The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food has issued a quarantine on certain plants and material suspected of carrying the plant organism Phytophthora ramorum, known as Sudden Oak Death (SOD) disease. SOD is a fungus that produces cankers on tree limbs and trunks and leads to death. If introduced in the state, would threaten Utah's $60 million nursery industry.

The quarantine is intended to prevent the spread of the disease into Utah from the states of California, Oregon and Washington, and the Canadian province of British Columbia. The disease is not known to exist in Utah.

"We consider Sudden Oak Death disease a serious threat to our nursery industry, and are taking every precaution possible to protect our growers," said Commissioner of Agriculture and Food, Cary G. Peterson.

This action was taken following the detection of Sudden Oak Death in Monrovia Nursery, in Azusa, California. Monrovia is one of the nation's largest wholesalers of plants. The disease has also been discovered in Specialty Plants, Inc., San Marcos, CA. At least 11 other nurseries in southern California are presumptively positive for the disease.

The UDAF is requiring all Utah nurseries, plant stores and other retailers that sell the following list of plants and materials to hold the listed products. Because of Utah's climate, it is unlikely that many of the products would have been shipped to the state. The UDAF plans to survey wholesale and retail outlets to determine whether any of the products entered the state.

The following are hereby declared to be hosts and possible carriers of Sudden Oak Death:

• Soil, humus, compost, and manure.
• Bigleaf maple
• California buckeye
• Madrone
• Manzanita
• Japanese camellia
• Sasanqua camellia
• Witch hazel
• Toyon
• Tanoak
• California honeysuckle
• Himalaya pieris
• Pieris 'Forest flame'
• Pieris Brouwer's Beauty'
• Japanese pieris
• Douglas-fir
• Coast live oak
• Canyon live oak
• California black oak
• Shreve oak
• California coffeeberry
• Rhododendron
• Coast redwood
• Western starflower
• California bay laurel Pepperwood
• Oregon myrtle
• Huckleberry
• Bodnant viburnum
• Mariesii
• Doublefile viburnum Laurustinus

Special permits for shipping the above listed materials may be issued provided the product originates from areas known to be free of Sudden Oak Death disease, and that such areas have active survey programs in place to detect the presence of Sudden Oak Death disease. A phytosanitary certificate is required for each shipment from a quarantined area.

The quarantine went into effect March 19, 2004 pursuant to the authority prescribed in Title 4, chapter 2, Section 2, Subsection (1) (k) and (ii), Utah Code and will remain in effective until rescinded.

Any or all shipments or lots of quarantined articles or commodities listed above arriving in Utah in violation of this quarantine shall immediately be sent out of the state, destroyed, or treated by a method and in a manner as directed by the Commissioner of the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food or his agent. Treatment shall be performed at the expense of the owner, or owners or their duly authorized agent.

3:50:17 PM    

SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah Department of Transportation will replace the 3760 South and 3900 South bridges on the east side of Interstate 215 this summer using an innovative technique never before applied in Utah.

This new prefabricated structure commonly referred to as a "Lego Bridge" has been proven to accelerate construction time and minimize traffic disruption. The main bridge structure is currently being pre-cast and assembled off-site at a nearby UDOT maintenance shed. When this process is complete, sections of the bridge up to 120-feet will be set into place by crane. The bridge structures will be erected at 3760 South and 3900 South.

UDOT is applying this prefabricated structure technique after learning of other states such as New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Florida incorporating a similar design process.

Construction crews are working on the shoulders of I-215 from Interstate 80 to 3900 South and on Upland Drive (3760 S.) for preliminary bridge demolition work.

Road closures and lane restrictions are expected to begin in early-May at the following locations, I-215 mainline, Upland Drive (3760 S.), 3900 S., and freeway ramps at 3300 South and 3900 South. Watch for upcoming information about traffic impacts and road closures.

Schedules may vary due to inclement weather or other unforeseen conditions. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes, when possible, to avoid congestion.

3:47:04 PM    

Today, Gov. Olene Walker announced the state of Utah will withdraw from its participation in the Multistate Anti-Terrorism Information Exchange (MATRIX), a federal program designed to share certain types of data for criminal investigation purposes.

Based on the recommendation made by the review committee, and also upon the information I have received, I have informed state agencies we will not reinstate our participation in MATRIX, said Walker. I understand law enforcement officials need to share information regarding criminal activity, but there are privacy and funding concerns I had to consider.

Walker’s announcement follows her Jan. 29 decision to postpone Utah’s involvement in MATRIX until a review committee further explored the program.

Completing its work, the committee concluded to halt Utah’s participation in MATRIX until adequate oversight could be established. The committee decided the Legislature should determine what that adequate oversight should be.

I concur with the decisions of the committee and appreciate this was an open, public process which allowed concerned citizens to weigh in on the issue, said Walker.

Utah began discussions regarding the MATRIX Project following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. State agencies began providing information to the federal pilot program July 2003.

The information provided included criminal history record information, motor vehicle title and registration information, driver license records, and Department of Corrections’ offender records and images.

3:45:59 PM