Evening star., 1954-05-23
Bottle Over Dums

The fight over the location Of
dams in the Monument began dur
ing World War II when the Recla-
nation Bureau announced that
Echo Park and Split Mountain dams
would be essential to the Upper
Colorado project. Sentiment in
Utah quickly supported the pro-
posal. but conservation groups as
quickly opposed it, citing the ma
tional policy Of protection for those
areas set aside for preservation In
their natural condition.
AS the controversy became more
clearly defined, Interior Secretary
Oscar Chapman ordered a special
hearing in April. 1850. to permit
both sides to present testimony on
the project. The Interior Secretary
as head of both the National Park
Service and the Bureau Of Reclama-
ton, declared his decision would be
shaped by the testimony at the
hearing.
On June q, 1850, Secretary
Chapman announced his decision
in favor of the Echo Park and
Split Mountain damsites. He based
his decision in part on the fact that
the executive proclamation of 1888
enlarging the monument had con-
tanned specific reservation that
90. the monument shall be sub
ject to the Reclamation Withdrawal
of October II. 1904. for the Browns
Park Reservoir site in connection
with the Green River project" In
the light Of this reservation, said
Secretary Chapman, his approval
Of the Echo project did not consti-
tute g. a precedent dangerous to
other reserved areas"
Opponents of the project pro-
tested that the Reclamation With
drawal referred to was specifically
and solely for the Browns Park
dam, many miles away from Echo
and only miles within the park
boundaries. The Reclamation Bu-
reau, however. had abandoned the
Browns Park site as unsuitable for
the expanded Upper Colorado
project; the bureau contended that
the change in the proposed site
made no material difference in the
fact that the language Of the
executive proclamation clearly
contemplated use of the Monument
for a water project.
Republicans Take Over
The Secretary's decision to in
dorse the Dinosaur dams served
only to increase the determined OPP
position of the conservationistS.
In the last recommendations Mr..
Chapman made as Secretary Of the
Interior he urged that the Echo
Park project be held in allegiance
pending the study of possible alter
nate sites. But upon the advent Of
the Eisenhower administration,
Secretary Mckay renewed the
recommendation for the Upper
Colorado project, including the
Echo Park site. On March 20.
1854, the recommendations were
approved by President Eisenhower
and bills were introduced in both
House and Senate.
Hearings were held by the House
Committee on Interior and Insular
Affairs at which arguments for and
against the Echo proposal we're
aired. No opposition developed to
the bill as a whole; the opponents
fight was to eliminate Echo Park
and force the selection of some
other site. On a vote in the COM
mittee to eliminate Echo, the OPP
ponents lost 1913. Last week the
full committee voted 1912 to re-
port the Upper Colorado River
storage project for House action.
The Echo Park provision now faces
a stiff fight on the House floor.
Because the bill has administration
backing, its chances of passing are
described as favorable. But the
Echo Park foes report gathering
support both in the House and the
Senate.