This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A Republican tide overwhelmed united Democratic opposition Monday as the Senate advanced a resolution promoting connecting the four ski resorts in Big and Little Cottonwood canyons with the three Park City area resorts.
The Senate voted 22-7 to endorse SCR10 by Sen. Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy, and sent it to the House. The Senate's seven Democrats voted against it.
The measure urges counties, cities and the U.S. Forest Service to "consider the benefits of connecting the various resorts and expeditiously approve a low-impact inter-resort transportation system based on appropriate analysis and balanced public input."
Niederhauser said it is not intended to endorse any particular system. A bill to force the Forest Service to approve a land sale for that project is moving through Congress.
Niederhauser said his resolution is needed now to call for careful evaluation of how interconnect systems would affect the watershed and the environment of the canyons .
But Sen. Karen Morgan, D-Cottonwood Heights, said in earlier debate that the resolution is "premature," because not enough research has been done to conclude that an interconnect system should be endorsed.
Senate Minority Leader Ross Romero, D-Salt Lake City, said the timing could be misconstrued as giving support for SkiLink and warned that the resolution does not address potential residential and commercial growth in the canyons that could come from an interconnect system.