MINUTES OF THE
SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE, AND ENVIRONMENT STANDING COMMITTEE
Thursday, January 22, 2026 • 2:00 p.m. • 215 Senate Building


Members Present:
Sen. Derrin R. Owens, Chair
Sen. Nate Blouin
Sen. Keith Grover
Sen. David P. Hinkins
Sen. Scott D. Sandall
Sen. Keven J. Stratton

Members Absent:
Sen. Jerry W Stevenson

Staff Present:
Julie Humberstone, Managing Policy Analyst
Cassie Sudekum, Committee Secretary
Lorna Wells, Committee Secretary

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

Chair Owens called the meeting to order at 02:15 PM.
MOTION:Sen. Blouin moved to approve the minutes of March 4, 2025.The motion passed with a vote of 3-0-4.
Yeas - 3Nays- 0Abs- 4
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
1.S.B. 135 Nuclear Reprocessing Amendments(Owens, D.R.)
Sen. Hinkins assumed the chair.
Sen. Owens presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Owens moved to replace SB0135 with SB0135S01.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
Emy Lesofski, Director, Office of Energy Development, spoke in favor of the bill.
Tim Davis, Executive Director, Department of Environmental Quality, spoke in favor of the bill.
Carmen Valdez, Senior Policy Associate, HEAL Utah, spoke in opposition to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Owens moved to pass SB0135S01 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 4-1-2.
Yeas - 4Nays- 1Abs- 2
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
2.S.C.R. 1 Concurrent Resolution Regarding Nuclear Energy(Owens, D.R.)
Sen. Owens presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Owens moved to amend SCR001 with Amendment #1.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Amendment 1

1 .        Line 37 through 43 :  Line 37 through 43
37383940414243

Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
Emy Lesofski, Director, Office of Energy Development, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Sandall moved to pass SCR001 as amended out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 4-1-2.
Yeas - 4Nays- 1Abs- 2
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
Chair Owens resumed the chair.
3.S.B. 53 Public Land Management Advisory Board Amendments(Kwan, K.)
Sen. Karen Kwan presented the bill with Redge Johnson, Executive Director, Utah Public Lands Policy Coordinating Office.
MOTION:Sen. Grover moved to pass SB0053 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
4.S.B. 70 Natural Disaster Amendments(Plumb, J.)
Sen. Jen Plumb presented the bill.
Kristina Pulsipher, Co-Executive Director, Ruff Haven Crisis Sheltering, spoke in favor of the bill.
Ian Williams, President, Utah Animal Control Officers Association, spoke in favor of this bill.
Alexis Pagoulatos, Executive Director, Humane Society of Utah, spoke in favor of the bill.
Kathryn McMullin, Director, Utah Emergency Management Association, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Willis LeFevre, Uintah County Resident, spoke to the bill.
David Ulibarri, Director, Eagle Mountain City Public Safety, spoke in opposition to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Grover moved to hold SB0070.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. K. Stratton
Sen. J. Stevenson
5.S.C.R. 3 Concurrent Resolution Regarding Nuclear Weapons Testing(Riebe, K.)
Sen. Kathleen Riebe presented the bill.
Steve Erickson, Volunteer, Downwinders, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Hinkins moved to pass SCR003 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 4-2-1.
Yeas - 4Nays- 2Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. K. Stratton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. J. Stevenson
6.S.C.R. 4 Concurrent Resolution Regarding Permitting of Oil, Gas, and Mining(Winterton, R.)
Sen. Ronald Winterton presented the bill with Mick Thomas, Director, Utah Division of Oil, Gas, and Mining.
Willis LeFevre, Uintah County Resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
Emy Lesofski, Director, Office of Energy Development, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Hinkins moved to pass SCR004 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 4-1-2.
Yeas - 4Nays- 1Abs- 2
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
MOTION:Sen. Grover moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
Chair Owens adjourned the meeting at 03:23 PM.
NOTE: S.B. 0021, S.B. 0086 were not discussed in the meeting.