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Legislative Wrap-Up
With the Legislative session finally at a close, conservation and natural resource issues received quite a bit of attention — and some funding! Most notably, the passage of Land and Water Reinvestment (HB 102) secured on-going funds for two key conservation and restoration programs, the Grazing Improvement Program and the Watershed Initiative, and the LeRay McAllister Fund received a $2 million one-time appropriation. (See below for more information on this bill.) There were a number of other bills affecting natural resources this session, and the following is a partial list of numbered bills that we were watching.
Title: Joint Resolution Regarding Action on Groundwater in Snake Valley
Bill number: H.J.R. 1
Sponsor: Representative Richard Wheeler (R-Ephraim)
What the bill proposes: This joint resolution of the Legislature expresses to the Governor the will of the Legislature regarding the division of the aquifer shared with Nevada.
Status: Passed
Title: Department of Natural Resources Amendments
Bill number: H.B. 48 (Substitute)
Sponsor: Representative Richard Wheeler (R-Ephraim)
What the bill proposes: This bill makes changes to provisions governing the Department of Natural Resources.
Status: Passed
Title: Age Amendments for Hunting Big Game
Bill number: H.B. 67
Sponsor: Representative Curtis Oda (R-Davis)
What the bill proposes: This bill changes the age requirement for hunting big game.
Status: Passed
Title: Land and Water Reinvestment
Bill number: H.B. 102 (Second Substitute)
Sponsor: Representative Dave Clark (R-Santa Clara)
What the bill proposes: This bill appropriates $4 million in on-going funding to be split evenly between two existing programs focused on conservation, watershed restoration, and improving grazing lands: Watershed Restoration Program and the Grazing Improvement Program. An additional $2 million in one-time funding was appropriated for the state’s critical lands preservation fund, the LeRay McAllister Fund.
Status: Passed
Title: School and Institutional Trust Lands Amendments
Bill number: H.B. 134
Sponsor: Representative John Mathis (R-Vernal)
What the bill proposes: This bill changes the distribution of mineral revenue generated from lands acquired by the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration from the federal government, and appropriates about $1 million for test wells and other hydrologic studies in Utah’s West Desert.
Status: Passed
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Title: Environmentally Restricting Zoning Districts
Bill number: H.B. 233
Sponsor: Representative Michael Morley (R-Spanish Fork)
What the bill proposes: This bill amends county and municipal land use provisions.
Status: Failed
Title: Instream Flow to Protect Trout Habitat
Bill number: S.B. 29
Sponsor: Senator Pete Knudson (R-Brigham City)
What the bill proposes: This bill authorizes a fishing group to temporarily change a water right for instream flow to protect trout habitat.
Status: Failed
Title: Permanent Instream Flow to Preserve Water Quality
Bill number: S.B. 95
Sponsor: Senator Mike Dmitrich (R-Carbon, Emery, Grand, San Juan, Utah Counties)
What the bill proposes: This bill authorizes a municipality and certain special districts to change a water right for instream flow to protect water quality.
Status: Failed
Title: Hunting and Fishing License Amendments
Bill number: S.B. 161
Sponsor: Senator Allen Christensen (R- Morgan, Summit, Weber Counties)
What the bill proposes: This bill amends provisions relating to hunting and fishing licenses and permits.
Status: Passed
Title: Restrictions on Designation of Wetlands
Bill number: S.B. 183
Sponsor: Senator Sheldon Killpack (R- Davis County)
What the bill proposes: This bill enacts provisions relating to county and municipal land use and development authority.
Status: Passed
Title: Wildlife Resources Conservation Easement Restricted Account
Bill number: S.B. 188
Sponsor: Senator Dennis Stowell (R- Beaver, Garfield, Iron, Kane, Millard, Washington Counties)
What the bill proposes: This bill creates the Wildlife Resources Conservation Easement Restricted Account.
Status: Passed
Title: Litigation Fund Restricted Account for Highway Projects
Bill number: S.B. 240
Sponsor: Senator Sheldon Killpack (R- Davis County)
What the bill proposes: This bill creates a restricted account to be used to fund litigation expenses for highway projects.
Status: Passed
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