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S.B. 228 Enrolled

             1     

SPECIAL REVENUE FUND FOR SALINITY

             2     
OFFSET PROGRAM

             3     
2006 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Peter C. Knudson

             6     
House Sponsor: David Ure

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill creates a restricted special revenue fund entitled the "Salinity Offset Fund."
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    creates the Salinity Offset Fund, which is a restricted special revenue fund; and
             14          .    provides fund sources and allowed distributions from the fund.
             15      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             16          None
             17      Other Special Clauses:
             18          None
             19      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             20      ENACTS:
             21          4-2-8.5, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             22     
             23      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             24          Section 1. Section 4-2-8.5 is enacted to read:
             25          4-2-8.5. Salinity Offset Fund.
             26          (1) As used in this section, "Colorado River Salinity Offset Program" means a
             27      program, administered by the Division of Water Quality, allowing oil, gas, or mining
             28      companies and other entities to provide funds to finance salinity reduction projects in the
             29      Colorado River Basin by purchasing salinity credits as offsets against discharges made by the


             30      company under permits issued by the Division of Water Quality.
             31          (2) (a) There is created a restricted special revenue fund known as the "Salinity Offset
             32      Fund."
             33          (b) The fund shall consist of:
             34          (i) monies received from the Division of Water Quality that have been collected as part
             35      of the Colorado River Salinity Offset Program;
             36          (ii) grants from local governments, the state, or the federal government;
             37          (iii) grants from private entities; and
             38          (iv) interest on fund monies.
             39          (2) Any unallocated balance in the fund at the end of a fiscal year is nonlapsing.
             40          (3) (a) The department shall:
             41          (i) subject to the rules established under Subsection (3)(a)(ii), distribute fund monies to
             42      farmers, ranchers, mutual irrigation companies, and other entities in the state to assist in
             43      financing irrigation, rangeland, and watershed improvement projects that will, in accordance
             44      with the Colorado River Salinity Offset Program, reduce salinity in the Colorado River; and
             45          (ii) in accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act,
             46      make rules establishing:
             47          (A) a project funding application process;
             48          (B) project funding requirements;
             49          (C) project approval criteria; and
             50          (D) standards for evaluating the effectiveness of funded projects in reducing salinity in
             51      the Colorado River.
             52          (b) The department may require entities seeking fund monies to provide matching
             53      funds.
             54          (c) The department shall submit to the Water Quality Board's executive secretary
             55      proposed funding projects for the executive secretary's review and approval.
             56          (4) The department may use fund monies for the administration of the fund, but this
             57      amount may not exceed 10% of the annual receipts to the fund.


             58     


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