This is your daily news rundown for Thursday, Oct. 8. In this edition:
- President Trump signed a major disaster declaration over the Cottonwood Fire
- A destructive invasive species was found in Utah's region of the Colorado River
- State officials approved almost a dozen boater access projects
- A man known for anti-government standoffs was arrested in Iron County
Beaver and Piute counties are getting federal support for wildfire and flood repairs
Federal emergency funding will be available for two counties that were hit hard by this summer’s Cottonwood Fire and ensuing floods.
President Donald Trump signed a major disaster declaration on Thursday in response to the wildfire.
It will help Beaver and Piute counties access funds for repairs and, in some cases, full system replacements.
Joint assessments by local, state, and federal officials found at least $47 million in eligible damages.
A destructive invasive species has entered Utah’s region of the Colorado River
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources found a destructive, invasive species in Utah’s region of the Colorado River.
Biologists collected a live adult zebra mussel late last month, then test results were confirmed on Wednesday.
Much like the quagga mussels Utah already deals with, zebra mussels can clog infrastructure and overwhelm ecosystems. Removing them and dealing with the damage they cause can cost millions.
This is especially concerning because they could latch onto infrastructure used for irrigation and drinking water. About one-third of Utah’s population relies on the Colorado River for drinking water.
The species is a newer threat for the Upper Colorado River Basin. The first documentation was last year in Colorado, and DNA was only found in Utah’s portion of the river this August.
Here are the boater access projects improved for next year
State officials approved almost a dozen projects to improve boater access next year.
That includes a new ramp at Causey Reservoir, installing stream gauges at the San Rafael River, and general boating improvements at Utah Lake State Park. A full list of projects can be found on the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources website.
The approved $1.5 million in funding will also go towards developing and testing a boater trip-planning app.
These funds, which are given out every year for boating improvement projects, come from boat registration fees and taxes on boating supplies and fuel.
Ammon Bundy, known for anti-government standoffs, was arrested after a Utah traffic stop
A man known for his confrontations over public lands was arrested in southern Utah on Wednesday after disobeying officers at a traffic stop.
An Iron County deputy stopped Ammon Bundy on southbound I-15 in Washington County for expired vehicle registration — something he’d reportedly been warned about before.
Bundy allegedly then refused to leave the truck while deputies arranged to impound it. He told St. George News on Wednesday that he objects to needing “permission to travel” because it’s a “God-given right.”
Bundy was booked into Iron County Jail on four counts, including driving with an expired license and failure to obey an officer.
He was later released on bail by a local businessman, then walked 8 miles along I-15 to protest the charges.
Bundy famously led an anti-government occupation of Oregon’s Malheur National Wildlife Refuge for over a month in 2016. He was acquitted of all charges in that case.
