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Coco Warner reportingUtah Governor Jon Huntsman kicked off Motorcross Safety Week today.
But for some Utah environmentalists, where the governor staged the event threatened to upstage the issue he wanted to promote.
The Utah State Park Jordan River Off-Highway Vehicle Center is just off of I-215 on Rose Park Lane. The area is home to 100 acres of motorcross trails. But it's also home to Utah wildlife, and that's why environmentalists are concerned.
Governor Jon Huntsman signed a declaration designating April 9th as Motorcross Kick-Off Day for the upcoming season. He also wanted to encourage people to educate themselves on motorcross riding, safety and education.
The park has been around for a number of years, but Utah environmentalists say they've been battling its use as an Off-Vehicle site for at least 20 years. While they agree that motorcross safety is important, their complaint involves the park's location along the Jordan River.
Governor Jon Huntsman: "Right now it's being used for motor-cross and that's probably a good thing and we'll be able to tell over time if this is best used for motorcross or for something else. It's kind of a supply and demand and what is the best use for open space?"
Jeff Salt/Great Salt Lakekeeper: "I think the governor has lost all credibility with the environmental community and I think the gloves are off now. This is a model of what's going wrong in Utah with recreational vehicle us on public land."
Salt says the noise and dust created by the motorcross park endangers the nearby wildlife.
