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7 LONG TITLE
8 Committee Note:
9 The Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee
10 recommended this bill.
11 General Description:
12 This bill amends the state energy policy.
13 Highlighted Provisions:
14 This bill:
15 ▸ adds to the state energy policy the promotion of certain nuclear power generation
16 technologies;
17 ▸ adds to the state energy policy the promotion of energy development in certain
18 areas;
19 ▸ adds to the state energy policy the promotion of energy education programs in
20 grades K-12; and
21 ▸ makes technical changes.
22 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
23 None
24 Other Special Clauses:
25 None
26 Utah Code Sections Affected:
27 AMENDS:
28 63M-4-301, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 378
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30 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
31 Section 1. Section 63M-4-301 is amended to read:
32 63M-4-301. State energy policy.
33 (1) It is the policy of the state that:
34 (a) Utah shall have adequate, reliable, affordable, sustainable, and clean energy
35 resources;
36 (b) Utah will promote the development of:
37 (i) nonrenewable energy resources, including natural gas, coal, oil, oil shale, and oil
38 sands; [
39 (ii) renewable energy resources, including geothermal, solar, wind, biomass, biofuel,
40 and hydroelectric;
41 (iii) nuclear power generation technologies certified for use by the United States
42 Nuclear Regulatory Commission including molten salt reactors producing medical isotopes;
43 (iv) alternative transportation fuels and technologies; [
44 (v) infrastructure to facilitate energy development [
45 transportation, greater access to domestic and international markets for Utah's resources, and
46 advanced transmission systems;
47 (vi) energy storage and other advanced energy systems; and
48 (vii) increased refinery capacity;
49 (c) Utah will promote the development of resources and infrastructure sufficient to
50 meet the state's growing demand, while contributing to the regional and national energy supply,
51 thus reducing dependence on international energy sources;
52 (d) Utah will allow market forces to drive prudent use of energy resources, although
53 incentives and other methods may be used to ensure the state's optimal development and use of
54 energy resources in the short- and long-term;
55 (e) Utah will pursue energy conservation, energy efficiency, and environmental quality;
56 (f) (i) state regulatory processes should be streamlined to balance economic costs with
57 the level of review necessary to ensure protection of the state's various interests; and
58 (ii) where federal action is required, Utah will encourage expedited federal action and
59 will collaborate with federal agencies to expedite review;
60 (g) Utah will maintain an environment that provides for stable consumer prices that are
61 as low as possible while providing producers and suppliers a fair return on investment,
62 recognizing that:
63 (i) economic prosperity is linked to the availability, reliability, and affordability of
64 consumer energy supplies; and
65 (ii) investment will occur only when adequate financial returns can be realized; and
66 (h) Utah will promote training and education programs focused on developing a
67 comprehensive understanding of energy, including:
68 (i) programs addressing:
69 [
70 [
71 [
72 [
73 [
74 (2) State agencies are encouraged to conduct agency activities consistent with
75 Subsection (1).
76 (3) A person may not file suit to challenge a state agency's action that is inconsistent
77 with Subsection (1).