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John Daley ReportingMarc Heileson, Utah Sierra Club: "That would have destroyed all the trust we've built and all the good faith and all the atmosphere for the future."
There's major maneuvering to report tonight on the long-delayed and much-debated Legacy Highway project. Utah's senior Senator Orrin Hatch is trying a legislative end run to give the road a final green light, but for now the outcome is unclear.
A political drama is playing out behind-the-scenes in Washington tonight. A massive transportation bill, which includes spending in virtually Congressional district, is nearing final approval. The question: will it also include Senator Hatch's language approving Legacy Highway?
The nearly decade-long tale of the Legacy Highway is starting to read like "War and Peace." By computer the Sierra Club's Marc Heileson monitors the latest from Washington, as the story appears to be reaching its dramatic climax.
Marc Heileson, Utah Sierra Club: "Just moments ago we got word from our Washington D.C. legislative office that they got word from the Hill that, indeed, the language proposed by Senator Hatch did not make it into the transportation bill."
Back in Washington Senator Orrin Hatch is trying to get last-minute language into a huge transportation bill, which would pave the way for Legacy. Late this afternoon his office reports it's still up in the air.
The Legacy story is a long and tangled affair with environmental groups arguing the original route violated federal wetland protections, and the state vowing to forge ahead. A unanimous appeals court sided with Legacy opponents. It appeared another court fight was in the offing, but then earlier this year UDOT and conservationist began negotiating. Now both sides are singing eachothers' praises and say a deal is close.
Tom Hudachko, UDOT Spokesperson: "I'd say they're going incredibly well. We sat down, started this process in January, and over the course of six, seven months we've really come to understand one another better."
UDOT and the Governor's office say their top priority is getting the road built somehow, but the Sierra Club contends Hatch's move is a bad one.
Marc Heileson: "It was so unfortunate to think that all that progress could be undone by a sneaky rider that never saw the light of day and if that would have passed, would have destroyed everything."
Again, as of just a few minutes ago, the Sierra Club says Senator Hatch's language did not get added to that bill. But apparently it's not over until the bill has actually been printed out, and we're told that hasn't happened yet.
