Coal Mine to Double Heavy Truck Traffic on Hwy 89
None by Lara Jones
Tourist Businesses in Southern Utah Oppose Operation
(KCPW News) Businesses along Highway 89 in southern Utah say heavy truck traffic will nearly double when a proposed coal mine starts up next year in Kane County. Peggy Egan owns the Red Brick Inn bed-and-breakfast in Panguitch, which is in Garfield County, and she's worried about the physical impact of adding so many heavy trucks into the traffic mix of Highway 89:"The vibration - this town is full of 100-plus-year-old red brick homes that the truck vibration is already damaging; the coal dust, the road dirt that filters into the business already - now double that; and then the tourists who love to wander around this town and look at these old homes sometimes seem to be more enchanted by looking at the house than watching where they're going."
Alton Coal Development has indicated that it could begin extracting coal from private land as early as next year, in which case locals can expect to see an additional 153 truck trips a day - and that's just one-way trips. Egan says the impact is even more burdensome because royalties, which would kick in if and when Alton mines BLM land in the area, wouldn't go to the area impacted most heavily by those trucks:
"As it turns out, the royalties will return to Kane County, where the mine is, and the state. Garfield County, which is the bulk of the transportation route, will not receive any money for it. We'll be paying the price, while Kane County benefits."
Egan says she and other tourism-based businesses are banding together to oppose the coal mine. To hear more from Egan, listen to a podcast of Midday Metro.
Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW
1. Robert Leuchte said:
As a very active International traveler, enviromental volunteer, and a recent part-time and hopefully soon to be permanent resident of Panguitch Utah I feel myself very pulled by this issue. I love this town dearly. Its people are warm, gracious, and genuine. The surrounding countryside is is by far one of the most glorious places I have ever witnessed.While I am concerned about the impact a mine may have on the roads, water, air, etc. I am also troubled that it seems that the residents of rural American towns and counties are once again being asked to sacrifice finacially for the good of all of us. Garfield and Kane County have lost much of their ranching and logging jobs due to policies made in Washington D.C. While I believe that the Federal goverment has a mandate to protect our resources for all its people, I also believe that it has a responsibility to help compensate and revitalize those communities affected by the consequence of those protective actions. It also has a responsibility to ensure that it reviews its policies to see that they are truly effective. One has only to look at the Forest Service Policies of the past 30 years to understand that common sense is not always present in the halls of the powerful.If you want to protect this beautiful part of Utah forever, find a way for the people of Panguitch to enjoy a standard of living comparable to what most of us have. Sadly these communities are really the victims of the mindless, uncooperative, winner take all mentality we have in Washington. If people would just sit down and compromise a little bit, then I believe that we could save what is best of Americas wild places and preserve the dignity and livlihood of those who reside within their bondaries.
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