Utah Geological Survey - UGS Board

Minutes - June 26, 1998
Utah Geological Survey Board Meeting

UGS Conference Room

Attendance:

Board Members:
  • Russell Babcock, Chairman
  • Jerry Golden, Vice Chairman
  • Deedee O'Brien
  • William Berge
  • Craig Nelson
Absent:
  • Cary Smith
  • Richard Kennedy
UGS Staff:
  • Lee Allison
  • Kimm Harty
  • Garth Blanchard
  • Cheryl Ostlund
  • Gary Christenson
  • David Tabet
  • Bob Blackett
  • Doug Sprinkel
  • Tom Chidsey
  • Bryce Tripp
Guests:
  • Howard Rigtrup, Department of Natural Resources

Chairman Russell Babcock welcomed everyone and called the meeting of the Board of Utah Geological Survey to order at 8:35 a.m.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Jerry Golden moved to approve the minutes of April 10, 1998 Board meeting, Craig Nelson seconded, and the motion carried.

INTRODUCTION OF NEW STAFF

Director Allison reported that the newest staff members are Joshua Smith, a geo-aid with the Environmental Sciences Program, and Russ Ray, a temporary revenue technician in the Bookstore. Garth Blanchard, Associate Director, will be leaving the Survey. He accepted a job with Monsanto in Missouri.

DIRECTOR'S REPORT

AAPG Annual Meeting
Director Allison reported that the AAPG annual meeting was a huge success, with over 6,300 attending. The UGS made a profit from the field trip and short course we sponsored. The UGS booth was very profitable. The AAPG executive director told Director Allison that they would like to put Salt Lake on the regular rotation in place of San Antonio and are planning to return to Salt Lake in 2006. GSA has also decided to come back to Salt Lake in 2005.

Sample Library
Deputy Director Kimm Harty reported that the building is complete and a few items have been moved. The shelves are currently being assembled. We plan to be out of the old library by the end August.

Budget Status
Garth Blanchard reported on the projected closing of the fiscal year 1998 budget. He feels that we should balance, with some carry forward. There are still some expenses that we are not sure about and we won't receive the last mineral lease check until the end of July, first of August.

While reviewing salaries for UGS geologists, we found that salaries for most UGS employees were on the low end of the pay range. Director Allison informed the Board that he will be challenging staff at the beginning of the fiscal year to bill all grants fully and to find cost savings wherever possible. If this can be done, Director Allison will request a one-step administrative salary increase (2.75 percent) for staff. Director Allison asked for the Board's endorsement for this proposal. William Berge made motion to endorse the salary equity proposal. Jerry Golden seconded, and the motion carried. Howard Rigtrup encouraged Director Allison to proceed cautiously with this plan.

DISCUSSION ITEMS

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Federal/State Land Exchange
Director Allison reported that as advisors to the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration, the Survey was asked to review the proposal for the federal/state land exchange for lands within the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Dave Tabet was the UGS principal lead on reviewing the tracts that SITLA was proposing to put into the exchange. The State School Board received a $1 million grant for evaluating resource potential on trust lands in the GSENM. We were also asked to work with them. The Governor's office was concerned about the length of time the school board proposal would take to complete. The SITLA proposal was to be done in six weeks. Dave Tabet reported that we reviewed the proposal for just the lands in the monument, not any of the tracts outside the monument.

BLM Planning Status
Bob Blackett, our staff member on the BLM GSENM planning team, briefed the Board on what the BLM planning team has accomplished to date. The planning team held 15 public scoping meetings held last fall and is developing five different management scenarios. These scenarios will be presented in a draft management plan and draft environmental impact statement scheduled for release in the fall. UGS staff will ensure that the Board members receive a copy of the draft plan and EIS, and it will be on the agenda for the January UGS Board meeting. UGS is currently working on three projects within the monument - a paleontological inventory, Quaternary resources, and a detailed geologic map.

Petroleum Potential
Tom Chidsey and Doug Sprinkel presented the results of the UGS analysis of the oil potential in the GSENM. The results were presented at 1998 the AAPG meeting.

Landslides/Debris Flow Hazards
Gary Christenson reported that most of the landslide activity started after the April Board meeting, and that this year has been the busiest landslide season since the 1980s. Major landslides occurred in the following areas: Sunset Drive landslide/Layton, South Weber, Davis-Weber Canal, City Creek Canyon, Shurtz Lake, and Thistle.

September Field Trip - GSENM
Director Allison suggested to the Board a two-day field trip to GSENM, September 18-19. The Board members concurred.

ACTION ITEMS

UGS Position on GSENM
Director Allison asked the Board for a resolution to support and encourage continued mineral and energy exploration and development in the monument. William Berge made motion to support resolution as amended, Jerry Golden seconded. Motion carried, with Deedee O'Brien dissenting. (Copy of resolution attached to the official set of minutes.)

Operation of Eccles Dinosaur Park
Ogden City is looking for an agency to operate the Eccles Dinosaur Park. Director Allison reported that the Survey has submitted a proposal. Board members expressed their concerns about whether or not operating the park would fall into the Survey's mission. Director Allison will keep the Board informed.

ANNOUNCEMENTS/MISCELLANEOUS

Publications produced since the last Board meeting were available for review by the Board. A list of new contracts and grants was included in the Board packet.

Director Allison reported that UGS is still advising the state on the Private Fuel Storage proposal for nuclear waste storage on the Goshute Indian Reservation.

Director Allison has been invited to Iran by the Geological Survey of Iran. He is planning to go in the fall. He will be going as a representative of GSA, AAPG, AGI, and AASG, and will be seeking outside funding for the trip.

ADJOURNMENT

Jerry Golden made the motion to adjourn the meeting of the Board of Utah Geological Survey. William Berge seconded. Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned at 12:45 p.m.