Dear astronomy friends, I just received the following note, which took me completely by surprised. All I can do is post it on the discussion group so anyone interested can read it and respond. Thanks, Joe From: Mike_Nelson@ut.blm.gov Subject: Dropping bowling balls on salt flats To: bau@desnews.com Cc: Britta_Laub@ut.blm.gov, Brad_Palmer@ut.blm.gov, Glenn_Carpenter@ut.blm.gov, Grace_Jensen@ut.blm.gov, Bill_White@ut.blm.gov, Pam_Swanson@ut.blm.gov Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2003 08:18:15 -0700 X-MIMETrack: Serialize by Router on LMNI1/BLM/DOI(Release 5.0.8 |June 18, 2001) at 01/09/2003 08:17:33 AM MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Rcpt-To: <bau@desnews.com> X-Spam-Status: No, hits=1.8 required=4.4 tests=MAY_BE_FORGED,NO_REAL_NAME,SPAM_PHRASE_01_02 version=2.43 X-Spam-Level: * X-DPOP: Version number supressed Status: U After reading your article entitled "Researchers to bowl for meteorites" in the Janurary 8 edition of the Deseret News, I was astounded to hear that someone had actually proposed dropping bowling balls on the surface of the salt flats. The Bonneville Salt Flats is an extremely fragile area that is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is home to several nationally significant racing events every year and large numbers of commercial television shoots. Over the past 5 years the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Riley Industries have been working together to increase the thickness of the salt crust on the flats, which the racing community had felt was shrinking over the years. This effort has cost millions of dollars and has, so far, been very helpful in improving the condition of the salt crust. Further studies and projects are ongoing in this environmentally sensitive area. While this proposed project may have some scientific benefit, before ever considering authorizing such a proposal, the BLM would need a great deal of additional information on how the individuals plan on protecting the public's health and safety and the environmental conditions of the area. I would greatly appreciate it if you could facilitate getting Mr. Kim Hyatt and/or the Salt Lake Astronomical Society in touch with our office so that I may explain to them some of the concerns we have with this type of activity. Also, the airspace in the area is controlled by the Air Force and they would probably take a dim view of low flying aircraft in the area where they are training with F-16 fighter jets. You can have them call me at (801) 977-4355 or write me at the following address: Bureau of Land Management Salt Lake Field Office 2370 S. 2300 W. Salt Lake City, Utah 84119 Joe Bauman science & military reporter Deseret News bau@desnews.com (801) 237-2169