FY 2016 Appropriation

Mission: The Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands manages, sustains and strengthens Utah's forests, rangelands, sovereign lands and watersheds for its citizens and visitors.

The Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands manages Utah's sovereign lands and provides forestry conservation and fire control activities on non-federal forest, range, and watershed lands. Although there are no state forests, approximately 30 percent of Utah is non-federal land, leaving a sizeable area on which the division administers the state's forestry laws.

Funding History

Funding Issues

Asset and Agreement Tracking System Maintenance & Hosting

The division is nearing completion of the development of the new Sovereign Lands Asset and Agreement Tracking System. There will be ongoing costs for software maintenance of $25,000 and for DTS hosting and support of $15,000.

Bear Lake: Access Points Improvement

The division is in collaboration with Bear Lake Regional Commission, Bear River Association of Governments, GOED, National Park Service, and the Division of Parks and Recreation to improve Bear Lake's infrastructure and enhance the recreational opportunities, as well as the public access and safety. This funding request is to be matched with other sources and be used for projects that will improve the parking, enhance the lighting at boat ramps, and provide more permanent restroom facilities around the lake.

Bear Lake: Law Enforcement

The majority of the goals of the Bear Lake Comprehensive Management Plan deal with public safety and the protection of the environmental resources. Currently, the law enforcement is contracted through the Rich County Sheriff's Office for peak summer season only. To meet the increased demand for recreational access, and recent legislation and policies related to the beach launching, quagga mussel prevention, and restrictions on using motorized vehicles on the beaches, the division is requesting additional appropriation of $65,000 ongoing to provide full-time law enforcement at Bear Lake through Rich County's Sheriff's Office.

Bear River Management Plan, Phase 1

The Bear River is used for recreation, agriculture, and industry. These multiple uses will continue to increase as the population along the Wasatch Front continues to expand and move northward into communities along the river. The division is requesting funding for phase one of a comprehensive management plan for the area. The comprehensive management plan sets the framework for the management of sovereign lands under multiple-use, sustained-yield principles. The funding is to aid staff with expertise provided by consultants for certain aspects of the process, as well as for materials for the public meetings.

Catastrophic Fire

The Catastrophic Wildfire Reduction Strategy provides a systematic approach to reducing the risk of wildfire. If addressed collectively, the strategy's three goals of 1) Landscape Resilience, 2) Community Preparedness, and 3) Wildfire Response & Management will likely reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire, as well as reduce both suppression and total costs of wildfire over time. The division is requesting $2.5 million to implement pre-suppression actions of wildfire prevention (targeted outreach to change behaviors and reduce the number of human-caused fires), preparedness (community planning, evacuation planning, egress issues, firefighter training and qualifications, fire department equipment, etc.), and mitigation (hazardous fuels reduction work, defensible space, etc.).

Freeport Center O&M

The division has a need to store engines, vehicles, boats, etc. during the off-season. In the past, they have used warehouse space (80,000 sq. ft.) at the old Freeport Center in Clearfield, which was transferred to DFCM by the federal government. Some upgrades have been made to the facility since the transfer. DFCM is now requesting payments from the division for the annual operations and maintenance costs for the facility.

Jordan River: Bank Stabilization

The division has received numerous requests from local municipalities to help plan, implement, and fund stream bank stabilization projects along the Jordan River. In many cases the continual erosion and degradation of stream banks present serious threats to structures, land, and wildlife habitat along the Jordan River. The division is requesting $50,000 to provide matching funds for local projects that will protect the integrity and stability of the Jordan River, while also enhancing the ecological and aesthetic value of sovereign lands.

Jordan River: Commission

The Jordan River Commission was created by an inter-local cooperation agreement in 2010, with the purpose to facilitate regional implementation of the Blueprint Jordan River, to serve as a technical resource to local communities, and to provide a forum for coordination of planning, restoration, and responsible development along the Jordan River corridor. The cities and counties that participate provide funding, and the Division of Water Quality provides office space. Currently, the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands does not provide financial contributions to the Jordan River Commission. The request is for $30,000 ongoing to assist the commission to hire a full-time staff, who is to focus on research, grant writing, and project-specific work.

LiDAR for Northern Utah

The division will partner with contributions from FEMA, the Utah Geological Survey, Division of Emergency Management, and other parties for LiDAR data acquisition for the shoreline and beaches of Bear Lake, the Bear River where claimed as sovereign, and as much of the Great Salt Lake shoreline and beaches as possible. LiDAR data will help staff manage the beds of sovereign lands. The data can also be used for vegetation modeling and mapping.

