Stream access | The Salt Lake Tribune

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Re "Utah anglers, boaters use 1800s law to fight 2010 waterway law" (Tribune, Jan. 28):

Rep. Rep. Kay McIff, R-Richfield, is proposing HB68, another attempt to get around the Utah Supreme Court's ruling that we have a constitutional right to access public streams. Our legislators scream for the government to get out of our lives, to follow the Constitution, but on a state level, they do the opposite.

HB68 limits the public's constitutionally given right to use public water and public fish (that we paid for with our taxes and license fees) and gives private property owners exclusive rights to these.

The Utah Stream Access Coalition has proposed a compromise that follows Idaho's law. It protects private land owners but also protects the public right to access the public water. It has proven its worth.

It will cut the expense of going to court over this issue. Instead of spending tax dollars giving extra benefits to a few wealthy landowners, we use them for something worthwhile, like education.

If you fish or run rivers and believe in freedom, our state Constitution and minimizing government interference, please urge your state legislators to vote against HB68 and to adopt the USAC proposal.

Gary Nichols

West Jordan