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111111111111 <br />ple for the West! draws local wise use fans <br />g'duiti~iauiv - - <br />ter <br />d tc preserving their way of life and <br />-use' of natural resources, traditional <br />aunty industries such as mining, ranch- <br />logging have formed agrass-roots <br />r the West! chapter. <br />ver 100 people on their mailing list, the <br />it coalition is organizing petition drives, <br />public meetings to discuss issues, <br />g governmental meetings and writing <br />ors in en effort to head off increasing <br />ental regulations they see as a threat <br />economic stability of their county, <br />are for mining, grazing and the use of our <br />sl resources in a responsible manner to <br />Cain our way of life; said vice president <br />ea Shefetead. 'If people just nit beck and <br />-d~Eg2f their in u m, it may become a way of <br />life out here that they don't want' <br />Alarmed by the success of the environmental <br />movement and pending environmental reg~l~- <br />tions that may affect them, locals are becoming <br />involved in groups like People for the West! for a <br />greater voice, said Shefetead. <br />Like many counties throughout the West, <br />Moffat County relies heavily on the use of public <br />lends for their basic industries. About 53 per, <br />cent of the lends in the county are publicly <br />owned and about BO percent of the taz base is <br />related to minerals. <br />'A ]~r. of our basic ability to make a living here <br />depends on the basic use of that land.' said <br />Shefateed. 'If you take cattle, sheep and mineral <br />production out of here, it would be a loss of a tat <br />of jobs and people moving out of here.' <br />The Moffat County People tar the West! chap- <br />ter was formed in 1991 by Craig mayor Saed <br />Tayyara, city council member Charlotte Craft <br />end previous county commissioner Tom Letevre. <br />Local businessman Guy Shefstead was elected <br />president of the chapter. <br />In the past year, Moffat County People for the <br />West! has sent representatives to governmental <br />meetings and has held meetings 'as called' <br />when issues arise. This month, concern about <br />the proposed energy to:es by the Clinton admin- <br />istration will be addressed by Ioca1 coal mem- <br />bers. <br />Also high on their agenda this year is rallying <br />opposition to Wild and Scenic designation of the <br />Yampa River. <br />This spring, organizers plan to circuiaie n peti- <br />Please nee PEOPLE on page 2. <br />-. ~ -_ <br />_ . -_.. .. <br />..., . .., <br />-1'- - <br />inued from page 1. ..:.__:~.;...: -r , - - <br />to landowners along the river to round u s Rattier than'reinveating the wheel, the o . <br />i of opposition. A provious P..igna-F_has duplicated the techniques of the en ?Samzafion : i <br />smen in,199I collected aboti 50 Studies and ,-~~ ~~~ m~~ ~a and poiitical`attedtion toepro.. F <br />le for the West! is aiming for more thin year; eaid`'`ance of en P use of and the bal• j <br />stead. - ,, vuronmeate] re publielancls <br />solutions from the count co , - : "" benefit:=~T.::::. ,.... . Aoneibilit with economic <br />cil and the chamber o Y mmieaioners; city PeopleYoi•'the Westl has wi~ <br />.ion also p~~8 Wild and Scenic des- • tat movement b ~~~ the environmen- <br />will besought, fie said Y emphasisiimg the role man plays in <br />7e m'e against it because of the ecosystem. 7gey say environmental <br />°D the Private landowners ~ restrictions that it °Sierra'Club have been mislead with theirs entihe <br />stead 4t affects eve n8 the river,' said human' bias. <br />use it the rY business in M08at County, : - 'I.think they (environmen . <br />y So out o[ business, it affects People in ',on the non-use of natural ~~) put mare emphasis <br />ople for the West! .ia-alyo o ~ ~ ~ ~ ..''.:." `~•-::`-..'Moat of us want clean air and t~s: said Shetstead. <br />s at the 13LM's Cross Mound to federal water the land, but there needs to be more of an effo~ to <br />which mold aged fu wilderness study • work with people. that live on the land to 1' <br />designation of critical hob tat yevelopment, and eztremism.' unit the <br />dlifc Service without a thorou h enviro ash and Shefetead said the o - ' <br />act statement, which asses 8 nmente] Rather, Peo 1e tdr r8enization is not adversarial, <br />ices of deal ses ~~-end economic informed P the Weall. tries to keep People <br />8nation. , about issues that could affect their wa <br />~ople for the. Weal is an outgtiiwth of the W while providing them with an or Y of life <br />ds Public Lenda•Coalitiou; a eaterri ~ The Moffat Co ganized voice. <br />backed Hnaaciallq by some ~ orbl~n oc~;'' ID muraging moreulo~cal involvement their group For <br />The organization has a 8 information, contact membership chair Dawn <br />every state in the munt,~y, wing number of - gingham at 272.9921 or the She(steade at 824• <br />