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H.C.R. 4 Enrolled

             1     

RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING STATE UNIVERSITIES'

             2     
AND SCHOOL INSTITUTIONAL TRUST LANDS'

             3     
EFFORTS IN ENHANCING STATE TRUST LANDS

             4     
2007 GENERAL SESSION

             5     
STATE OF UTAH

             6     
Chief Sponsor: Eric K. Hutchings

             7     
Senate Sponsor: Ed Mayne

             8     
             9      LONG TITLE
             10      General Description:
             11          This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor encourages state
             12      colleges and universities and the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration to
             13      work together as natural resources, located on School and Institutional Trust Lands, are
             14      identified and developed to maximize the economic benefits of the trust beneficiaries.
             15      Highlighted Provisions:
             16          This resolution:
             17          .    encourages state colleges and universities to notify the School and Institutional
             18      Trust Lands Administration whenever research results uncover innovative ways in
             19      which resources with the potential to provide significant revenues, such as
             20      hydrocarbons, precious and industrial metals, and renewable energy sources, could
             21      be utilized to maximize the economic benefits in the best interests of the trust
             22      beneficiaries; and
             23          .    encourages the development of resources on lands administered by the School and
             24      Institutional Trust Lands Administration as a critical source to build the permanent
             25      State School Fund to provide greater future education funding.
             26      Special Clauses:
             27          None
             28     
             29      Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:


             30          WHEREAS, Utah is a state endowed with abundant natural resources;
             31          WHEREAS, the production of minerals benefits Utah's economy, communities,
             32      government, and people;
             33          WHEREAS, when that production occurs on school and institutional trust lands, there
             34      is additional benefit to Utah's schools, universities, and other institutions that are the
             35      beneficiaries of the land trusts established at statehood for their support;
             36          WHEREAS, identifying new uses of natural resources from trust lands and developing
             37      the minerals needed for their creative use are key steps to ensuring that the economic benefits
             38      from the production of the resources will be optimized in the best interests of the beneficiaries
             39      of the trust lands, to increasing the standard of living for all, to improving Utah's tax base, and
             40      to providing greater economic independence of our country;
             41          WHEREAS, the production of resources from trust lands generates substantial wealth
             42      for Utah's schools and institutions, whose annual revenues have increased significantly and
             43      whose permanent funds have increased from $19 million in 1983 to over $800 million today;
             44          WHEREAS, the annual increases from trust lands to the permanent State School Fund
             45      now exceed the increases that had accumulated during the first century after statehood, and the
             46      endeavors of the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration and Board of Trustees,
             47      the State Treasurer, the Investment Advisory Committee, and the beneficiaries have been
             48      highly successful;
             49          WHEREAS, the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration continuously
             50      improves its database of the mineral, wind, and natural resources available on trust lands and
             51      their uses for the benefit of Utah's school children and other beneficiaries of the trust lands;
             52          WHEREAS, there have been numerous mutually advantageous collaborations between
             53      Utah's colleges and universities and the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration
             54      since 1994 for many traditional uses of land such as the studies by Utah State University of the
             55      Cinnamon Creek block, the recoverable timber in the Book Cliffs, the development plan for
             56      Big Water, the University of Utah's studies of the permanent trust funds, and a market analysis
             57      of the trust lands in St. George; and


             58          WHEREAS, Utah's colleges and universities could, through research and
             59      experimentation, identify and develop new, innovative uses for resources found on trust lands
             60      whenever possible when applying for federal and institutional research grant projects:
             61          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the State of Utah, the
             62      Governor concurring therein, encourage state colleges and universities to notify the School and
             63      Institutional Trust Lands Administration whenever research results uncover innovative ways in
             64      which resources with the potential to provide significant revenues, such as hydrocarbons,
             65      precious and industrial metals, and renewable energy sources could be utilized to maximize the
             66      economic benefits in the best interests of the trust beneficiaries.
             67          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor encourage the
             68      development of resources on lands administered by the School and Institutional Trust Lands
             69      Administration as a critical source to build the permanent State School Fund to provide greater
             70      future education funding.
             71          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor recognize the
             72      efforts of all parties named above that have contributed to the phenomenal growth of both the
             73      revenue from Utah's trust lands and the growth of the trust funds that have led to the greatly
             74      increased revenues to Utah's public schools and higher education beneficiaries.
             75          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to all Utah public
             76      universities, the Governor's Office of Economic Development, the Utah State Board of
             77      Education, the Utah State Office of Education, the Utah State Board of Regents, the Board of
             78      Trustees of the School and Institutional Trust Lands, and the School and Institutional Trust
             79      Lands Administration.


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