Great Basin Water Network tells the “real reason” why Utah politicians laid down for Las Vegas water steal-
The Great Basin Water Network says Utah will give up Snake Valley and state’s air quality to Las Vegas for support of their own urban sprawl pipeline — Lake Powell to St. George, UT.
Pat Mulroy (image), the Southern Nevada Water Authority executive director (said to be the most powerful woman in Nevada).
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is President of the Western Watersheds Project.
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I don’t buy that rationale. The pipeline from Powell to St George has a life of its own completely independent of the Snake Valley mess. The pipeline may die on its own in the realistic assessment of water levels in Lake Powell during the span of time required to pay for the pipeline. If the lake levels drop as climate projections suggest the pipeline may be fiscally infeasible.
Utah has a lot of ties with Nevada and Las Vegas. Some of the heavy hitters in Vegas are LDS and can work their own special levers of power in the gov’t of Utah. I would consider that a more likely reason for Utah’s capitulation over the Snake Valley mess than claiming Nevada can muck up a pipeline deal in which, on the face of it, Utah is simply using water it already owns.
It sure seems to me the Mormon network is what did this. Mormon housing developers screwed the Mormon ranchers of NV and UT.