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S.C.R. 3

             1     

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING CONTINUED

             2     
FEDERAL FUNDING OF THE CENTRAL UTAH PROJECT

             3     
2011 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Ralph Okerlund

             6     
House Sponsor: Michael E. Noel

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor urges continued federal
             11      funding of the Central Utah Project.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This resolution:
             14          .    strongly expresses to the United States Congress and the United States Secretary of
             15      the Interior the Legislature's and Governor's continuing support of the Central Utah
             16      Project; and
             17          .    urges continued federal funding to complete the project.
             18      Special Clauses:
             19          None
             20     
             21      Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
             22          WHEREAS, in 1964, people of vision and foresight created the Central Utah Water
             23      Conservancy District to administer the development of the various proposed units of the
             24      Central Utah Project;
             25          WHEREAS, the purpose of the project was, and continues to be, the development of
             26      Utah's portion of the upper Colorado River water for the benefit of counties in central and
             27      south-central Utah and the people of the entire state;


             28          WHEREAS, since 1965 Juab and Utah County citizens have been paying property taxes
             29      into the Central Utah Water Conservancy District in anticipation that they would receive
             30      irrigation water from the Central Utah Project, one of several original purposes of the project;
             31          WHEREAS, Utah's congressional delegation realizes the importance of Colorado River
             32      water to the people of Utah and has fought for the authorizations and appropriations necessary
             33      to build the project;
             34          WHEREAS, completion of the Central Utah Project and delivery of Utah's portion of
             35      the Colorado River water is vital to the continued, long-term prosperity of the state;
             36          WHEREAS, Congress approved the Central Utah Project Completion Act in 1992;
             37          WHEREAS, the 1992 Completion Act began a new era in the process by which these
             38      projects are constructed by requiring, as a condition to the federal government's further
             39      participation, that those who receive the benefits of the project contribute a significant
             40      percentage, from 35% to 50%, of the up-front design and construction costs on a concurrent or
             41      "as needed" basis;
             42          WHEREAS, the 1992 Completion Act became a model for similar projects throughout
             43      the country as an example of state and federal governments acting as partners in a cooperative
             44      effort to not only complete the project but to mitigate environmental damage;
             45          WHEREAS, the 1992 Central Utah Project Completion Act created the Utah
             46      Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission, which has developed and implemented
             47      a mitigation and conservation plan to address mitigation and conservation projects within the
             48      Central Utah Project that restore fish and wildlife habitats and species populations and that
             49      provide related outdoor recreation opportunities;
             50          WHEREAS, the district developed a federal prepayment plan that generated
             51      $117,000,000 in savings for district taxpayers and obtained special legislation in order to
             52      implement the plan;
             53          WHEREAS, the prepayment plan has enabled the district to meet its local cost share
             54      requirements for the completion of the project without raising the district's tax rate;
             55          WHEREAS, the district has determined that each of the project features is wanted and
             56      needed and meets the test of economic and environmental viability;
             57          WHEREAS, although in recent years, the annual budget allocation for the Central Utah
             58      Project has averaged $40,000,000, the United States Secretary of the Interior has reportedly


             59      recommended no Central Utah Project funding in next year's budget;
             60          WHEREAS, the project is nearing completion and requires continued federal
             61      appropriations to complete the project; and
             62          WHEREAS, construction of the remaining final features is critically important to the
             63      overall project and to the people of Utah:
             64          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
             65      Governor concurring therein, strongly expresses to the United States Congress and the
             66      Secretary of the Interior their continuing support of the Central Utah Project as offered by the
             67      federal government in the Central Utah Project Completion Act.
             68          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor strongly urge the
             69      federal government to provide the needed funding to complete the Central Utah Project.
             70          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the President of
             71      the United States, the Secretary of the Interior, the Chairs of the Appropriations Committees in
             72      the United States Senate and House of Representatives, and the members of Utah's
             73      congressional delegation.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-3-11 10:51 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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