Salt Lake Tribune Article

January 31, 2010 in article | No comments

Prettyman: Anglers support stream access bill

By Brett Prettyman

Updated: 01/26/2010 12:29:57 PM MST

“What a difference a year makes. Last year at this time Utah anglers and other river recreationists were preparing themselves for a Legislative battle they seemed to have little chance to win. Perseverance paid off and HB187, which would have limited public access to stream and river beds running through private property, was not defeated just once, but several times.

Anglers have organized again for the 2010 Legislative session, but this time they head to Capitol Hill in support of a bill rather than fighting one and this time they are not going it alone.

Jeff Hartley, former Utah Republican Party executive director, has been hired as a lobbyist to represent anglers at the Legislature. The anglers have also found an ally, or at least someone who would listen to their concerns while constructing a new stream access bill, in Rep. Lorie D. Fowlke, R-Orem.

Fowlke said she was approached by officials from the Division of Wildlife Resources and others concerned about the stream access issue to work on and then sponsor a bill for 2010. Fowlke said the issue has no personal connection to herself or necessarily to her district.

“It has nothing to do with me other than I am an attorney who understands reasoning,” Fowlke told me before the session started. “Something needed to be done and I know water law.”

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