1     
LITTLE SAHARA STATE PARK DESIGNATION

2     
2017 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Steve Eliason

5     
Senate Sponsor: Ralph Okerlund

6     

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
24     

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) trade parcels of school and institutional trust land located within the boundaries of
56     the Little Sahara Recreation Area for other parcels of state land.
57          (5) The Little Sahara Recreation Area shall be included within the state park system
58     upon the division entering into the agreement described in Subsection (2)(a).

59          (6) (a) Upon the division entering into the agreement described in Subsection (2)(a),
60     the division shall rename the approximately 9,000-acre area known as the Rockwell
61     Outstanding Natural Area to the "Bill Orton State Wilderness Area."
62          (b) The director shall recommend the Bill Orton State Wilderness Area to the governor
63     for designation as a protected wilderness area, as described in Section 63L-7-105.
64          (7) Upon the Little Sahara Recreation Area's inclusion in the state park system, the
65     state shall be responsible for the cost of law enforcement within the Little Sahara Recreation
66     Area.






Legislative Review Note
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel