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H.J.R. 6
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6 A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE LEGISLATURE EXPRESSING CONTINUED SUPPORT OF
7 THE CENTRAL UTAH PROJECT AS OFFERED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN
8 THE CENTRAL UTAH PROJECT COMPLETION ACT.
9 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
10 WHEREAS, in 1964, people of vision and foresight created the Central Utah Water
11 Conservancy District to administer the development of the various proposed units of the Central
12 Utah Project;
13 WHEREAS, the purpose of the project was and continues to be the development of Utah's
14 portion of the upper Colorado River water for the benefit of counties in central and south-central
15 Utah and the people of the entire state;
16 WHEREAS, since 1965 Juab and Utah County citizens have been paying property taxes
17 into the Central Utah Water Conservancy District in anticipation that they would receive irrigation
18 water, one of several original purposes of the project;
19 WHEREAS, Utah's congressional delegation realizes the importance of the Colorado River
20 water to the people of Utah and has fought for the authorizations and appropriations necessary to
21 build the project;
22 WHEREAS, completion of the Central Utah Project and delivery of Utah's portion of the
23 Colorado River water is vital to the continued long-term prosperity of the state;
24 WHEREAS, Congress approved the Central Utah Project Completion Act in 1992;
25 WHEREAS, the 1992 Completion Act began a new era in the process by which these
26 projects are constructed by requiring, as a condition to the federal government's further
27 participation, that those who receive the benefits of the project contribute a significant percentage,
28 from 35% to 50%, of the up-front design and construction costs on a concurrent or "as needed"
29 basis;
30 WHEREAS, the 1992 Completion Act became a model for similar projects throughout the
31 country as an example of state and federal governments acting as partners in a cooperative effort
32 to not only complete the project but to mitigate environmental damage;
33 WHEREAS, the 1992 Central Utah Project Completion Act created the Utah Reclamation
34 Mitigation and Conservation Commission, which has developed and implemented a mitigation and
35 conservation plan to address mitigation and conservation projects within the Central Utah Project
36 that restore fish and wildlife habitats and species populations and that provide related outdoor
37 recreation opportunities;
38 WHEREAS, the district developed a federal prepayment plan that generated $117 million
39 in savings for district taxpayers and obtained special legislation in order to implement the plan;
40 WHEREAS, the prepayment plan has enabled the district to meet its local cost share
41 requirements for the completion of the project without raising the district's tax rate;
42 WHEREAS, the district has determined that each of the project features is wanted and
43 needed, and meets the test of economic and environmental viability;
44 WHEREAS, the project is nearing completion and requires continued federal
45 appropriations to complete the project; and
46 WHEREAS, construction of the remaining final features is critically important to the
47 overall project and to the people of Utah:
48 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah strongly
49 expresses to the United States Congress and the Secretary of the Interior its continued support of
50 the Central Utah Project as offered by the federal government in the Central Utah Project
51 Completion Act.
52 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah urges that irrigation
53 water for Juab and Utah counties be provided, in keeping with the original purposes of the project.
54 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the President of the
55 United States, the Secretary of the Interior, the Chairs of the Appropriations Committees in the
56 United States Senate and House of Representatives, and the members of Utah's congressional
57 delegation.
Legislative Review Note
as of 12-22-99 2:58 PM
A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.