Saving the Salt

[RogerL]

there have been a number of folks putting in a lot of time (non compensated i might add) to try and get some movement by the blm to address the issue with the bsf. we have been engaged in discussions that have been beneficial. the problem is going to take some time but we are hopeful of some meaning progress, we are giving it our best shot. if you have something to contribute that will help the process, we are all ears. making negative comments about individuals involved in the process is a disincentive to continue the effort. if you would like to discuss the matter personally you can call me on my cell, 775-513-9030.

[RogerL]

stainless, i am a racer, as is rick vesco, tom burkland, dennis sullivan , russ eyers and several others. we were all involved in the discussions this week. louise was a participant as well. how about doing something to help motivate the blm?

[Stainless1]

Roger... I know that...
And I know all of us are looking for a path to help make the BLM do their job.  Most of us have contributed to STS for the last 25 years. 
In the last 100 or so pages I did not see "wrought of screaming frustration or mind-altering chemicals"  .... well maybe frustration...
Many of us have asked what we can do... we have sent  letters to out congress representatives... but what else should we be doing? 
I don't use any mind-altering chemicals, but most of us feel this is frustrating. 
I am praying the Utah Coalition gains traction on this problem, let us know what we can do to help.

[Ron Gibson]

25 years of talking, pleading, begging and hoping, all while seeing the salt go away due to mining with little to no results of pumping or laydown efforts is extremely, extremely frustrating. Especially with everyone involved saying they don't know where the salt is going ( stand on the RR tracks and look South at the piles). Anyone that can't see it is either on the take or an idiot. If the name fits, so be it.

Ron

[jl222]

there have been a number of folks putting in a lot of time (non compensated i might add) to try and get some movement by the blm to address the issue with the bsf. we have been engaged in discussions that have been beneficial. the problem is going to take some time but we are hopeful of some meaning progress, we are giving it our best shot. if you have something to contribute that will help the process, we are all ears. making negative comments about individuals involved in the process is a disincentive to continue the effort. if you would like to discuss the matter personally you can call me on my cell, 775-513-9030.

 If your trying to shut us up about Velocity's negative comment's about the forums members , your barking up the wrong tree.

  I guess her negative comments are OK with you. Don't try to turn it around.

         JL222

[jl222]

I just landed back home after a week in Salt Lake and Bonneville meeting with, and talking to decision makers and folks with influence. I'll have pointed report for all but got to say some the recent commentary seems like it is either wrought of screaming frustration or mind-altering chemicals.
The Utah Alliance has busted its collective butt to get an enormous bunch of players to the table.

You folks gotta give us a chance, not make this harder.

  bump   JL222

[Dakin Engineering]

How about the BLM gives up control, ownership, whatever to Tooele county?

Sam
#6062

[RogerL]

Stainless, that is a fair criticism. Certainly one of our collective frustrations has the lack of transparency by the STS org. What is the plan, who’s doing what, how can we help, etc. I was a part of the STS Coalition for a number of years and I likewise did not have clue as to what was going on, I resigned.

A couple of months ago Vesco called me and asked if I would get involved and help with a local group he was putting together to pursue the cause, my response was of course. The group has a name, The Utah Alliance to Save the Salt. The gathering in SLC on the 9th and the tour on the salt this week was a result of the effort by that group with support by the STS. A big part of the media attention was the work of Louise.

We likewise have had a major effort to engage the political leaders in both Utah and Nevada. We are having on going dialog at the local level (again Utah and Nevada) as well as Washington DC. Like it or not, the solution is going to involve politics in order to “encourage” the BLM to address the problem. Without getting into specifics I can tell you there is keen interest in the problem from these political leaders. I suggest that our racer community become proactive in a positive way to express to your elected officials your concern with the BSF. Hopefully we can provide a little more guidance in that regard shortly.

The Alliance’s intent is to be more proactive in communicating with the racers and other stakeholders going forward. In that regards, we have developed a web site that will provide access to a lot of information regarding the BSF and regular updates as to what is happening, or not in some cases. It is likely we will also have an Alliance Facebook page to likewise provide communication. We need a little time (a week or so) to get these two pieces in place. Keep in mind that most of us with the Alliance have a day job so a good part of the effort occurs in the evening hours (almost daily) and on weekends. Additionally the expenses for doing this are coming out of our own pockets including travel, etc.

Finally, while I did mention the lack of transparency as an issue with the STS, I still believe and expect they will continue to support the cause and hope they do so. SEMA is a large trade organization that has considerable swagger, they can be helpful. That said, the Alliance intends to move the ball forward. As Rick said at the meeting in SLC, we are going to fix this or go down with the ship.

More later.

[Glen]

Roger,good words. I was on the salt last week with Rick and the condition was a real eye opener.We drove around 100 miles that day Lots of dykes and trenches for miles. Please give the STS a little time to work out the agreements to start the restoration process and have the sides work together.

