MINUTES OF THE
HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE, AND ENVIRONMENT STANDING COMMITTEE
Friday, February 21, 2020 • 8:00 a.m. • 445 State Capitol


Members Present:
Rep. Keven J. Stratton, Chair
Rep. Logan Wilde, Vice Chair
Rep. Carl R. Albrecht
Rep. Joel K. Briscoe
Rep. Scott H. Chew
Rep. Susan Duckworth
Rep. Joel Ferry
Rep. Phil Lyman
Rep. Michael K. McKell
Rep. Derrin R. Owens
Rep. Douglas V. Sagers
Rep. Christine F. Watkins

Members Absent:
Rep. Timothy D. Hawkes

Staff Present:
Nathan W. Brady, Policy Analyst
Linda Service, Committee Secretary

Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.

Chair Stratton called the meeting to order at 8:06 a.m.
MOTION: Rep. Albrecht moved to approve the minutes of the February 19, 2020 meeting. The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-7.
Yeas - 6Nays-0Abs-7
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. P. Lyman
Rep. D. Sagers
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. J. Ferry
Rep. T. Hawkes
Rep. M. McKell
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. L. Wilde
1. H.J.R. 15 Proposal to Amend Utah Constitution - the Right to Hunt, Fish, and Harvest Wildlife (Snider, C.)
Rep. Snider explained the bill assisted by Mike Fowlks, Director, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
Jack Ray, President, Utah Waterfowl Association, spoke in favor of the bill.
Troy Justensen, President, Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, spoke in favor of the bill.
Andy Rasmussen, Trout Unlimited, spoke in favor of the bill.
Bill Christensen, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION: Rep. Ferry moved to replace H.J.R. 15 with 1st Substitute H.J.R. 15. The motion passed with a vote of 10-0-3.
Yeas - 10Nays-0Abs-3
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. J. Ferry
Rep. P. Lyman
Rep. M. McKell
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. D. Sagers
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. T. Hawkes
Rep. L. Wilde
MOTION: Rep. Ferry moved to pass 1st Substitute H.J.R. 15 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 10-0-3.
Yeas - 10Nays-0Abs-3
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. J. Ferry
Rep. P. Lyman
Rep. M. McKell
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. D. Sagers
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. T. Hawkes
Rep. L. Wilde
2. H.C.R. 13 Concurrent Resolution Supporting the Protection and Restoration of Wildlife Corridors (Schultz, M.)
Rep. Schultz explained the bill assisted by Gabby Saunders, Campaign Communication Specialist, Wildlands Network.
Kirk Robinson, Founder and Executive Director, Western Wildlife Conservancy, spoke in favor of the bill.
Andy Rasmussen, spoke in favor of the bill.
Steve Erickson, Policy Advocate, Utah Audubon Council, spoke in favor of the bill.
Chelsie Saunders, citizen, spoke to the bill.
Erin Ferguson, Secretary, Save People, Save Wildlife, spoke in favor of the bill.
Bill Christensen spoke in favor of the bill.
Jason Davis, Deputy Director, Utah Department of Transportation, spoke in favor of the bill.
Mike Fowlks spoke in favor of the bill.
Troy Justensen spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION: Rep. Owens moved to amend H.C.R. 13 with Amendment #1. The motion passed with a vote of 10-0-3.
Amendment 1
H.C.R. 13
1.        Page 1, Lines 16 through 17: 
16                 ▸         acknowledges that protecting fish and wildlife corridors will improve herd vitality of big
17         game species and preserve connectivity of fisheries ;

2.        Page 2, Line 30: 
30                 ▸         expresses the state's continued support for fish and wildlife corridors and road safety; and

3.        Page 2, Lines 42 through 43: 
42                 WHEREAS, protecting fish and wildlife migration corridors has been shown to improve herd vitality of
43         big game species { that are } , and preserving connectivity is crucial to the long-term resiliency of Utah's fisheries, both being critical in supporting Utah's outdoor recreation economy;

4.        Page 3, Lines 75 through 78: 
75                 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
76         Governor concurring therein, urges continued state investment in wildlife connectivity and
77         encourages state and local governments to adopt policies to protect and restore intact fish and wildlife
78         connectivity and migration corridors and promote road safety .

Yeas - 10Nays-0Abs-3
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. J. Ferry
Rep. P. Lyman
Rep. M. McKell
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. L. Wilde
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. T. Hawkes
Rep. D. Sagers
MOTION: Rep. Lyman moved to amend H.C.R. 13 with Amendment #2. The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-2.
Amendment 2
H.C.R. 13
1.        Page 3, Lines 80 through 82: 
80         Division of Wildlife Resources, universities, and others with expertise in the wildlife area to
81         study where wildlife migration corridors exist within the state and how best to protect and enhance these
82         corridors.

Yeas - 11Nays-0Abs-2
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. J. Ferry
Rep. P. Lyman
Rep. M. McKell
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. D. Sagers
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. L. Wilde
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. T. Hawkes
MOTION: Rep. McKell moved to pass H.C.R. 13 out favorably as amended. The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-2.
Yeas - 11Nays-0Abs-2
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. J. Ferry
Rep. P. Lyman
Rep. M. McKell
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. D. Sagers
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. L. Wilde
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. T. Hawkes
3. H.B. 294 Mining Operations Amendments (Brooks, W.)
Rep. Brooks explained the bill.
Brian Somers, President, Utah Mining Asociation, spoke in favor of the bill.
Dave Kallas, Director, SunRoc Corporation, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION: Rep. Owens moved to amend H.B. 294 with Amendment #1. The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-2.
Amendment 1
H.B. 294
1.        Page 9, Lines 250 through 252: 
250                 (b) "Mining operation" does not include:
251                 (i) the extraction of sand, gravel, and rock aggregate;
252                 (ii) the extraction of sand, gravel, and basalt for an area not to exceed 50 acres under active surface mining ;

Yeas - 11Nays-0Abs-2
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. J. Ferry
Rep. P. Lyman
Rep. M. McKell
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. D. Sagers
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. L. Wilde
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. T. Hawkes
MOTION: Rep. McKell moved to pass H.B. 294 out favorably as amended. The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-2.
Yeas - 11Nays-0Abs-2
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. J. Ferry
Rep. P. Lyman
Rep. M. McKell
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. D. Sagers
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. L. Wilde
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. T. Hawkes
4. S.B. 88 Environmental Quality Revisions (Okerlund, R.)
Rep Harrison explained the bill assisted by Scott Baird, Executive Director, Utah Department of Environmental Quality.
Rikki Hrenko-Browning, President, Utah Petroleum Association, spoke in favor of the bill.
Dale Pierson, Executive Director, Rural Water Asociation, spoke in favor of the bill.
Lynn Pace, Salt Lake City Department of Utilities, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION: Rep. Owens moved to pass S.B. 88 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 10-0-3.
Yeas - 10Nays-0Abs-3
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. J. Ferry
Rep. P. Lyman
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. D. Sagers
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. L. Wilde
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. T. Hawkes
Rep. M. McKell
MOTION: Rep. Owens moved to adjourn. The motion passed with a vote of 10-0-3.
Yeas - 10Nays-0Abs-3
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Chew
Rep. J. Ferry
Rep. P. Lyman
Rep. D. Owens
Rep. D. Sagers
Rep. K. Stratton
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. L. Wilde
Rep. S. Duckworth
Rep. T. Hawkes
Rep. M. McKell
Chair Stratton adjourned the meeting at 9:40 a.m.