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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill deals with the creation of the Little Sahara State Park.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 ▸ authorizes the Division of Parks and Recreation to enter into an agreement with the
13 United States Bureau of Land Management to use the Little Sahara Recreation Area
14 as a state park; and
15 ▸ states that the Little Sahara Recreation Area shall be included within the state park
16 system upon the division entering into the agreement described above.
17 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
18 None
19 Other Special Clauses:
20 None
21 Utah Code Sections Affected:
22 ENACTS:
23 79-4-605, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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25 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
26 Section 1. Section 79-4-605 is enacted to read:
27 79-4-605. Little Sahara included within state park system.
28 (1) As used in this section, "Little Sahara Recreation Area" means the area of land in
29 the Sevier Desert, approximately 55,905 acres, fully described by the map and legal description
30 on file with the division.
31 (2) The division may:
32 (a) enter into an agreement for the use of the Little Sahara Recreation Area as a state
33 park with the United States Bureau of Land Management; and
34 (b) receive donations of land or facilities at the Little Sahara Recreation Area for
35 inclusion within the state park.
36 (3) In entering the agreement described in Subsection (2)(a), the division may:
37 (a) pursue a land transfer agreement with the United States Bureau of Land
38 Management;
39 (b) if a land transfer agreement is not possible, seek to purchase or lease the land from
40 the United States Bureau of Land Management through the Recreation and Public Purposes
41 Act, 43 U.S.C. Sec. 869 et seq.; and
42 (c) finalize an agreement to receive land by transfer, purchase, or lease, as described in
43 Subsections (3)(a) and (b), if:
44 (i) the resulting state park, including the cost of law enforcement, would be financially
45 self-sustaining;
46 (ii) all current grazing allotments would be maintained in their existing form; and
47 (iii) the Legislative Management Committee and the Natural Resources, Agriculture,
48 and Environment Interim Committee approve the plan to expand the state park system by
49 including the Little Sahara Recreation Area.
50 (4) If the division successfully enters into the agreement described in Subsection (2)(a),
51 the division shall negotiate in good faith with the School and Institutional Trust Lands
52 Administration to attempt to:
53 (a) purchase parcels of school and institutional trust land located within the boundaries
54 of the Little Sahara Recreation Area; or
55 (b) exchange parcels of school and institutional trust land located within the boundaries
56 of the Little Sahara Recreation Area for other parcels of state land or other lands administered
57 by the United States government.
58 (5) The Little Sahara Recreation Area shall be included within the state park system
59 upon the division entering into the agreement described in Subsection (2)(a).
60 (6) (a) Upon the division entering into the agreement described in Subsection (2)(a),
61 the division shall rename the approximately 9,000-acre area known as the Rockwell
62 Outstanding Natural Area to the "Bill Orton State Wilderness Area," with the ranch within the
63 area being named the "Porter Rockwell Ranch."
64 (b) The director shall recommend the Bill Orton State Wilderness Area to the governor
65 for designation as a protected wilderness area, as described in Section 63L-7-105.
66 (7) Upon the Little Sahara Recreation Area's inclusion in the state park system, the
67 state shall be responsible for the cost of law enforcement within the Little Sahara Recreation
68 Area.