Local reaction to governor's energy task force mixed
Last week, Gov. Gary Herbert announced the formation of his 10-year
Strategic Energy Plan Task Force.
“It will be a diverse working group composed of people from education,
the energy industry, market consumers and other stakeholders,” said Rob Behunin, special assistant to the president at USU-Uintah Basin
and a task force member.
David Garbett, staff attorney for Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance,
questions the wisdom of using market-based principles given the
composition of the working group.
“Of course we would hope that any commission would lead to a wiser
energy policy; however, given the makeup of the governor’s task force,
it’s kind of like hoping for a good result when you give a fox the keys
to the henhouse,” said Garbett.
Read more at the Vernal Express.
Udall may lead regional wilderness issue
The defeat of Utah Sen. Bob Bennett, a Republican, could have
repercussions that would put Colorado Sen. Mark Udall, a Democrat, at
the head of the regional wilderness movement.
The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance hasn’t given up on Bennett
being able to carry a wilderness bill through Congress, but
conservationists are looking for backstops, one of whom could be
Colorado’s Udall, said Terri Martin, western regional organizer for the
Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.
