MINUTES OF THE
NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
Thursday, February 6, 2025 • 8:00 a.m. • 210 Senate Building


Members Present:
Sen. David P. Hinkins, Chair
Rep. Stewart E. Barlow, House Chair
Rep. Scott H. Chew, House Vice Chair
Sen. Nate Blouin
Sen. Daniel McCay
Sen. Calvin R. Musselman
Sen. Scott D. Sandall
Sen. Ronald M. Winterton
Rep. Carl R. Albrecht
Rep. Gay Lynn Bennion
Rep. Michael L. Kohler
Rep. Logan J. Monson
Rep. Hoang Nguyen
Rep. Troy Shelley
Rep. Rex P. Shipp
Rep. Casey Snider

Members Absent:
Sen. Jerry W. Stevenson

Staff Present:
Ivan D. Djambov, Finance Manager
Lacey K. Moore, Finance Officer
Tisha Gibby, Committee Secretary

Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.
1.Call to Order
Chair Hinkins called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m.
2.RFA: Bothwell Water Infrastructure Investment (Rep. Peterson, T.)
2. RFA Form: Bothwell Water Infrastructure
2. RFA Presentation: Bothwell Water Infrastructure
Rep. Thomas Peterson presented the request with the assistance of Lyle Holmgren, Mayor, city of Tremonton.
Sen. Winterton asked about water needs and future growth, and Mayor Holmgren and Rep. Peterson responded.
3.RFA: Center for Utah Water Information (Rep. Snider)
3. RFA Form: Center for Utah Water Info.
3. RFA Presentation: Center for Utah Water Info.
Rep. Snider presented the request with the assistance of Candice Hasenyager, Director, Division of Water Resources.
4.RFA: Utah Horse Racing (Rep. Snider)
4. RFA Form: Utah Horse Racing
Rep. Snider presented the request with the assistance of Leann Hunting, Director, Division of Animal Industry, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF).
5.RFA: Wildlife Land and Water Acquisition Funding (Rep. Snider)
5. RFA Form: Wildlife Land and Water Acquisition
Rep. Snider presented the request.
6.RFA: In-lieu Fee Program (Wetland Mitigation/Restoration Coordinator) (Rep. Snider)
6. RFA Form: In-lieu Fee Program
Rep. Snider presented the request.
7.RFA: Bear River Basin Cloud Seeding Program (Rep. Barlow)
7. RFA Presentation: Bear River Basin Cloud Seeding
7. RFA Form: Bear River Basin Cloud Seeding
Rep. Barlow presented the request with the assistance of Joel Ferry, Executive Director, Department of Natural Resources.
Sen. Musselman asked for clarification on the funds being requested, and Joel Ferry responded.
Chair Hinkins asked about collaborating with the ski industry, and Joel Ferry responded.
8.RFA: Aquatic Invasive Species Combating Initiative-Support (Sen. Hinkins)
8. RFA Presentation: Combating Aquatic Invasive Species
8. RFA Form: Combating Aquatic Invasive Species
Chair Hinkins presented the request with the assistance of Garret Atwood, Owner, Clean Wake LLC.
Rep. Shelley inquired regarding how the program was funded in the past, and Chair Hinkins and Ivan Djambov responded.
Bruce Johnson, Lieutenant, Division of Wildlife Resources, and Chair Hinkins, provided further information.
9.RFA: Morris Bend Hydroelectric Reservoir (Sen. Hinkins)
9. RFA Form: Morris Bend Hydroelectric Reservoir
Chair Hinkins presented the request with the assistance of Misty Christiansen, Emery Town Council, and Muddy Creek Irrigation Company, and Wyatt Payne, Ensign Engineering.
Rep. Chew asked about the location of the reservoir, and Misty Christiansen and Chair Hinkins responded.
Rep. Albrecht inquired regarding the size of the power generation, and Wyatt Payne responded.
10.RFA: Residential Energy Audit and Improvement Program (Rep. Monson)
10. RFA Form: Residential Energy Audit
Rep. Monson presented the request with the assistance of Rep. David Shallenberger.
11.RFA: AI-enabled Wildfire Detection Camera Systems (Sen. McCay)
11. RFA Form: AI-enabled Wildfire Detection Cameras
11. RFA Handouts: AI-Enabled Wildfire Detection Cameras
Sen. McCay presented the request with the assistance of Kat Williams, Director of Government Development, Pano AI.
Chair Hinkins asked about scalability, and Sen. McCay and Kat Williams responded.
Rep. Shelley asked questions about implementation locations, and Sen. McCay responded.
Rep. Nguyen requested further clarification on locations, and Sen. McCay responded.
Rep. Albrecht asked about power sources, and Sen. McCay responded.
12.RFA: Natural Gas to Foreign Markets Feasibility Study (Sen. Winterton)
12. RFA Presentation: Natural Gas to Foreign Markets
12. RFA Form: Natural Gas to Foreign Markets
Sen. Winterton presented the request with the assistance of Jeff Hartley, Government Affairs, Western States Tribal Nations.
Chair Hinkins commented on gas flaring, and Jeff Harley responded.
Rep. Shelley asked why the state is involved in this issue, and Jeff Hartley responded.