Navigational Hazards Removal

The State of Utah faces liability by continuing to allow navigational hazards to remain on waterways throughout the state. The division is responsible to provide safe navigation on sovereign lands. Staff has been working with local stakeholders to mitigate and remove navigational hazards on sovereign lands. The division is requesting funds to partner with local municipalities and agencies to prioritize the removal of navigational hazards on sovereign lands, including: abandoned pipelines, concrete bridge pilasters, fences, abandoned railroad trestles, etc.

Vehicles

This request is for two new vehicles for the sovereign lands staff in Logan (Bear River Area Office) and Moab (South East Area Office). The staff travel out in the field doing sovereign lands related work, hazardous fuels reduction work, and other forestry type field labor. The division is requesting $65,000 one time for the purchase of the two vehicles and $9,600 for the ongoing vehicles operation costs.
Appropriation Overview

During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $28,511,100 from all sources for Forestry, Fire and State Lands. This is an 8.8 percent reduction from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources. The total includes $2,517,900 from the General/Education Funds, an increase of 224.9 percent from revised Fiscal Year 2015 estimates.

Appropriation Adjustments

In addition to statewide compensation and internal service fund cost increases, the following appropriation adjustments were made during the 2015 General Session:

DescriptionOngoingOne-Time Asset and Agreement Tracking System Maintenance & Hosting$40,000$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$40,000$0GFR - Sovereign Lands Mgt
The division is nearing completion of the development of the new Sovereign Lands Asset and Agreement Tracking System. There will be ongoing costs for software maintenance of $25,000 and for DTS hosting and support of $15,000.
Bear Lake: Access Points Improvement$0$250,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$250,000GFR - Sovereign Lands Mgt
The division is in collaboration with Bear Lake Regional Commission, Bear River Association of Governments, GOED, National Park Service, and the Division of Parks and Recreation to improve Bear Lake's infrastructure and enhance the recreational opportunities, as well as the public access and safety. This funding request is to be matched with other sources and be used for projects that will improve the parking, enhance the lighting at boat ramps, and provide more permanent restroom facilities around the lake.
Bear Lake: Law Enforcement$65,000$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$65,000$0GFR - Sovereign Lands Mgt
The majority of the goals of the Bear Lake Comprehensive Management Plan deal with public safety and the protection of the environmental resources. Currently, the law enforcement is contracted through the Rich County Sheriff's Office for peak summer season only. To meet the increased demand for recreational access, and recent legislation and policies related to the beach launching, quagga mussel prevention, and restrictions on using motorized vehicles on the beaches, the division is requesting additional appropriation of $65,000 ongoing to provide full-time law enforcement at Bear Lake through Rich County's Sheriff's Office.
Bear River Management Plan, Phase 1$0$100,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$100,000GFR - Sovereign Lands Mgt
The Bear River is used for recreation, agriculture, and industry. These multiple uses will continue to increase as the population along the Wasatch Front continues to expand and move northward into communities along the river. The division is requesting funding for phase one of a comprehensive management plan for the area. The comprehensive management plan sets the framework for the management of sovereign lands under multiple-use, sustained-yield principles. The funding is to aid staff with expertise provided by consultants for certain aspects of the process, as well as for materials for the public meetings.
Catastrophic Fire$0$2,500,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$2,500,000GFR - Sovereign Lands Mgt
The Catastrophic Wildfire Reduction Strategy provides a systematic approach to reducing the risk of wildfire. If addressed collectively, the strategy's three goals of 1) Landscape Resilience, 2) Community Preparedness, and 3) Wildfire Response & Management will likely reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire, as well as reduce both suppression and total costs of wildfire over time. The division is requesting $2.5 million to implement pre-suppression actions of wildfire prevention (targeted outreach to change behaviors and reduce the number of human-caused fires), preparedness (community planning, evacuation planning, egress issues, firefighter training and qualifications, fire department equipment, etc.), and mitigation (hazardous fuels reduction work, defensible space, etc.).
Dredging the Great Salt Lake Marina$0$1,000,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$1,000,000GFR - Sovereign Lands Mgt
The funding is to be provided from the Sovereign Lands Management Account (2/3) and the State Parks Fees Account (1/3).
Freeport Center O&M$56,600$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$56,600$0GFR - Sovereign Lands Mgt
The division has a need to store engines, vehicles, boats, etc. during the off-season. In the past, they have used warehouse space (80,000 sq. ft.) at the old Freeport Center in Clearfield, which was transferred to DFCM by the federal government. Some upgrades have been made to the facility since the transfer. DFCM is now requesting payments from the division for the annual operations and maintenance costs for the facility.
Invasive Species Inspections, Quagga, Bear Lake$0$100,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$100,000GFR - Sovereign Lands Mgt
Funding from the Sovereign Lands Management Account for additional inspections points/services for quagga mussels at the Bear Lake.
Jordan River: Bank Stabilization$50,000$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$50,000$0GFR - Sovereign Lands Mgt
The division has received numerous requests from local municipalities to help plan, implement, and fund stream bank stabilization projects along the Jordan River. In many cases the continual erosion and degradation of stream banks present serious threats to structures, land, and wildlife habitat along the Jordan River. The division is requesting $50,000 to provide matching funds for local projects that will protect the integrity and stability of the Jordan River, while also enhancing the ecological and aesthetic value of sovereign lands.
Jordan River: Commission$30,000$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$30,000$0GFR - Sovereign Lands Mgt
The Jordan River Commission was created by an inter-local cooperation agreement in 2010, with the purpose to facilitate regional implementation of the Blueprint Jordan River, to serve as a technical resource to local communities, and to provide a forum for coordination of planning, restoration, and responsible development along the Jordan River corridor. The cities and counties that participate provide funding, and the Division of Water Quality provides office space. Currently, the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands does not provide financial contributions to the Jordan River Commission. The request is for $30,000 ongoing to assist the commission to hire a full-time staff, who is to focus on research, grant writing, and project-specific work.
LiDAR for Northern Utah$0$250,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$250,000GFR - Sovereign Lands Mgt
The division will partner with contributions from FEMA, the Utah Geological Survey, Division of Emergency Management, and other parties for LiDAR data acquisition for the shoreline and beaches of Bear Lake, the Bear River where claimed as sovereign, and as much of the Great Salt Lake shoreline and beaches as possible. LiDAR data will help staff manage the beds of sovereign lands. The data can also be used for vegetation modeling and mapping.
Navigational Hazards Removal$0$150,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$150,000GFR - Sovereign Lands Mgt
The State of Utah faces liability by continuing to allow navigational hazards to remain on waterways throughout the state. The division is responsible to provide safe navigation on sovereign lands. Staff has been working with local stakeholders to mitigate and remove navigational hazards on sovereign lands. The division is requesting funds to partner with local municipalities and agencies to prioritize the removal of navigational hazards on sovereign lands, including: abandoned pipelines, concrete bridge pilasters, fences, abandoned railroad trestles, etc.
Phragmites Removal on the Great Salt Lake$0$500,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$500,000GFR - Sovereign Lands Mgt
Funding for phragmites removal projects.
Utah Lake State Park, Dredging$0$1,500,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$1,500,000GFR - Sovereign Lands Mgt
No Description
Vehicles$9,600$65,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$9,600$65,000GFR - Sovereign Lands Mgt
This request is for two new vehicles for the sovereign lands staff in Logan (Bear River Area Office) and Moab (South East Area Office). The staff travel out in the field doing sovereign lands related work, hazardous fuels reduction work, and other forestry type field labor. The division is requesting $65,000 one time for the purchase of the two vehicles and $9,600 for the ongoing vehicles operation costs.
Staff Analysis

