But instead of traditional offerings to the spurned - flowers, candy, or Kennecott-appropriate precious metals - Harding hand-delivered a company check for $250,000.

The money will be used to pay for an independent study to verify the safety of Kennecott's century-old tailings pond, which was, and still may be, a hazard for residents of Green Meadows Estates on the outskirts of Magna, the one-time company town. The County Council will appoint a 15-member committee composed of Magna residents and county officials to oversee the study, and assure the validity of the results.

Kennecott hopes to make amends to residents, and mend its reputation, after a Salt Lake Tribune investigation revealed the company and the state conspired to hide the danger the dam posed in the event of a major earthquake. The company and the State Engineer's Dam Safety Office were aware since at least 1988 that, if the big one hit, the saturated tailings would likely liquefy and rupture the dam, burying the enclave of more than 200 homes in viscous mine sludge. But the public was never notified of the danger.

As unconscionable as the cover-up orchestrated by former company officials was, Kennecott should be commended for its efforts to set things straight.

The company has spent $13 million to stabilize the old and now unused impoundment. Harding has met with community leaders and apologized effusively for the firm's past actions. He cut a check for the study, promising to reimburse residents if the results cause their property values to decline. And if there's money left over, he told the county to keep the change and funnel it to a Magna-area charity.

But there's still work to be done to restore the public's trust and assure that this never happens again.

The newspaper's investigation spurred yet another investigation, an ongoing state Attorney General's Office probe to determine if the state had an "affirmative duty" to notify the public, and if so, if that duty was breached. It will also determine if any rule or statutory changes are needed.

Making the state Dam Safety Office responsible for notifying the public of unsafe dams should top the attorney general's list of recommendations.