Questions about salt depletion at Bonneville

[velocity]

My point exactly.

Letters to Senators and Representatives are the only way forward I see.  Dumping a few tons at end of the road each year is theater, not progress. Everything that was placed in 2014 has floated off to wherever the wind blows before the water evaporates this season.

Significant change is required forma Congressional level as the BLM, in my opinion, has failed to protect the national resource while at the same time made financial and environmental impact concessions for decades to private industrial mining partners. 

[BobDcuda]

Is there someone (Louise?) that could draft a properly eloquent and to-the-point letter that we could all send to our Congressman and/or Senator?

[Seldom Seen Slim]

With all due respect to both Bob and Louise -- a pre-written letter to send to congressmen would be good, but far better would be letters written by each individual person with an interest in preserving the salt.  While one that's pre-done will be full of pertinent facts and opinions and the needs of racers - and way better than not writing at all, it also might well be received by said congressmen as just another form letter and therefore having less of an impact than one that's obviously written from the heart of each racer.  Please understand -- any letter will be a help, but one -- even with misspellings and typos and so on -- that's obviously a one-off will be seen by that congressman as from someone that is personally and vitally interested in saving the salt.

You're welcome to write the same letter to each of your senators and representatives -- they won't compare with each other to see if theirs is unique.

I guess it's incumbent upon me to see if I can find an easily-accessible list of congressmen and mailing addresses for them.  If I can dig it out I'll post it -- and if you know where there's one -- go ahead and put it here so we all will know where to send these missives.

It's up to you now.  I'll write mine and get them in the mail by this weekend.  When will yours go out?

[maguromic]

This list has their phone numbers and online contact form.  Make a form letter and cut and pate, I am sure the Senate has the same deal.  Tony
http://www.contactingthecongress.org/

[floydjer]

Slim, That is a capial idea (jeeez,,i just can`t stop) Drafting now. JB

[BobDcuda]

Slim, I agree with what you're saying.  However, if one writes to their congressman and wants to get their attention, or some action in return, it's important that the letter be properly crafted.  What exactly should the message to our congressmen be?  Salt has been depleted from x feet deep as recent as xxxx and now it's only x inches deep - what are the correct figures to use?  Why is the salt being depleted?  Why does that matter to us as a voter?  Who else cares besides the LSR community?  What action would we voters like taken to rectify the situation?  It's not always what's "right", but how many votes will I gain or lose.

Drafting a meaningful letter to your congressman is not everyone's "cup of tea".  Some guidelines would help those of us that struggle when it comes to effective prose.  Doesn't have to be a form letter, and I agree a few typos don't hurt, but the message still has to be concise, relevant, and pointing in the right direction.

 

[edinlr]

At the very least, send two letters to your state's two senators and one to your local congressman.  I don't know how much message needs to be in there other than limiting or banning removal in that area.  Maybe someone really in the know on our needs can give us two or three bullet points to include.  You can also call the congressman's office and send them e-mails.  Their staffers will get this information all the same way.  Keep in mind the mining companies will have their own paid lobbyists out there smoozing the politicians on their end too, so we have to have enough "no" votes to offset their cubic dollars.

[velocity]

When Congress directed gov't agencies to "partner" with private parties to "use" the resource the regs were far too broad and in this case permitted a very cosy relationship with the mining industry. Those mining leases put a sizable chunk of cash into the BLM operating kitty -- far more than the leases given to racers.

Furthermore, if you have ever wondered why the mining company does not put the salt back after they have mined out the potash, consider this: any amount returned will dilute the resource (i.e. the speedway side of I80) making it harder to mine an appreciable percentage of potash in a given season. Read any one of Intrepid's annual reposts and you'll find a treasure trove of reasons that contribute to the salt's decline.

HOWEVER - it all legal and it is unfair to blame the mining company. They negotiated in good faith and are held by legal contract to perform to prescribed level or they lose their rights. The bad guy here is the BLM.

[Sumner]

.....Furthermore, if you have ever wondered why the mining company does not put the salt back after they have mined out the potash, consider this: any amount returned will dilute the resource (i.e. the speedway side of I80) making it harder to mine an appreciable percentage of potash in a given season. ....

Good observation, maybe our only hope is that it becomes financially unprofitable for them to continue mining the salt and that happens before it is all gone .

Sumner

[floydjer]

If you read the "History to Go' page on the Utah.Gov. website...everything is hunky-dory with the Salt Flats.

[RogerL]

i cannot find a "history to go" page on the gov's website. can you post the link? thanks.

[RidgeRunner]

     Some interesting reading here:  https://www.blm.gov/ut/enbb/files/Intrepid_Potash_Final_EA_FONSI_DR.pdf

     After a quick first glance it looks to me like the contract is locked in for a few more years yet.

            Ed

[55chevr]

The contract will be extended until it is no longer economically feasible to mine salt.   

[Buickguy3]

  Got to page 5 and damned near went to sleep. I'll take a break now and go get a beer. 
  Doug 

[Elmo Rodge]

Hey Doug. While you're up grab one for me.  Wayno