Currently the division is putting special emphasis on the following areas:

  • Providing wildland fire protection for non-federal, unincorporated lands commensurate with values at risk.
  • Providing technical assistance to landowners and communities in natural resource management by utilizing the principles of multiple-use, stewardship, and ecosystem management.
  • Managing the resources of sovereign lands under public trust.

The division uses the following as the top performance measures to gauge the success of its programs.

Acres of Fuel-Reduction Treatment

Hazardous Fuel Reduction: As part of the National Fire Plan (NFP), and Utah's Catastrophic Wildfire Reduction Strategy of FY 2015, the division is actively engaged in hazardous fuel reduction projects where staff and contract vendors work with private landowners across the state to reduce potential fire hazards by eliminating forest "fuels" (e.g., dead and down wood, ladder fuels, etc.) surrounding homes, community infrastructure and other values at risk from wildfire. This measure tracks the number of acres on which the division preformed hazardous fuel reduction treatments.

fuel reductions

Firefighters Trained to Meet Standards

Training: This measure tracks the number of wildland firefighters trained to certified standards. The more firefighters the division can train to proper standards--including division employees, career (often urban) firefighters, and rural fire department volunteers--the better the local resources are for initial attack to control wildfires when they are small. More and better trained and qualified wildland firefighters is key to keeping the costs of wildfire low.

trained

Number of Cities Qualified for "Tree City USA"

Tree City USA: This measure tracks the number of cities in Utah qualified for "Tree City USA." Tree City USA status requires certain national standards be met to receive that designation. When a city reaches this status, it is due to the efforts of division staff helping them get there and is a direct reflection on the division helping improve and maintain Utah's urban forests, which are where the vast majority of Utah citizens live.

