H.C.R. 8 Enrolled

1

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON PROVIDING CONTINUING
2 FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE DELIVERY
3 OF BASIC SERVICES TO DUTCH JOHN, UTAH
4 2011 GENERAL SESSION
5 STATE OF UTAH
6 Chief Sponsor: Melvin R. Brown
7 Senate Sponsor: Kevin T. Van Tassell
8
9 LONG TITLE
10 General Description:
11 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor urges the United States
12 Government and the Secretary of the Interior to provide continued financial assistance
13 to defray the costs of administration and basic community services for residents of
14 Dutch John, Utah.
15 Highlighted Provisions:
16 This resolution:
17 . urges the United States Government and the Secretary of the Interior to provide
18 continued financial assistance of $500,000 per year for 15 years to Daggett County
19 to defray the costs of administration and basic community services for the residents
20 of Dutch John, Utah.
21 Special Clauses:
22 None
23
24 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
25 WHEREAS, the Dutch John Federal Property Disposition and Assistance Act of 1998
26 disposed of certain federal properties located in Dutch John, Utah, and provided for assistance
27 to Daggett County for the delivery of basic services to the Dutch John community, and for
28 other purposes;
29 WHEREAS, for the purpose of defraying costs of administration and provision of basic

30 community services, an annual payment of $300,000, as adjusted by the Secretary of the
31 Interior for changes in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers published by the
32 Department of Labor, has been provided from the Upper Colorado Basin Fund authorized by
33 Section 5 of the Act of April 11, 1956 (70 Stat. 107, chapter 203; 43 U.S.C. 620d), to Daggett
34 County, Utah, or in accordance with Subsection (c), to Dutch John, Utah, for a period not to
35 exceed 15 years beginning the first January 1 that occurs after the date of the effective date of
36 this resolution;
37 WHEREAS, these payments for the purpose of defraying costs of administration and
38 provision of basic community services will terminate December 31, 2013;
39 WHEREAS, Dutch John was established in 1958 by the Bureau of Reclamation to
40 provide housing and serve project construction needs for the construction of Flaming Gorge
41 Dam;
42 WHEREAS, permanent structures for housing, administrative offices, maintenance, and
43 other public purposes continue to be owned and maintained by the Bureau of Reclamation;
44 WHEREAS, during construction of the dam, more than 2,000 people were housed in
45 the town;
46 WHEREAS, the Bureau of Reclamation and the United States Forest Service,
47 responsible for land management at Dutch John and surrounding Flaming Gorge National
48 Recreation Area, continue to provide basic services and facilities for the community;
49 WHEREAS, basic services for Dutch John, as well as the operating and administrative
50 costs for the town prior to 1998, were financed by the Bureau of Reclamation and the United
51 States Forest Service, then reimbursed by annual power sales revenue;
52 WHEREAS, the federal costs of providing the full range of community facilities and
53 services in Dutch John had substantially grown over the years, and in 1998 approached $1
54 million annually;
55 WHEREAS, currently, Daggett County is providing these basic community services to
56 Dutch John, such as road maintenance, water, and sewer;
57 WHEREAS, to offset these costs, while a traditional community tax base was being

58 established in Dutch John, Daggett County received an annual subsidy that is to last for 15
59 years from public power revenues;
60 WHEREAS, the Dutch John Federal Property Disposition and Assistance Act of 1998
61 anticipated that in the initial 15-year period commercial developments would be established
62 that would help finance local services;
63 WHEREAS, the commercial developments that were anticipated to occur in Dutch
64 John to help finance local services have not been established; and
65 WHEREAS, Daggett County is more than 85% federally owned, thus limiting the
66 ability of the county to raise needed property taxes to support the unincorporated community of
67 Dutch John:
68 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
69 Governor concurring therein, urge the United States Government and the Secretary of the
70 Interior to provide continued financial assistance to the unincorporated community of Dutch
71 John, Utah, in the amount of at least $500,000 annually, as adjusted by the Secretary of the
72 Interior for changes in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers published by the
73 Department of Labor, from the Upper Colorado River Basin Fund for a period not to exceed 15
74 years, for the purpose of defraying costs of administration and the provision of basic
75 community services.
76 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the United
77 States Secretary of the Interior, the members of Utah's congressional delegation, the United
78 States Forest Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Daggett County Commission.