[Ron Gibson]

Roger
It's not that we don't appreciate all that you and the other volunteers have been doing on behalf of the BSF over the years. I guess it's just the lack of progress or especially, accountability while we (the racers) see what's been happening.
On a separate note, while the group of officials was on the guided tour of the BSF, did that include a tour of the Intrepid ponds and salt storage areas? Inquiring minds want to know.

Thanks again,
Ron

[half-fast racer]

Roger - extremely thoughtful and well-written - thank you for a balanced, success-oriented approach.

As a volunteer (MOW at Bonneville and Mojave) and wannabe racer, the deterioration of the salt is heart-breaking, The first time I ever went was 1970 or 71; the difference from then until I next returned in 2011 was frightening. The present situation has finally gotten some media attention, and hopefully it's not too late to fix it.

Your comments about the political aspects are spot on - like it or not, the BLM is a government beauracracy, and you have to approach it as such. I've spent my entire professional career in aerospace, both defense and military, and the quantity of mid-level bureaucrats whose only agenda is self-preservation is astounding. Having said that, until THAT system is fixed, which is highly unlikely given the amount of government growth in the last 20 years, you have to ask yourself - Do I want to be right, or do I want to win? Doesn't mean you have to always roll over, but you do need to pick your battles, and ALWAYS keep focused on your end game.

So - my question to the racing community is WHAT DO YOU WANT? There are many possible answers...

To be vindicated in my opinion
To villify the BLM
To get somebody fired
To find somebody to blame it on
To race at Bonneville

To me, there is only one acceptable answer, and it ought to be pretty obvious. We need to stay focused on that, and only that. To all of the "experts" who know how to do it better, or exactly what needs to be done, if it's that easy, WHY HAVEN'T YOU DONE IT?

We have a golden opportunity here - we've got serious media attention and we need to keep the full court press on that and not let it become yesterday's 15 minutes of fame. My hat is off to you, Rick Vesco, Louise, and anybody else involved in this important activity. Let's get behind this movement and get it done. We changed the world once in the Viet Nam days, we can do it again. And yes, Roger, I will be calling you to see what, if anything, I can voluntees to help with.

[joea]

half-fast racer etal...its great that you were on the salt in 70, and returned in 2011...to see
the reality....

many folks here have been coming every year you have been gone, seeing it year after
year first hand and trying to race...AND TRYING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT ALL THESE YEARS
BY WHOLEHEARTEDLY AND FINANCIALLY SUPPORTING STS.....to the END RESULT WE
ALL SEE TODAY....

that is the collective angst your hearing NOW....

Roger L. mentioned ""I was a part of the STS Coalition for a number of years and I likewise did not have clue as to what was going on, I resigned.""

 and ""Finally, while I did mention the lack of transparency as an issue with the STS, I still believe and expect they will continue to support the cause and hope they do so.""

this adds to the collective frustration, considering great folks chose to leave the organization entrusted to help solve the dilemma, and today "hopes" the the STS will continue to support the cause.....

now another entity (Utah Alliance, uncompensated) has been built to carry the process forward, seemingly with more impetus than that entity (STS) that is getting the financial support from the racers...

yes we are all hopeful, and willing to support, volunteer etc, in the meantime folks are going
to share their frustraion, passion, ideas as well...

[half-fast racer]

joea - gotta agree, and yes, I also share the frustration. But, like everything else in a democracy, it's hard to "do it right". It takes a level of personal involvement and commitment that the overwhelming majority (myself included until my sensibilities get completely offended) are not willing to make.

How many people have EVER contacted there congressman or senator, on ANYTHING, let alone this issue?

I have given money to STS, and I'm not happy with the lack of transparency either - did I get off my ass and contact them personally and ask accountability questions? No I did not. Why? Probably just wasn't "important" enough with all of my other activities. Lame? You bet!

Like anything else in this country, if our elected (or appointed) officials aren't doing what we want, or doing it when we want it, or even giving us information about it, we have the responsibility to hold them accountable, and to make that accountability public in every way possible. Democracy is hard individual work. To quote a movie line (The American President) "America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight." While I wasn't a fan of some of the other liberal bias in the movie, that line was spot on.

[Stainless1]

Roger, my reply back was not meant as a criticism to you, Rick, Tom or any of the other racers working to try to get the salt flats back... Everyone here wants to help... If we had a 100000 folks here maybe the stop the mining petition would have worked... to get some real national attention to the destruction of the last 37+ years that I have seen first hand.  When I started racing the old timers talked about how the salt used to be...
Now we are the old timers and we can remember running on wet, almost slushy salt a couple of times, but the crust was still there and the course got better every day because there was enough salt, nobody broke through.  Those days seem to be gone now, the salt cannot heal itself from a rain because the crust is not there, it is in the settling ponds and fifty pages back I read there are folks telling us they can't even rip it up with a bulldozer because it is so hard.
As soon as the Alliance knows what we can do to help, please let us know, if there is a plan, please let us know, if we are totally screwed... well, I guess we want to know that too.  
I am willing to help, we are willing to help, we always have been... it is our Salt Flats

[RogerL]

stainless, no offense taken. we will get back and try to address the issues soon. give us a little breathing room.