H.C.R. 14

1

WILD LANDS CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
2 2011 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Chief Sponsor: Christine F. Watkins
5 Senate Sponsor: Karen W. Morgan
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor condemns the closed
10 process used in issuing Secretarial Order Number 3310 and encourages the United
11 States Department of the Interior to continue the open process that characterizes the
12 federal land use bill discussions with San Juan, Emery, Beaver, and Piute Counties,
13 allowing economic development to continue in the counties while also protecting
14 appropriate public lands.
15 Highlighted Provisions:
16 This resolution:
17 . condemns the process used by the United States Secretary of the Interior in issuing
18 Secretarial Order Number 3310;
19 . encourages San Juan, Emery, Beaver, and Piute Counties, as they continue complex
20 federal land bill discussions with the United States Department of the Interior, in
21 order to allow economic development to continue in the counties while also
22 protecting appropriate public lands; and
23 . urges the United States Department of the Interior to participate in federal land bill
24 discussions with Utah counties in good faith.
25 Special Clauses:
26 None
27

28 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
29 WHEREAS, the United States Secretary of the Interior's Secretarial Order Number
30 3310 concerning Wild Lands had no public input;
31 WHEREAS, the timing of the order announced three days before Christmas, made
32 legitimate analysis and criticism of the guidance impossible;
33 WHEREAS, four Utah counties, San Juan, Emery, Beaver, and Piute, are now involved
34 in complex federal land bill discussions;
35 WHEREAS, these county land bills like the 2009 Washington County Land Bill passed
36 by the United States Congress involve a variety of stakeholders working together to resolve
37 conflicts and reduce uncertainty in the management of public lands;
38 WHEREAS, these county land bills will allow economic development to continue in
39 the counties while also protecting appropriate public lands;
40 WHEREAS, a solution that is based on common sense and takes into account the many
41 uses of Utah's public lands is optimal; and
42 WHEREAS, Utah counties should follow Washington County's very successful
43 approach in resolving its public lands use issues:
44 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
45 Governor concurring therein, condemns the process used by the United States Secretary of the
46 Interior in issuing Secretarial Order Number 3310, which made legitimate analysis and
47 criticism of Wild Lands guidance impossible.
48 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor encourage San
49 Juan, Emery, Beaver, and Piute Counties to continue their federal land bill discussions with the
50 United States Department of the Interior in order to allow economic development to continue
51 in the counties while also protecting appropriate public lands.
52 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor urge the United
53 States Department of the Interior to continue to engage in good faith discussions with Utah
54 counties regarding their land use bills.
55 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the United
56 States Department of the Interior, the San Juan, Emery, Beaver, and Piute County
57 Commissions, the Utah Department of Natural Resources, and to the members of Utah's
58 congressional delegation.

Legislative Review Note
as of 2-7-11 5:54 PM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel