1     
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE

2     
PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF WILDLIFE

3     
CORRIDORS

4     
2020 GENERAL SESSION

5     
STATE OF UTAH

6     
Chief Sponsor: Mike Schultz

7     
Senate Sponsor: David P. Hinkins

8     Cosponsors:
9     Carl R. Albrecht
10     Joel K. Briscoe
11     Scott H. Chew
12     Susan Duckworth
Joel Ferry
Timothy D. Hawkes
Phil Lyman
Michael K. McKell
Derrin R. Owens
Douglas V. Sagers
Keven J. Stratton
Christine F. Watkins
Logan Wilde

13     

14     LONG TITLE
15     General Description:
16          This resolution relates to protecting wildlife and improving motorist safety.
17     Highlighted Provisions:
18          This resolution:
19          ▸     acknowledges that healthy wildlife and landscapes are crucial to Utah's quality of
20     life and economy;
21          ▸     acknowledges that protecting fish and wildlife corridors will improve herd vitality
22     of big game species and preserve connectivity of fisheries;
23          ▸     acknowledges and respects the rights of private landowners;
24          ▸     acknowledges that the United States is losing biodiversity;
25          ▸     acknowledges that wildlife-vehicle collisions pose serious safety risks to motorists
26     and wildlife and that states, including Utah, that implement wildlife crossings to
27     improve motorist safety and protect wildlife corridors have seen a decrease in

28     wildlife vehicle collisions;
29          ▸     acknowledges current efforts to protect wildlife corridors and road safety;
30          ▸     acknowledges the need for the protection and restoration of migratory routes for
31     wildlife through the Division of Wildlife Resources' Utah's Wildlife Migration
32     Initiative;
33          ▸     acknowledges that the federal government has initiated programs and awarded
34     grants to protect wildlife corridors for big game animals;
35          ▸     expresses the state's continued support for fish and wildlife corridors and road
36     safety; and
37          ▸     encourages studies related to wildlife migration corridors within the state.
38     Special Clauses:
39          None
40     

41     Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
42          WHEREAS, healthy plant and animal life are necessary to the quality of life in Utah
43     and to maintain vibrant and balanced landscapes to support outdoor recreational activities such
44     as hunting, fishing, animal watching, and similar activities;
45          WHEREAS, the Office of Outdoor Recreation reports that outdoor recreation
46     contributes more than $5.5 billion to the economy, employs more than 75,000 people, and is
47     the primary driver behind the tourism industry;
48          WHEREAS, protecting fish and wildlife migration corridors has been shown to
49     improve herd vitality of big game species, and preserving connectivity is crucial to the
50     long-term resiliency of Utah's fisheries, both being critical in supporting Utah's outdoor
51     recreation economy;
52          WHEREAS, the rights of private landowners are recognized and respected and private
53     landowners should not be forced to participate in any state or local initiatives regarding the
54     protection of wildlife corridors, but instead the state and local governments should incentivize
55     private landowners to participate;

56          WHEREAS, 1 in 5 species is at risk of extinction in the United States and Utah is home
57     to many threatened or endangered species and to sensitive species;
58          WHEREAS, over the 14-year period from 1992 thru 2005, the Utah Highway Patrol
59     reported to the Utah Department of Transportation's Traffic and Safety Office that:
60               •     nearly 30,500 wildlife-vehicle collisions occurred during that period,
61     most reported being deer, elk, and moose;
62               •     the number of reported injury accidents during this period was 2,030;
63     and
64               •     the injury accidents include 18 reported deaths due to accidents with
65     wildlife;
66          WHEREAS, states, including Utah, that implement wildlife crossings to improve
67     motorist safety and protect wildlife corridors have seen a decrease in wildlife vehicle collisions
68     by 40% to 90%;
69          WHEREAS, the Division of Wildlife Resources and the Utah Department of
70     Transportation through the creation of a Wildlife Conflict Prevention Team are incorporating
71     wildlife migration patterns, crash data, and wildlife carcass data in highway corridor planning
72     to improve roadway safety for wildlife and motorists;
73          WHEREAS, the Utah Department of Transportation continues to install wildlife
74     fencing, has constructed a wildlife overpass and 50 wildlife underpasses statewide, continues to
75     identify potential locations for additional wildlife crossings, and has implemented new
76     monitoring technology to assess the effectiveness of existing crossings and better warn
77     motorists when wildlife is present;
78          WHEREAS, there is a need for the protection and restoration of migratory routes for
79     wildlife through the Division of Wildlife Resources' Utah's Wildlife Migration Initiative; and
80          WHEREAS, the current administration has initiated programs and awarded grants to
81     protect wildlife corridors for big game animals through United States Department of Interior,
82     Secretarial Order 3362:
83          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the

84     Governor concurring therein, urges continued state investment in wildlife connectivity and
85     encourages state and local governments to adopt policies to protect and restore intact fish and
86     wildlife connectivity and migration corridors and promote road safety.
87          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and Governor encourage the
88     Division of Wildlife Resources, universities, and others with expertise in the wildlife area to
89     study where wildlife migration corridors exist within the state and how best to protect and
90     enhance these corridors.
91          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Utah League
92     of Cities and Towns and the Utah Association of Counties and that these entities be requested
93     to provide access to the resolution to the relevant planning commissions and highway
94     authorities.