1     
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA AMENDMENTS

2     
2019 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Casey Snider

5     
Senate Sponsor: Allen M. Christensen

6     Cosponsor:
7     Joel Ferry


8     

9     LONG TITLE
10     General Description:
11          This bill creates and provides for the use of the Willard Spur Waterfowl Management
12     Area.
13     Highlighted Provisions:
14          This bill:
15          ▸     addresses definitions;
16          ▸     creates the management area and describes the land included in the management
17     area;
18          ▸     requires a memorandum of understanding with the Division of Forestry, Fire, and
19     State Lands;
20          ▸     provides for management of the management area by the Division of Wildlife
21     Resources in accordance with specified purposes and a management plan;
22          ▸     permits the division to restrict public access or recreational opportunity under
23     certain circumstances; and
24          ▸     makes technical changes.
25     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
26          None
27     Other Special Clauses:
28          None

29     Utah Code Sections Affected:
30     AMENDS:
31          23-21-.5, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1998, Chapter 218
32          23-21-5, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1975, Chapter 60
33     

34     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
35          Section 1. Section 23-21-.5 is amended to read:
36          23-21-.5. Definitions.
37          As used in this chapter:
38          (1) "General plan" means a document that a municipality or county adopts that sets
39     forth general guidelines for proposed future development of the land within the municipality or
40     county and includes what is commonly referred to as a "master plan."
41          (2) "Management plan" means a document prepared in accordance with this chapter
42     that describes how one or more tracts of land owned or managed by the Division of Wildlife
43     Resources are to be used.
44          (3) "Regional advisory council" means a council created pursuant to Section 23-14-2.6.
45          (4) "Wildlife management area" means:
46          (a) a single tract of land owned or managed by the division; or
47          (b) two or more tracts of land owned or managed by the division that are within close
48     proximity of each other and managed as a single unit.
49          Section 2. Section 23-21-5 is amended to read:
50          23-21-5. State-owned lands authorized for use as wildlife management areas,
51     fishing waters and for other recreational activities.
52          (1) The Wildlife Board is authorized to use any and all unsurveyed state-owned lands
53     below the 1855 meander line of the Great Salt Lake within the following townships for the
54     creation, operation, maintenance and management of wildlife management areas, fishing
55     waters and other recreational activities[.]:
56          Township 2 South, Range 5 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 2 South, Range 4 West,

57     S.L.B. and M.; Township 1 South, Range 5 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 1 South, Range 4
58     West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 1 South, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 1 North,
59     Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 1 North, Range 2 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 2
60     North, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 2 North, Range 2 West, S.L.B. and M.;
61     Township 2 North, Range 1 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 3 North, Range 3 West, S.L.B.
62     and M.; Township 3 North, Range 2 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 3 North, Range 1 West,
63     S.L.B. and M.; Township 4 North, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 4 North, Range 2
64     West, S.L.B. and M.; Sections 1, 2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, and 24, Township 4 North, Range 4
65     West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 5 North, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 5 North,
66     Range 4 West, S.L.B. and M.; Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, and 12, Township 5 North, Range 5
67     West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 6 North, Range 5 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 6 North,
68     Range 4 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 6 North, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 7
69     North, Range 5 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 7 North, Range 4 West, S.L.B. and M.;
70     Township 7 North, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 7 North, Range 2 West, S.L.B.
71     and M.; Township 8 North, Range 5 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 8 North, Range 4 West,
72     S.L.B. and M.; Township 8 North, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 8 North, Range 2
73     West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 9 North, Range 5 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 9 North,
74     Range 4 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 11 North, Range 11 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township
75     11 North, Range 10 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 11 North, Range 9 West, S.L.B. and M.;
76     Township 11 North, Range 8 West, S.L.B. and M.; North 1/2 of Township 10 North, Range 10
77     West, S.L.B. and M.; North 1/2 of Township 10 North, Range 9 West, S.L.B. and M.; North
78     1/2 of Township 10 North, Range 8 West, S.L.B. and M.
79          (2) (a) The Wildlife Board shall establish a wildlife management area known as the
80     "Willard Spur Waterfowl Management Area" on the unsurveyed state-owned lands below the
81     1855 meander line of the Great Salt Lake in Sections 26, 35, 36 of Township 8 North, Range 4
82     West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 8 North, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Sections 1, 2, 11, 12 of
83     Township 7 North, Range 4 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 7 North, Range 3 West, S.L.B.
84     and M.; Sections 20, 21, 29, 30, 31 of Township 8 North, Range 2 West, S.L.B. and M.;

85     excepting the following:
86          (i) lands within the May 14, 2019, boundaries of the Bear River Migratory Bird
87     Refuge;
88          (ii) lands within the May 14, 2019, boundaries of Harold Crane Waterfowl
89     Management Area;
90          (iii) lands within the May 14, 2019, boundaries of Willard Bay Reservoir; and
91          (iv) lands within the May 14, 2019, boundaries of state mineral leases.
92          (b) The division shall execute a memorandum of understanding with the Division of
93     Forestry, Fire, and State Lands recognizing the division's use of the state-owned lands
94     described in Subsection (2)(a) as a wildlife management area.
95          (c) The division shall manage the state-owned lands described in Subsection (2)(a) as a
96     wildlife management area and consistent with:
97          (i) the beneficial purposes identified in Subsection (2)(d); and
98          (ii) a management plan created consistent with the procedures in this chapter for a
99     management plan.
100          (d) The division shall manage the Willard Spur Waterfowl Management Area for the
101     following beneficial purposes:
102          (i) propagating and sustaining waterfowl, upland gamebirds, desirable mammals,
103     shorebirds, and other migratory and nonmigratory birds that use the Great Salt Lake ecosystem
104     and the Great Salt Lake ecosystem's surrounding wetlands;
105          (ii) preserving and enhancing the natural function, vegetation, and water flows under
106     existing or acquired water rights to provide productive habitat for the species listed in
107     Subsection (2)(d)(i);
108          (iii) providing recreational opportunity for traditional marsh-related activities,
109     including hunting, fishing, trapping, and wildlife viewing; and
110          (iv) providing public access in the management area for purposes of hunting, fishing,
111     trapping, and wildlife viewing, including access with airboats and other small watercraft.
112          (e) The division shall provide the habitat, recreational opportunities, and public access

113     described in Subsection (2)(d) without construction or use of an impounding dike, impounding
114     levee, or other impounding structure.
115          (f) Notwithstanding the purposes identified in Subsection (2)(d), the division may not
116     prohibit year-round public airboat and small watercraft access in the management area except
117     in selected areas during limited periods of time to protect habitat, nesting birds, or vulnerable
118     wildlife.