Chair Hinkins commented on the state's interests, and Sen. Winterton and Rep. Shelley responded.
Jeff Hartley provided further clarification, and Rep. Shelley responded.
13.RFA: Plain City Sewer Headworks Replacement Project (Sen. Musselman)
13. RFA Form: Plain City Sewer Headworks Replacement
Sen. Musselman presented the request with the assistance of Jon Beesley, Mayor of Plain city.
14.RFA: State Wildlife Management and Land Use (Rep. Ballard)
14. RFA Form: State Wildlife Management
Rep. Melissa Ballard presented the request.
15.Approval of Minutes
MOTION:Sen. Musselman moved to approve the January 27, January 31, and February 4, 2025 minutes.The motion passed with a vote of 12-0-5.
Yeas - 12Nays- 0Abs- 5
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. S. Barlow
Sen. N. Blouin
Rep. S. Chew
Sen. D. Hinkins
Rep. M. Kohler
Rep. L. Monson
Sen. C. Musselman
Rep. H. Nguyen
Rep. T. Shelley
Rep. R. Shipp
Sen. R. Winterton
Rep. G. Bennion
Sen. D. McCay
Sen. S. Sandall
Rep. C. Snider
Sen. J. Stevenson
16.RFA: Wetland Restoration and Management (Rep. Owens)
16. RFA Form: Wetland Restoration and Management
Rep. Doug Owens presented the request with the assistance of Ben Stireman, Deputy Director, Forestry, Fire, and State Lands.
17.RFA: State Wildlife Management and Land Use (Rep. Ballard)
Rep. Ballard returned to continue presenting the request. Keith Mark, CEO, Hunter Nation, provided additional information.
18.RFA: Utah FFA Association Funding Request (Sen. Owens)
18. RFA Handout: Utah FFA Association
18. RFA Form: Utah FFA Assocation
Sen. Derrin Owens presented the request with the assistance of Buddy Deimler, Education Specialist, Utah State Office of Education.
19.RFA: FFA USU Teacher Mentor (Rep. Owens)
19. RFA Handout: FFA USU Teacher Mentor
19. RFA Form: FFA USU Teacher Mentor
Rep. Doug Owens presented the request with the assistance of Buddy Deimler.
20.RFA: Waterwise Landscaper Training and Certification (Rep. Owens)
20. RFA Form: Waterwise Landscaper Training
20. RFA Letters of Support: Waterwise Landscaper Training
Rep. Doug Owens presented the request with the assistance of Shelby Cooley, Conservation Manager, Water Resources.
21.RFA: Farm Business Mgmt. Education for Utah Technical Colleges (Sen. Owens)
21. RFA Form: Farm Business Mgmt. Education
Sen. Derrin Owens presented the request with the assistance of Craig Buttars, Commissioner, UDAF.
22.RFA: Wildfire Mitigation and Prevention (Rep. Owens)
22. RFA Form: Wildfire Mitigation and Prevention
Rep. Doug Owens presented the request with the assistance of Jamie Barnes, Director, Forestry, Fire, and State Lands.
23.RFA: Central Wasatch Mountains Project (Sen. Cullimore)
23. RFA Form: Central Wasatch Mountains Project
Lindsey Nielsen, Executive Director, Central Wasatch Commission, presented the request.
24.RFA: Sovereign Lands Wetland Enhancement & Infrastructure Analysis (Rep. Koford)
24. RFA Form: Sovereign Lands Wetland Enhancement
Rep. Jill Koford presented the request with the assistance of Ben Stireman.
25.RFA: Deer Creek Intake Project (Sen. Cullimore)
25. RFA Form: Deer Creek Intake
25. RFA Materials: Deer Creek Intake Project
Jeffrey Budge, General Manager, Provo River Water Users Association, presented the request.
Chair Hinkins requested clarification, and Jeffrey Budge responded.
Chair Hinkins brought up boat cleaning dip tanks, and Jeffrey Budge responded.
Craig Peterson, Provo River Water Users Association, provided additional information on the request.
26.RFA: Utah Center for Advanced Energy Research and Development (Sen. Millner)
26. RFA Form: Utah Center for Advanced Energy
Sen. Ann Millner presented the request.
Chair Hinkins commented on grants, and Sen. Millner responded.
Rep. Albrecht expressed appreciation for the work of Sen. Millner.
Mallory, student at Utah County Academy of Sciences, introduced herself.
27.RFA: Northern Utah Fire Inter-Agency Training Complex (Rep. Thompson)
27. RFA Form: Northern Utah Fire Training Complex
27. Northern Utah Fire Inter-Agency Training Complex handout
Rep. Jason Thompson presented the request.
Chair Hinkins asked about the size of the training complex, and Rep. Thompson responded.
28.Other Business
There was no other business.
29.Adjourn
MOTION:Rep. Shipp moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 10-0-7.
Yeas - 10Nays- 0Abs- 7
Rep. C. Albrecht
Rep. S. Barlow
Rep. G. Bennion
Sen. N. Blouin
Rep. S. Chew
Sen. D. Hinkins
Rep. L. Monson
Sen. C. Musselman
Rep. H. Nguyen
Rep. R. Shipp
Rep. M. Kohler
Sen. D. McCay
Sen. S. Sandall
Rep. T. Shelley
Rep. C. Snider
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. R. Winterton
Chair Hinkins adjourned the meeting at 10:29 a.m.