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H.C.R. 8

             1     

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING

             2     
CURRENT BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

             3     
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANS

             4     
2009 GENERAL SESSION

             5     
STATE OF UTAH

             6     
Chief Sponsor: John G. Mathis

             7     
Senate Sponsor: Kevin T. Van Tassell

             8     
             9      LONG TITLE
             10      General Description:
             11          This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor expresses support for
             12      the current Bureau of Land Management resource management plans and the process
             13      used to complete the plans.
             14      Highlighted Provisions:
             15          This resolution:
             16          .    expresses strong support for the federal Bureau of Land Management's resource
             17      management plans developed for Moab, Richfield, Price, Vernal, Monticello, and
             18      Kanab, Utah, and the lengthy, thoughtful, and public process used to develop the
             19      plans; and
             20          .    opposes current actions taken that contest and delay the resource management plans
             21      and the sale of 77 oil and gas leases on land in Utah.
             22      Special Clauses:
             23          None
             24     
             25      Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
             26          WHEREAS, because the nation's dependence on foreign sources of energy leaves the
             27      economy vulnerable, serious effort must be devoted to decrease the nation's dependency on


             28      foreign energy sources;
             29          WHEREAS, oil and natural gas form an essential bridge to attaining a future of energy
             30      independence sustained by alternative and renewable energy sources;
             31          WHEREAS, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (Act) mandates that the
             32      federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manage public lands for multiple uses such as
             33      outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, energy exploration and production, conservation, and
             34      timber production;
             35          WHEREAS, the Act establishes that the BLM sustain the health, diversity, and
             36      productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations;
             37          WHEREAS, in making decisions about land use, the Act requires the BLM to develop
             38      resource management plans and update them periodically;
             39          WHEREAS, these important land use management decision documents require public
             40      input and participation;
             41          WHEREAS, managing the nation's cherished public lands for multiple uses is a
             42      constant challenge;
             43          WHEREAS, citizens expect the BLM to provide responsible energy and minerals
             44      development, recreational opportunities, appropriate access, and healthy landscapes, while still
             45      providing an adequate level of resource protection to ensure that future generations will
             46      continue to benefit from and enjoy these areas;
             47          WHEREAS, the resource management plan process, developed by the BLM to
             48      accomplish these goals, is thorough, deliberative, and very public;
             49          WHEREAS, resource management plans provide administrative protections to some
             50      lands, including major constraints such as no surface occupancy and disturbance timing
             51      stipulations;
             52          WHEREAS, extensive state and community input is invited and submitted both in
             53      writing and through the public hearing process;
             54          WHEREAS, resource management plans for the Moab, Richfield, Price, Vernal,
             55      Monticello, and Kanab Field Offices recently went into effect after approximately eight years
             56      of development and review;
             57          WHEREAS, hundreds of thousands of public comments were considered during the
             58      planning process;


             59          WHEREAS, new environmental restrictions included in the resource management plans
             60      provide multiple layers of safeguards to prevent environmental damage to sensitive natural
             61      resources;
             62          WHEREAS, the proposed plans envision maintaining areas open to oil and gas leasing,
             63      but also institute protective measures during development like timing limitations, best
             64      management practices, and advanced technology to minimize the footprint of developing those
             65      important resources;
             66          WHEREAS, there was no cutting of corners or abridgment of processes in preparing
             67      the resource management plans;
             68          WHEREAS, due to the strong feelings regarding the use of public lands, every private
             69      group and government entity involved in the process would like to see some changes in the
             70      outcome, but all groups were heard and their concerns given thoughtful and careful
             71      consideration;
             72          WHEREAS, the state of Utah and Uintah, Duchesne, Grand, Emery, San Juan, Sevier,
             73      Garfield, Kane, Wayne, Piute, and Carbon Counties were cooperating agencies in the BLM's
             74      development of the current resource management plans and have interests in preserving the
             75      plans;
             76          WHEREAS, upon approval of these management plans, the BLM offered for lease
             77      parcels of land which had been set aside for several years pending completion of the resource
             78      management plans;
             79          WHEREAS, leases do not convey an unlimited right to explore or an unlimited right to
             80      develop oil and gas resources, but are subject to terms designed to minimize and mitigate the
             81      impacts of development;
             82          WHEREAS, in addition to proposing an accommodation for the nation's pressing need
             83      for energy development, the plans also propose protecting public lands within the six planning
             84      areas where there are sensitive natural resources, making these lands off limits to surface
             85      disturbing activities and unavailable to oil and gas leasing;
             86          WHEREAS, this type of protection would extend to almost one million acres of public
             87      land in addition to nearly two million acres of existing wilderness study areas;
             88          WHEREAS, a lawsuit has been filed challenging the legality of the BLM's December
             89      19, 2008, sale of oil and gas leases;


             90          WHEREAS, the state has been granted permission by the Court to defend its interests
             91      in the lawsuit by participating as an intervenor;
             92          WHEREAS, on February 4, 2008, the United States Department of the Interior rejected
             93      the bids offered on 77 of the oil and gas leases presented at the December lease sale; and
             94          WHEREAS, the lawsuit and the oil and gas lease rejections strike at the heart of a
             95      careful, deliberative, lengthy public process to develop resource management plans that would
             96      benefit Utahns and the citizens of the United States:
             97          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
             98      Governor concurring therein, express strong support for the federal Bureau of Land
             99      Management's resource management plans developed for the Moab, Richfield, Price, Vernal,
             100      Monticello, and Kanab, Utah Field Offices, and most particularly for the lengthy, thoughtful,
             101      and public process used to develop the plans.
             102          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor oppose current
             103      actions taken that may contest and delay implementation of the resource management plans.
             104          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor request that the
             105      Department of the Interior expedite a review of the 77 bid-rejected parcels to determine which
             106      may be offered for leasing in the near future.
             107          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the United
             108      States Department of the Interior, the federal Bureau of Land Management and its Utah office,
             109      the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, the Uintah, Duchesne, Grand, Emery, San Juan,
             110      Sevier, Garfield, Kane, Wayne, Piute, and Carbon County Commissions, the Moab, Richfield,
             111      Price, Vernal, Monticello, and Kanab City Councils, the Utah Public Lands Policy
             112      Coordination Office, and to the members of Utah's congressional delegation.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-17-09 10:03 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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