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