For Immediate Release
Utah makes changes to the Lake Powell Pipeline that will significantly reduce costs
(Salt Lake City– September 25, 2019) – The Utah Board of Water Resources (UBWR) is simplifying the Lake Powell Pipeline (LPP) project by eliminating two reservoirs proposed to generate hydropower at times of peak demand. The modifications will reduce project costs more than $100 million, align with regulatory changes and reduce environmental impacts. LPP will still be able to produce hydropower using inline facilities.
“The primary purpose of the LPP is to diversify and increase the water supply for 13 communities in southwestern Utah. Focusing on the water delivery portion of the project streamlines the permitting process and helps move the project forward as efficiently as possible,” said Eric Millis, director of the Utah Division of Water Resources.
UBWR is currently working on the federal permitting activities associated with the construction of the LPP, including requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has been the lead federal agency for the NEPA process. However, FERC suggested UBWR consider using the hydropower conduit exemption expanded by Congress in 2018. This eliminates the commission’s license requirement for the LPP given each of the project’s inline facilities will produce less than 40 megawatts of power.
UBWR has requested that the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) lead the effort for completing the Environmental Impact Statement. It’s anticipated that the timeline and steps required to complete NEPA under the DOI are comparable to the current schedule.
Project changes also align with recommendations to reduce environmental impacts as suggested by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The removal of the reservoirs will eliminate impacts on several hundred acres of land that includes habitat for the desert tortoise and reduce potential impacts to waters of the U.S.
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Hey members of the media!
Here are some important reminders from our law enforcement before the general deer rifle hunt opens and also a look at when/why someone's hunting and fishing license is suspended. Thanks for spreading this message to the public!
For Immediate Release
Sept. 26, 2019
What DWR conservation officers want hunters, anglers to know
SALT LAKE CITY — The deer you shot on public land ran onto private property and then died. You shot and killed what you thought was a spike elk only to discover that it was actually a cow elk. You just finished filleting the six rainbow trout you caught before realizing that the catch limit at the reservoir was actually four. Before you find yourself in any of these scenarios, here’s what Utah Division of Wildlife Resources conservation officers would like you to know.
Do your research before going into the field
Just like you’d never fly a plane without getting some training and doing a lot of preparation, you shouldn’t go fishing or hunting without making sure you know the laws. The most common mistake that DWR conservation officers see is people killing wildlife without a valid permit, often due to negligence and not carefully checking the hunting permit.
You have to take hunter education or participate in Utah’s Trial Hunting Program to obtain a hunting license in Utah. Then, make sure to read and become familiar with the laws in the guidebook for the species you are hunting. You also need to make sure you carefully check the permit you drew so you know which season, species and unit you are allowed to hunt.
“The best way to stay out of trouble is to review those regulations and also check your permit carefully before you go out in the field,” DWR law enforcement investigator Doug Messerly said. “It’s shocking how many people go hunting without even opening their envelope to see what permit they drew. They often don’t check their permit until after they have harvested an animal, and then finally discover that they hunted in the wrong unit or season, or sometimes for the wrong species.”
The same goes for fishing. If you’re planning a fishing trip, make sure you have a current fishing license and take time to read the fishing guidebook so that you know the requirements for the waterbody you’re visiting. You should understand which species must be released, what the limit is for each species and what types of bait are allowed.
“There are hunting unit boundaries and fish limits for a reason,” Messerly said. “These things help us manage various wildlife species according to specific plans and to maintain healthy populations for each area or waterbody. If we don’t enforce the boundary or limits, our management plans don’t work as well.”
There are a lot of resources available on the DWR website, including maps to the hunting boundaries and popular fishing spots, and guidebooks that detail Utah’s hunting and fishing laws.
“If people have additional questions or concerns about the law, they can also call one of our DWR offices and talk to a law enforcement officer,” Messerly said.
How to avoid other common mistakes
Another common mistake that DWR conservation officers encounter is when a hunter mistakenly shoots the wrong animal. One great way to prevent that is to be absolutely sure of your target before taking the shot.
“Never take that shot if you aren’t absolutely sure and confident of your target and what is beyond your target,” Messerly said. “That will help prevent you from shooting a doe deer when you have a permit for a buck deer.”
You should also keep in mind that an animal doesn’t always drop right after it is hit.
“We have seen instances where someone took a shot and thought they missed, so they fired at another animal in the group. By the time they are done shooting, there will be five elk that are dead,” Messerly said. “It’s so important to be educated about these animals and what you are doing before you go out into the field.”
Another common scenario is when a hunter gets into a dispute with a private landowner about a deer shot on public property that crosses the hunting boundary line and dies on the landowner’s private property.
“If you choose to hunt so close to the boundary that the animal may jump the fence or cross that boundary line, then you need to prepare in advance for that possibility,” Messerly said. “You can’t just cross onto that private property and retrieve the deer. You need to immediately contact DWR law enforcement who will help you legally retrieve that deer. Otherwise, you are trespassing, which is illegal and can lead to conflicts with the landowner.”
If you use an ATV or other off-highway vehicle during your hunt, you should remember that the same DUI laws that apply to driving a regular vehicle also apply to an ATV.
"Driving an ATV while under the influence of either alcohol or drugs has the same stiff penalties as a regular motor vehicle,” Chris Haller, the off-highway vehicle program coordinator for the Division of Parks and Recreation, said. “These penalties can include jail time, fines, the loss of a driver’s license and being arrested. Be responsible, as this is an action that’s very preventable."