tree-cityUSA

Wildland Fires on Non-Federal Lands

Fire Season: Utah's formal fire season is May through October, so "fire season" bridges two state fiscal years, making it important to distinguish between calendar and fiscal year wildfire reporting. The fire season in Utah during calendar year 2013 was average (number of fire starts and acres burned); therefore, wildland fire costs for FY 2014 were lower than the ten-year average. The calendar year 2014 fire season, though final numbers are not yet calculated, was below average when compared to the past ten years, though FY 2015 costs will still include any wildland fires and associated costs that occur through June 2015.

fires

Statute

The following laws govern operation of the division:

  • UCA 65A-1-1 defines "sovereign lands."
  • UCA 65A-1-4 defines the division's authority.
  • UCA 65A-5-1 creates the restricted Sovereign Land Management Account.
  • UCA 65A-8-101 encourages private landowners in preserving, protecting, and managing forest and other lands throughout Utah.
  • UCA 65A-8-105 describes division responsibility for Urban and Community Forestry programs.
  • UCA 65A-8-202 requires the division to abate fires on all state-owned lands, but owning agencies shall recognize the need and responsibility for sharing the costs and shall annually allocate funds to the division in amounts determined to be proportionate to the costs of providing a basic level of fire protection.
  • UCA 65A-9-1 makes the division responsible for efficient management of range resources on lands it administers.
  • UCA 65A-10-1 allows the division to exchange, sell, or lease sovereign lands but only in quantities and purposes that serve the public interest and so not interfere with the public trust.
  • UCA 65A-10-3 requires the division to develop plans to resolve disputes over sovereign land boundaries.
  • UCA 65A-10-8 requires a comprehensive plan for the Great Salt Lake.

Intent Language

HB0003: Item 101

Under the terms of 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that appropriations provided for the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands in Item 5, Chapter 5, Laws of Utah 2014, shall not lapse at the close of FY 2015. Expenditures of these funds are limited to: Sovereign Lands Projects $1,210,000; Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge Dispute $100,000; Little Willow Water Line $32,000; Navigational Hazards Removal $20,000; Lands Maintenance $50,000; Information Database $110,000; Jordan River Assessment $27,000; Bear River Baseline $35,000; Bear Lake Public Access $50,000, Cedar City Office Building $1,000,000.

HB0003: Item 101

The Legislature intends that Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands purchase two new vehicles in FY 2015 through the Division of Fleet Operations.

SB0002: Item 148

The Legislature intends that the $250,000 for Bear Lake Access be contingent upon at least a 50% match from other state and/or local sources.

SB0002: Item 148

The Legislature intends that the $50,000 for Jordan River bank stabilization be contingent upon a one-to-one match from non-state sources.

SB0002: Item 148

The Legislature intends that the $250,000 for LiDAR for Northern Utah be contingent upon a one-to-one match from other state, federal, and/or local sources.

The division receives federal funds, dedicated credits, appropriations from the Sovereign Lands Management Restricted Account and the General Fund, as well as funding from the Wildland Fire Suppression Fund.

A large sum of federal dollars are used for "Forest Legacy" projects (budgeted in the Forest Management Program) which consists of identifying willing private land owners interested in protecting environmentally important private forest lands that are threatened by conversion to non-forest uses. Most of these funds are used to purchase conservation easements. Other federal funds are used for forestry assistance to private landowners, forest health, and urban and community forestry.

The division's dedicated credits come mostly from reimbursement for project labor, including firefighting, by the Lone Peak Conservation Center.

Special Funds

The division manages the expendable trust fund known as the Wildland Fire Suppression Fund (UCA 65A-8-204). Counties may contribute to the fund by agreeing to specific terms set in statute and the state must match the county's contributions. In FY 1998 the Legislature added $1.5 million to the division's General Fund base to match county payments. In FY 2001, 2003, and 2009, the fund did not have sufficient money to pay all obligations. To avoid prorating funds, the Legislature made a one-time appropriation of $5 million in FY 2001, $3.2 million in FY 2003, and $4 million in FY 2009 directly to the fund. In the 2006 General Session, the Legislature passed S.B. 65, which allows counties to exempt certain lands and values from the calculation. Because of this, division management anticipates a reduction in the amount of revenues coming into the fund. Currently all counties, except Rich, Salt Lake, Summit, Wasatch, and Weber, participate in the program. Additional information about the fund:

  • Also known as the "Insurance Fund"
  • Capped at $8 million,
  • Eligible lands include forest, range, and watershed lands in unincorporated areas of counties, except federal or state lands,
  • Counties pay a premium based on acreage and taxable value of real property in unincorporated areas. The state matches their payments.

The figure below shows the activities of the Sovereign Lands Management Restricted Account over time, the appropriated amount for the current fiscal year, as well as the average revenues, expenditures, and balances.

FFSL SLMRA

The following figure shows the account balances with projections based on certain assumptions.SLMA

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COBI contains unaudited data as presented to the Legislature by state agencies at the time of publication. For audited financial data see the State of Utah's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports.