The little rascals are at it again. Utah irrigation interests have proposed building the Diamond Fork Dam and irrigation project that would cost federal taxpayers more than $200 million so that 100 farmers in southern Utah can grow alfalfa. Even many people from Utah think this is crazy.

Utah is debating whether water from the Central Utah Project should go to farmers who won’t pay much for it or to urban residents who will pay far more of the water’s cost. For federal taxpayers, the choice is a no-brainer. Sending the water to the farmers would mean spending more than $200 million to build an irrigation system to benefit a few farmers who would repay only 2 percent of the project costs. Sending the water to urban residents would mean spending $100 million, which would be repaid to the federal government over 50 years.

The proposed Diamond Fork Dam would require building a 260-foot high dam and 60 miles of canals and pipes. The project would deliver additional water to Utah’s Juab County which has the fifth lowest agricultural production of any county in Utah, producing less than 1 percent of the state’s total crops.

According to the U.S. General Accounting Office, the dam would return only 28 cents for every dollar invested. Taxpayers would spend nearly $4,000 per acre delivering water to the farms, even though the best agricultural land in the world in the Midwest is only worth between $600 and $700 an acre. Additionally, the former chief engineer for the water district pushing for the Diamond Fork Dam argues that the project is unneeded because use of both surface and ground water can fulfill the county’s future water demands.

The Clinton Administration has requested $6.6 million in the FY98 budget for the irrigation project.

Several dozen Utah State Representatives, mayors and city council members, along with hundreds of citizens have all written the water district to oppose the Diamond Fork Dam and irrigation system.

$26 Million for Nixon Papers?

Let us make one thing perfectly clear, we are outraged that taxpayers will shell out $26 million for Nixon’s White House papers and records. The story was reported on April 5 by the Washington Post.