Much of current news covers how Utah’s legislative session will address nuclear energy, the Great Salt Lake, elections, immigration, housing, and higher education. But as the session trots along, there are eight bills Southern Utahns may be interested in keeping in their sights. They relate to water, agriculture, and public lands.
Water
Water, as in many Utah legislative sessions, is a big theme this year. Fourteen bills currently in-progress are centered around water use and policy in the state. Many of these have been specifically recommended by the Legislative Water Development Commission. Here are four of them:
- HB 243: Agricultural Water Optimization Amendments. This bill funds research and changes grant qualifications for farming water optimization programs.
- HB 304: Livestock Watering Modifications. This bill “establishes the requirements to apply for a certificate recognizing certain livestock watering uses.”
- HB 311: Watershed Amendments. This bill helps “prevent waste, loss, pollution, or contamination of waters” in certain hydroelectric facilities.
- HCR 1: Concurrent Resolution Regarding the Grand County Water Conservancy District. This resolution expresses support for Congress to “transfer federal water infrastructure to” the Grand County Water Conservancy District.
Agriculture
Agriculture is inextricably connected with water in many cases. But there is one bill that addresses issues more related to the livestock market:
HB 253: Agriculture and Food Amendments. This bill “addresses issues related to the regulation, oversight, or encouragement of agriculture and food.”
Public Lands
Public lands have made their way into more Americans’ views right now because of Utah’s recent lawsuit questioning the federal government’s control of unappropriated lands.
The following bills address access to state lands embedded within federal public lands, water rights on public lands, and use of the federal Recreation and Public Purposes Act.
- HB 103: Public Land Access Road Amendments. This bill requires two state offices, the Public Lands Policy Coordinating Office (PLPCO) and the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), to identify the roads that provide access to state lands.
- HB 47: Public Lands Watering Rights Amendments. This bill addresses water rights for water livestock on public lands, especially when a federal land management agency reduces grazing animal unit months (AUMs).
- SB 158: Sale or Lease of Federally Managed Public Land Amendments. This bill outlines new requirements for lands acquired through the federal Recreation and Public Purposes Act.
More updates on this legislative session to come.
– The Byway