KCYN-KCPX News Thurs 25Oct2012
MOAB — Utah has joined a growing list of states that require energy companies to disclose which chemicals they employ in a controversial process used to stimulate oil and natural gas production.
The state Oil, Gas and Mining Board, by a unanimous vote, approved a new rule Wednesday that requires companies to use www.fracfocus.org to report the amount and type of chemicals used to hydraulically fracture any Utah oil and gas well.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah gave its final approval Wednesday for the first commercial tar sands project in the U.S., handing a victory to a Canadian company that aims to start producing 2,000 barrels of oil next year in the start of what could grow into a larger operation.
The Utah Water Quality Board upheld the decision of state regulators and turned back an appeal from a Moab-based environmental group that vows to take up its fight in the state courts.
Living Rivers has fought the project every step of the way, arguing that tar sands mining will contaminate groundwater in a largely undeveloped area of Utah's Book Cliffs region that drains into the Colorado River.
State regulators and the company insist the eastern Utah desert is so dry there is no significant groundwater to pollute. An administrative law judge agreed,
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>>Roman Gets 10-Years On Two Lesser Charges

(Spanish Fork, UT) -- Acquitted of killing a Utah sheriff's deputy, Roberto Miramontes Roman will still spend up to ten-years behind bars on two lesser charges. Roman was acquitted in August in the killing of Millard County deputy Josie Greathouse Fox. At his sentencing yesterday, a judge handed Roman ten-years in prison on convictions for evidence tampering and firearms possession. Family and friends of the slain deputy said the sentence is small consolation.

>>Activist Enters Halfway House

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The Salt Lake City environmental activist accused of fraudulently buying up oil licenses is now in a halfway house. Timothy DeChristopher has spent the last year in federal prison. The Bureau of Prisons granted the move to DeChristopher due to good behavior.

>>Alpine District Says Space Center Will Return

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The Alpine School District says its popular Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center is closed but only temporarily. The district was forced to close the space center in August over safety concerns. More than 700-thousand dollars in repairs are needed. While the district says the center will re-open, just when remains a mystery.

>>Transportation Dept. Preps For Winter

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The recent cool weather has Utah transportation officials thinking ahead to winter. A small mountain of road Salt was just stashed at a UDOT facility at Wasatch and 38th South. Workers are making certain their plows and blades are ready to go when Old Man Winter really does come.

>>Salt Lake Mulls Ideas For Expanding City Dog Parks

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Salt Lake officials are looking at ways to expand the city's dog parks including charging residents for their use. The "Tribune" says the city has been piecing together ideas all year with final plans to go before City Council in March. The public can weigh-in at www-dot-slcgov-dot-com-backslash-opencityhall.


　
　
>>Suicide Sheds Light On Utah Crimes

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Rape cases in Utah are above the national average. The latest numbers show nearly 70 out of every 100-thousand local women reported being raped. Holly Mullen of the Rape Recovery Center says victims often know their rapist. Alleged date rapist Greg Peterson committed suicide this week amid charges of sexually assaulting at least five women who he met on LDS dating sites.

>>Skiers Try Big Cottonwood Canyon

(Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT) -- Some skiers are already trying out the new snow in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Skier Alec Nelson says it's worth the effort, even though resorts don't plan to open for another month. Some parts of the Wasatch Mountains have more than a foot of snow. Up to six inches could fall today in Morgan County.

>>SLC-Area Foreclosures Dip

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Salt Lake City's foreclosure rate continues to dip. Roughly one in every 275 homes was in default during the third quarter, according to RealtyTrac. That's a 41-percent decline from the previous quarter. The company credits a more stable economy and more homes being sold as short sales.

>>Soldiers Return Home From Afghanistan

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Several Salt Lake City-area soldiers are spending their first weekend at home in nearly a year. Eight soldiers with the U.S. Army Reserve returned to the states four days ago after a tour in Afghanistan. Afterward, they had to go through post-deployment processing in New Jersey. The group was responsible for delivering letters to and from home while overseas.

>>Skiers Try Big Cottonwood Canyon

(Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT) -- Some skiers are already trying out the new snow in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Skier Alec Nelson said it's worth the effort, even though resorts don't plan to open for another month
Some parts of the Wasatch Mountains have more than a foot of snow.
In northern Utah, Randolph residents were buried under 17 inches of snow in a single day Tuesday.