consider the Lake Powell Pipeline only after: 1) our water use has become exemplary, 2) the security of the water right and the climate impacts to the Colorado River flows are better known, and 3) population growth has enabled reducing interest payments through a shorter loan period. Each of these points are supported with a rationale, a basis in fact, and a proposal for joint analysis where facts are unclear. This is a practical, sensible position that is a compromise, focusing on conservation now and considering the LPP later.
We share our elected officials’ desire for abundant and secure water, but we recognize the facts about wasteful water use, the risk of adding to Utah’s dependence on the Colorado River and the huge expense of the LPP. With wise use of our local water, Washington County could support its projected growth for many decades.
I know, respect and like many of our elected officials. Their exclusiveness and opaqueness on important issues confuses me. It is not the behavior of a government that is of, by and for the people. We, their constituents, continue to invite them to find a unifying position on the very divisive LPP, encouraging a transparent, fact-based, analytical conversation, rather than these superficial dueling opinions in newspapers.
The LPP’s federal approval process has just restarted as the state switched lead agencies to the Bureau of Reclamation, with the first step of defining the scope of the study. To limit public involvement, with support from our elected officials, the normal 90-day public comment period has been shortened to 30, and was scheduled during the holiday season, overlapping a similarly shortened period for the controversial Northern Corridor Highway.
We encourage you to use information in this article to submit scoping comments to the BOR at lpp@usbr.gov by Jan. 10. Ask them to include the various conservation methods (e.g., steeply tiered water pricing, building codes and incentives for wise landscaping) as an alternative, comparative water use of conservation-minded communities, the cost of interest payments, the LPP’s water right risk and the Colorado River’s declining flows, and the impact of higher water pricing on water use. Let’s plan our water future together.
Tom Butine is the board president of Conserve Southwest Utah, a grassroots nonprofit group of over 2,000 Washington County citizens advocating conservation of our natural resources.