When and how hunting/fishing licenses are suspended
There are a variety of ways that people break the law. Some make a mistake. Others are opportunistic and will take advantage of an opportunity while hunting or fishing, even when they know it’s against the law. And some head out into the field fully intending to break the law ahead of time. In most of these instances, the person will be criminally prosecuted and will pay a fine. But for a hunting or fishing license to also be suspended, the person has to intentionally, knowingly or recklessly violate the law.
“If you make a mistake while hunting or fishing, we highly recommend that you contact DWR law enforcement,” Messerly said. “When someone self reports, that reduces the likelihood that your license will be suspended. We understand that people get scared or embarrassed, but it shows a lot of goodwill and says a lot about you if you will take responsibility for your actions. Learn from your mistakes and comply with the law.”
In 2016, 77 anglers and hunters had their licenses suspended. In 2017, that number rose to 86, and then slightly decreased in 2018 to 84. This year, 71 individuals have had their licenses suspended, as of Sept. 20.
The lengths of various suspensions are established by the Utah Legislature and are based on the designated class of crime. If the crime is determined to be a class C misdemeanor, the suspension is one year. For a class B, it’s three years. For a class A misdemeanor, it’s five years, and for a felony, it’s a seven-year suspension. However, those periods can be doubled for two reasons: if your license was already suspended at the time of the crime or if the crime involves a trophy animal.
“The entire purpose of wildlife law enforcement is to encourage people to comply with the laws,” Messerly said. “Those laws are made to benefit wildlife and the public. I honestly wish that everyone would just comply with the law so that we didn’t have to do suspensions. That is our goal. But unfortunately, people do break the law, and we believe that a license suspension is the best deterrent we have for people who intentionally break those wildlife laws.”
If an investigation reveals that a crime meets the criteria for license suspension, the person is notified and is offered a hearing. These hearings are held at the Utah Department of Natural Resources building in Salt Lake City on the first Tuesday of each month and are open to the public. A hearing officer receives the details of the case and determines whether the hunting or fishing license will be suspended. If a person disagrees with the suspension, they may appeal it to the Utah Wildlife Board within 20 days of the hearing officer’s order being issued.
“Along with determining if someone knowingly, intentionally or recklessly violated the law, we also take into account the circumstances and their past history before we recommend a license suspension,” Messerly said. “If the law just changed in the past 30 days, we take that into account.”
Utah is a member state of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact. License suspensions in Utah are recognized in all the other states in the U.S., except for Hawaii.
Be an ethical and responsible hunter and angler
Along with following the laws and maintaining safety while hunting and fishing, it’s also important to practice responsible recreation: don’t ride off trail if you are using ATVs and be sure to pack out all trash so you leave no trace of your trip.
“There is an influx of damage due to off-trail riding during the hunting seasons,” Haller said. “When people ride off trail, they damage important wildlife habitat. This habitat is important for the success of game survival and off-trail riding could negatively impact popular hunting areas. This can be avoided simply by staying on designated ATV trails, which will sustain future hunting opportunities.”
Make sure to always review road and trail maps before traveling to an area and be familiar with the areas you plan to ride in. Always obtain written permission from a landowner before entering their property to hunt.
Anyone who camps or hikes in Utah’s outdoors, whether hunting or not, should always leave a clean campsite and remove all trash or waste from the area. And, if there are other hunters or campers in the area, remember to show them the same courtesy and respect you’d hope to receive.
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’ve heard lots of different theories and recommendations when it comes to paying off debt. Why do you advise paying off debts from smallest to largest?
Marlee
Dear Marlee,
A lot of people wonder the same thing when I bring up the debt snowball. Some think paying off the debt with highest interest rate first is the best approach. This may seem to make sense mathematically, but I realized a long time ago debt is not a mathematics problem—it’s a behavior problem. Personal finance is 80 percent behavior, and only 20 percent head knowledge. Besides, if all those people were so great at math, they wouldn’t be up to their eyeballs in debt in the first place!
The reason the debt snowball pays off debt from smallest to largest is that modifying your behavior and providing inspiration to get out of debt is more important than the math. Your probability of becoming wealthy is more closely connected to your behavior than your financial “sophistication” or academic pedigree.
When you pay off a small debt you experience success, and that gives you hope. Then, you move on the next debt. When you pay that one off, and you’ve wiped out two debts, it really energizes you. At that point you start to get excited, and you begin to believe in yourself and in the fact you’re actually on the road to becoming debt-free!
— Dave
(It’s not easy money)
Word count: 277
Dear Dave,
I’m 35, and I’ve always wanted to own rental property. I think I’ve found a deal that would work for me. I want to take $20,000 out of my thrift savings account to use as a down payment on the property. I could rent the place for $1,400 a month, and my loan payment would be $1,100 a month. What do you think about this idea?
Nathan
Dear Nathan,
I love real estate, so I understand the allure. But what you’re telling me is you want to cash out part of your retirement, get hit with a penalty and take on debt, to buy an investment property. I wouldn’t do it.
I’ve got a feeling you’ve never been a landlord before. Bringing in $1,400 and paying out $1,100 may seem like a good place to be, but you haven’t figured all the risk into your equation. Rental properties just sit there empty sometimes. Other times you have renters who don’t pay, repairs, and people who just tear up things. In other words, you won’t be able to count on an easy $300 in your pocket every month.
Like I said, I totally get your fascination with real estate. But my advice is to save up, and pay cash for one decent rental property to see if this game is really for you.
—Dave
*Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 16 million listeners each week on 600 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.
