Friends of Idaho Watersheds Project

This release has been sent to various Utah media outlets today, March
2, 1998. This is the first time any non-ranching group or individual
has ever applied for a grazing permit on Utah school trust lands!

News Release
March 2, 1998
Conservation Group Applies For Utah School Trust Land Grazing Permits

Idaho Watersheds Project (IWP) announced today it has applied for two
expiring grazing permits on Utah public school endowment land. One
permit is for a 640 acre section on Clear Creek in the Raft River
Mountains in Box Elder County near the Idaho border. The other permit,
of over 5,500 acres, is located just east of the Cisco Beach State
Recreation Area on Bear Lake in Rich County adjoining the Idaho border.

Idaho Watersheds Project announced that as part of the permit
applications it has included a bonus bid of $1,000. for each permit
which the current leaseholder must match or face losing the permit. The
bonus bid process is designed to increase the returns to Utah’s public
school endowment fund which benefits the schoolchildren of the state.
The Box Elder County grazing permit currently is leased for less than
$100. per year while the larger Rich County permit returns less than
$500. per year to the Utah school endowment fund.

Jon Marvel, President of Idaho Watersheds Project stated: “ IWP is
pleased to bring competition to the world of give-away grazing permits
in Utah. Like Idaho and other western states, Utah has treated these
permits as a private benefit for a few ranchers while ignoring the
fiduciary needs of the real beneficiaries of these lands, the
schoolchildren of Utah. IWP looks forward to raising the returns to the
school endowment trust in Utah while bringing to public attention the
need for protection of damaged riparian resources on all public lands
in Utah.”

Idaho Watersheds Project is a non-profit membership organization based
in Hailey, Idaho with 850 members which seeks to protect and restore
Idaho watersheds which include lands located in northern Utah.