Doug and List,
There is a misconception about the role of the State of Utah in the handling
of the salt flats. The BLM has had sole responsibility since the late
1960's. The State has an interest in some state school lands, just a few
sections, and the fact of the physical presence of the flats, other than
that it's like 70% plus of Utah, all under federal control. We have had
sympathetic BLM people over the years but we have had some who would step on
whatever bodies happened to be in their way on the upward ladder. Those
people have totally dismissed the racers and racing interests on the salt.
The Utah Salt Flats Racing Association was the outgrowth of the BLM saying
in 1975 that the racers didn't use the salt enough. The BLM focus has been
what they call multiple use management. In that it was the commercial
interests, mining companies who eventually sold to other mining companies
and eventually to Reilly who had a free reign. Reilly owns much of the
area where the races were held this year. They have raped the salt flats
and make commercial lease payments of under $100,000 a year on the part they
don't own. A figure of fifteen vertical inches of salt loss has been tossed
out and is probably a minimum loss. That's over 28 square miles of the
"racing" surface and originally 150 square miles of the pristine salt flats.
That's a lot of salt!
We are fortunate to have a very good group in the BLM Salt Lake Regional
office at this time. They listen and are fair. How long that status-quo
will be maintained is anyones guess. Reilly has been pumping brine at a
better pace than expected. They are being great at this time. We need
support from both places.
Racers need to maintain a contact with their senators and congressmen and
let them know what they want on the salt restoration project ... a return of
decent racing on the 14 mile long International course. The BLM changes
directors every couple of years, political appointees, even one from Utah
who was BLM Director for a rather short time who bent over backwards to
avoid favoring Utah in his decisions. The Clinton administration has a
history of dealing with Utah from over the borders, perhaps because Bill
came in third in the voting in Utah in the last election.
We don't know how much Reilly is actually taking off the salt. Their
harvesting continues at a strong pace. We wouldn't be where we are on the
restoration project if it were not for Rick Vesco who was the "squeaking
wheel" who really got things going,Wally Parks (who dearly loves the salt
flats and land-speed racing), the NHRA, SEMA and their financial involvement
and the racers. Some very influential people have silently helped in a big
way. The Save the Salt Committee now has the "ball" and we need the racing
community to keep on them to be pro-active, not reactive. We need to be mad
as hell and let people know we are. If we are quiet ... we lose it all.
Wes Potter USFRA Secretary
> From: dferguso@ebmail.gdeb.com
> To: landspeedracer@email.msn.com, Land-speed@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Good ideas
> Date: Thu, 9 Dec 1999 11:07:20 -0500
>
>yes, i believe that restoring and preserving the physical saltbed, and
>maintaining a good relationship with the blm, reilly chemical, and the
>state of utah bureaucracy is the most important and crucial thing we can do
>to ensure the future of land speed racing at bonneville. hi - tech
>electronics and turbos wont force land speed into extinction, but these
>issues quite possibly could
>
>i'm sure that this approach is applicable to other venues of land speed
>also
>doug @ black radon engineering
>
>
>
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