It is my feeling that Time ripens all things; with Time all
things are revealed; Time is the father of truth.
-- Francois Rabelais
Yet another ridiculous proposal has been set forth concerning
Gold Butte’s management. This one proposes a National Monument be created. This
only gives evidence of the outside influences that manipulate public lands
management, the lack of common sense, lack of regard for the State, its elected
representatives and its citizens.
With time, more people are becoming aware of the long term
pitfalls of poor public lands management and the risk it become to a community’s
long term sustainability and independence. One important issue that faces most
of the Western United States is that of water and our access to it. As
communities move forward the need arises to not only protect existing water
rights but also to secure new water sources. This ensures its future security
and allows a community to remain independent. However recently with the threat
of political interference, more people are becoming aware of the long term
affects and the consequences it will have directly on the community.
The Board for the Virgin Valley Water District has started
to take notice of the recent potential threat being talked about in the Gold
Butte and Virgin Mountain area. The water district owns water rights on the Virgin
Mountain but has no right-of-ways to access the water. Now they are getting
hemmed in by more and more red tape.
"We
have good map designations of the area that we need in order to maintain access
and establish our rights-of-way," Rock added. "It's moving very fast
now."
Karl
Gustaveson, Board President, favored making the trip. "If it becomes
a monument, it could be even more difficult to maintain those rights. There's
too big of a gamble not to address this now."
"It
will be impossible to get our water rights added in after it’s designated a
monument," Rock advised.
To read an article written by the Mesquite Citizen paper covering
the water board meeting please click the following link:
Posts
