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9 LONG TITLE
10 General Description:
11 This resolution relates to protecting wildlife and improving motorist safety.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This resolution:
14 ▸ acknowledges that healthy wildlife and landscapes are crucial to Utah's quality of
15 life and economy;
16 ▸ acknowledges that protecting wildlife corridors will improve herd vitality of big
17 game species;
18 ▸ acknowledges and respects the rights of private landowners;
19 ▸ acknowledges that the United States is losing biodiversity;
20 ▸ acknowledges that wildlife-vehicle collisions pose serious safety risks to motorists
21 and wildlife and that states, including Utah, that implement wildlife crossings to
22 improve motorist safety and protect wildlife corridors have seen a decrease in
23 wildlife vehicle collisions;
24 ▸ acknowledges current efforts to protect wildlife corridors and road safety;
25 ▸ acknowledges the need for the protection and restoration of migratory routes for
26 wildlife through the Division of Wildlife Resources' Utah's Wildlife Migration
27 Initiative;
28 ▸ acknowledges that the federal government has initiated programs and awarded
29 grants to protect wildlife corridors for big game animals;
30 ▸ expresses the state's continued support for wildlife corridors and road safety; and
31 ▸ encourages studies related to wildlife migration corridors within the state.
32 Special Clauses:
33 None
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35 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
36 WHEREAS, healthy plant and animal life are necessary to the quality of life in Utah
37 and to maintain vibrant and balanced landscapes to support outdoor recreational activities such
38 as hunting, fishing, animal watching, and similar activities;
39 WHEREAS, the Office of Outdoor Recreation reports that outdoor recreation
40 contributes more than $12.3 billion to the economy, employs more than 110,000 people, and is
41 the primary driver behind the tourism industry;
42 WHEREAS, protecting wildlife corridors has been shown to improve herd vitality of
43 big game species that are critical in supporting Utah's outdoor recreation economy;
44 WHEREAS, the rights of private landowners are recognized and respected and private
45 landowners should not be forced to participate in any state or local initiatives regarding the
46 protection of wildlife corridors, but instead the state and local governments should incentivize
47 private landowners to participate;
48 WHEREAS, 1 in 5 species is at risk of extinction in the United States and Utah is home
49 to many threatened or endangered species and to sensitive species;
50 WHEREAS, over the 14-year period from 1992 thru 2005, the Utah Highway Patrol
51 reported to the Utah Department of Transportation's Traffic and Safety Office that:
52 • nearly 30,500 wildlife-vehicle collisions occurred during that period,
53 most reported being deer, elk, and moose;
54 • the number of reported injury accidents during this period was 2,030;
55 and
56 • the injury accidents include 18 reported deaths due to accidents with
57 wildlife;
58 WHEREAS, states, including Utah, that implement wildlife crossings to improve
59 motorist safety and protect wildlife corridors have seen a decrease in wildlife vehicle collisions
60 by 40% to 90%;
61 WHEREAS, the Division of Wildlife Resources and the Utah Department of
62 Transportation through the creation of a Wildlife Conflict Prevention Team are incorporating
63 wildlife migration patterns, crash data, and wildlife carcass data in highway corridor planning
64 to improve roadway safety for wildlife and motorists;
65 WHEREAS, the Utah Department of Transportation continues to install wildlife
66 fencing, has constructed a wildlife overpass and 50 wildlife underpasses statewide, continues to
67 identify potential locations for additional wildlife crossings, and has implemented new
68 monitoring technology to assess the effectiveness of existing crossings and better warn
69 motorists when wildlife is present;
70 WHEREAS, there is a need for the protection and restoration of migratory routes for
71 wildlife through the Division of Wildlife Resources' Utah's Wildlife Migration Initiative; and
72 WHEREAS, the current administration has initiated programs and awarded grants to
73 protect wildlife corridors for big game animals through United States Department of Interior,
74 Secretarial Order 3362:
75 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
76 Governor concurring therein, urges continued state investment in wildlife connectivity and
77 encourages state and local governments to adopt policies to protect and restore wildlife
78 connectivity and migration corridors.
79 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and Governor encourage the
80 Division of Wildlife Resources, universities, and others with expertise in the wildlife area to
81 study where wildlife migration corridors exist within the state and how best to protect these
82 corridors.
83 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Utah League
84 of Cities and Towns and the Utah Association of Counties and that these entities be requested
85 to provide access to the resolution to the relevant planning commissions and highway
86 authorities.