The Utah Stream Access Coalition’s General Meeting for 2016 is coming up 17 November, 7 PM, at the main SLC City Library (210 E 400 S, SLC). There will be updates from the current board and the legal team and four open seats on the board will be filled by election.
Looking for a Few Good Men and Women
From the latest USAC newsletter regarding the 2017 board openings…
…Do you want to get more involved with the Stream Access fight? The USAC is looking for motivated individuals that are willing to help drive the cause. Is that you or somebody you know? Beginning today, and ending on November 3rd, we are accepting Nominations for four (4) of USAC’s Board of Directors. These 4 directors will serve the 2017 term with Bert Ley, Chris Barkey, and Kris Olson, who have been selected by the existing board for an additional term.
To be eligible for nomination, a person must:
- Be a member of the Coalition.
- Support the mission of the USAC, that is: to promote and assist in all aspects of securing and maintaining public access to, and lawful use of, Utah’s public waters and streambeds.
- Be available to commit no less than 20 hours per month, on average. In peak times such as during the legislative session this commitment may be substantially greater.
- Be able to attend, either in person or by teleconference, monthly meetings of the USAC Board of Directors.
Sound interesting? Nominations can be submitted directly by email to secretary@utahstreamaccess.org, and will be approved by the sitting Board of Directors. Please include with your nomination a brief paragraph about yourself, why you want to be involved, and why you would be an asset to the USAC leadership. The ballot will be finalized one week before the membership meeting.
Why We Care About Utah Access, And Why You Should Too
Just about every single time we post something about the stream access battle in Utah, some wise ass will email, text or comment and ask “why do we give a sh*t about what happens in Utah?”.
Our (multipart) answer is the same today as it was three years ago.
Access, for fly fishermen and river recreationists of all stripes, is under attack across the West (and the country). Loss of ANY rightful access ANYWHERE is a critical blow to ALL of us.
Utah is a particularly interesting case for several reasons, including the nefarious way open access rights and privileges were legislated away several years ago, the lengthy and thus far successful battle to overturn this access-restricting mistake, and the implications for access related laws and future legislation around the country.
Throw in the fact that Utah happens to be ground zero for some of the groups leading the inane and insane charge to sell the nation’s public lands to the highest bidders and it gets even more interesting.
Finally, my family has a long history there; I learned to fly fish in Utah, taught both my kids to fish there and still have a lot of friends “down south in Utah” working hard to make things right.
Yep, they have some crazy laws and 3.2 beer, but the Utah fight is today and will be tomorrow worth fighting.
