This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
At a recent expedition along the route of the proposed SkiLink gondola, state Rep. Joel Briscoe, D-Salt Lake City, commented that proposed congressional legislation requiring the U.S. Forest Service to sell 30.3 acres to Talisker Inc., the Canadian company that owns Canyons Resort, thus removing SkiLink from Forest Service jurisdiction, "subverts the democratic process — and process matters" ("Opponents of SkiLink take to the hills to fight proposal" Tribune, Aug. 26).
In reply, Canyons Resort managing director Mike Goar characterized these arguments about the process as "misinformation," claiming that the legislation is not an end run around the public process. Goar is disingenuous.
The Forest Service is most certainly part of the public process and is on record as opposing SkiLink.
Obviously, Talisker would like to eliminate this obstacle.
The whole brouhaha about who is in charge is important but it is not the central concern here.
Supporters of SkiLink tout it as just the first step in a plan to interconnect all the central Wasatch ski resorts, gobbling up wild terrain and damaging our precious watershed. This is what is a stake.
Gale Dick President, Save Our Canyons
Salt Lake City