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8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This joint resolution encourages the federal government to consider moving the
11 headquarters for the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service to Utah.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This resolution:
14 ▸ discusses the duties of the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service;
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16 ▸ encourages the federal government to consider moving the headquarters for the
17 Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service to Utah.
18 Special Clauses:
19 None
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21 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
22 WHEREAS, the United States Department of the Interior is the agency responsible for
23 the management and conservation of most federal land and resources in the country;
24 WHEREAS, the Department of the Interior manages about 75% of the federal public
25 land in the country, most of which is in the West;
26 WHEREAS, the United States Forest Service, an agency within the United States
27 Department of Agriculture, manages most of the remaining federal public land in the country;
28 WHEREAS, the scope of the Department of the Interior's duties is broad, and the
29 consequences of policies made and effectuated by the department are felt most keenly by those
30 in the West;
31 WHEREAS, the Department of the Interior could perform its duties more efficiently,
32 and with more local input, if its headquarters were located in a western state instead of
33 Washington, D.C.;
34 WHEREAS, the United States Forest Service has similar duties to the Department of
35 the Interior and would also benefit from being headquartered in the West; and
36 WHEREAS, Salt Lake City, Utah, is a premier western metropolitan area that would
37 welcome the Department of the Interior, United States Forest Service, or both:
38 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
39 strongly encourages the federal government to consider moving the headquarters for the
40 Department of the Interior, United States Forest Service, or both to Utah, preferably southern
41 Utah.
42 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to Utah's
43 congressional delegation, Department of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, and United States
44 Forest Service Chief Tony Tooke.