MINUTES OF THE
SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE, AND ENVIRONMENT STANDING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 • 3:40 p.m. • 215 Senate Building


Members Present:
Sen. Derrin R. Owens, Chair
Sen. Nate Blouin
Sen. David P. Hinkins
Sen. Keven J. Stratton

Members Absent:
Sen. Keith Grover
Sen. Scott D. Sandall
Sen. Jerry W Stevenson

Staff Present:
Julie Humberstone, Managing Policy Analyst
Cassie Sudekum, 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.
MOTION:Sen. Hinkins moved to approve the minutes from the January 30, 2026 meeting.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
Sen. Hinkins assumed the chair.
1.S.B. 209 Gooseberry Narrows State Park Designation(Owens, D.R.)
Sen. Owens presented the bill.
Jeff Salt, Secretary, Utah Anglers Coalition, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Jeff Salt Handout
Herbert Ley Gooseberry Creek Photos
Herbert Lay, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Jay Olsen, Chair, Sanpete Water Conservancy District, spoke in favor of the bill.
Nate Broadhurst, Attorney, Sanpete Water Conservancy District, spoke in favor of the bill.
Rep. Troy Shelley spoke in favor of the bill.
Zach Frankel, Executive Director, Utah Rivers Council, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Jeff Richens, General Manager, Price River Water Improvement District, spoke in opposition to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Owens moved to replace SB0209 with SB0209S01.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
MOTION:Sen. Owens moved to amend SB0209S01 with Amendment #1.The motion passed with a vote of 3-0-4.
Amendment 1

1 .        Line 84 through 89 :  Line 84 through 89
848586 878889

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
MOTION:Sen. Owens moved to pass SB0209S01 as amended out favorably.The motion failed with a vote of 1-2-4.
Yeas - 1Nays- 2Abs- 4
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
Chair Owens resumed the chair.
2.S.B. 21 Geothermal Amendments(McKell, M.)
Sen. Michael McKell presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Hinkins moved to replace SB0021 with SB0021S02.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
Terry Camp, Vice President of Public Policy, Utah Farm Bureau Federation, spoke in favor of the bill.
Mike Johnson, General Council, Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), spoke in favor of the bill.
Sam Hermany, Regional Governmental Affairs Manager, Zanskar Geothermal and Minerals, spoke to the bill.
Kim Christy, Director, Land Trusts Protection and Advocacy Office (LTRAO), spoke in favor of the bill.
Brandon Yardley, Commissioner, Beaver County, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Hinkins moved to pass SB0021S02 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 2-1-4.
Yeas - 2Nays- 1Abs- 4
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. K. Stratton
3.S.B. 234 Rulemaking Amendments(Brammer, B.)
Sen. Brady Brammer presented the bill with the assistance of Mark Behrens, Co-Chair, Public Policy Practice Group.
Carmen ValDez, Senior Policy Associate, Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah (HEAL Utah), spoke in opposition to the bill.
Joan Entwistle, resident, Summit County, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Abbie Nistler, Legislative Committee Volunteer, Utah Sierra Club, spoke in opposition to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Hinkins moved to pass SB0234 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 3-1-3.
Yeas - 3Nays- 1Abs- 3
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. K. Stratton
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. J. Stevenson
MOTION:Sen. Hinkins moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. K. Stratton
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. J. Stevenson
Chair Owens adjourned the meeting.